1 Now when King Dauid was olde, and striken in yeeres, they couered him with clothes, but no heate came vnto him. 2 Wherefore his seruants saide vnto him, Let there be sought for my lord ye King a yong virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him: and let her lie in thy bosome, that my lord the King may get heate. 3 So they sought for a faire young maide thoroughout all the coastes of Israel, and founde one Abishag a Shunamite, and brought her to the king. 4 And the maid was exceeding faire, and cherished the king, and ministred to him, but the King knew her not. 5 Then Adoniiah the sonne of Haggith exalted himselfe, saying, I will be king. And he gate him charets and horsemen, and fiftie men to run before him. 6 And his father would not displease him from his childehood, to say, Why hast thou done so? And hee was a very goodly man, and his mother bare him next after Absalom. 7 And he tooke counsel of Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah, and of Abiathar the Priest: and they helped forward Adoniiah. 8 But Zadok the Priest, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and Nathan the Prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the men of might, which were with Dauid, were not with Adoniiah. 9 Then Adoniiah sacrificed sheepe and oxen, and fat cattel by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the kings sonnes, and al the men of Iudah ye Kings seruants, 10 But Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah, and the mightie men, and Salomon his brother hee called not. 11 Wherefore Nathan spake vnto Bath-sheba the mother of Salomon, saying, Hast thou not heard, that Adoniiah ye sonne of Haggith doeth reigne, and Dauid our lord knoweth it not? 12 Now therefore come, and I will now giue thee counsell, howe to saue thine owne life, and the life of thy sonne Salomon. 13 Go, and get thee in vnto King Dauid, and say vnto him, Didest not thou, my lorde, O King, sweare vnto thine handmaide, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my throne? why is then Adoniiah King? 14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the King, I also will come in after thee, and confirme thy wordes. 15 So Bath-sheba went in vnto the King into the chamber, and the King was verie olde, and Abishag the Shunammite ministred vnto ye King. 16 And Bath-sheba bowed and made obeisance vnto the King. And the King saide, What is thy matter? 17 And shee answered him, My lorde, thou swarest by the Lord thy God vnto thine handmaide, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my throne. 18 And beholde, nowe is Adoniiah king, and now, my lord, O King, thou knowest it not. 19 And he hath offred many oxen, and fatte cattel, and sheepe, and hath called all the sonnes of the King, and Abiathar the Priest, and Ioab the captaine of the hoste: but Salomon thy seruant hath he not bidden. 20 And thou, my lorde, O King, knowest that the eyes of all Israel are on thee, that thou shouldest tell them, who shoulde sit on the throne of my lord the King after him. 21 For els when my lord the King shall sleepe with his fathers, I and my sonne Salomon shalbe reputed vile. 22 And lo, while she yet talked with the King, Nathan also the Prophet came in. 23 And they tolde the King, saying, Beholde, Nathan the Prophet. And when he was come in to the King, hee made obeisance before the King vpon his face to the ground. 24 And Nathan saide, My lorde, O King, hast thou said, Adoniiah shall reigne after mee, and he shall sit vpon my throne? 25 For hee is gone downe this day, and hath slaine many oxen, and fat cattel, and sheepe, and hath called al the Kings sonnes, and the captaines of the hoste, and Abiathar the Priest: and behold, they eate and drinke before him, and say, God saue King Adoniiah. 26 But me thy seruant, and Zadok the Priest, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and thy seruant Salomon hath he not called. 27 Is this thing done by my lord the King, and thou hast not shewed it vnto thy seruant, who should sitte on the throne of my lorde the King after him? 28 Then King Dauid answered, and saide, Call me Bath-sheba. And shee came into ye Kings presence, and stoode before the King. 29 And the King sware, saying, As the Lord liueth, who hath redeemed my soule out of all aduersitie, 30 That as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and hee shall sit vpon my throne in my place, so will I certainely doe this day. 31 Then Bath-sheba bowed her face to the earth, and did reuerence vnto the King, and said, God saue my lord King Dauid for euer. 32 And King Dauid saide, Call mee Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada. And they came before the King. 33 Then the King said vnto them, Take with you the seruants of your lorde, and cause Salomon my sonne to ride vpon mine owne mule, and carie him downe to Gihon. 34 And let Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet anoint him there King ouer Israel, and blowe ye the trumpet, and say, God saue king Salomon. 35 Then come vp after him, that hee may come and sit vpon my throne: and hee shall bee King in my steade: for I haue appointed him to be prince ouer Israel and ouer Iudah. 36 Then Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada answered the King, and said, So be it, and the Lord God of my lord the King ratifie it. 37 As the Lord hath bene with my lorde the King, so be he with Salomon, and exalt his throne aboue the throne of my lorde king Dauid. 38 So Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went downe and caused Salomon to ride vpon king Dauids mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39 And Zadok the Priest tooke an horne of oyle out of the Tabernacle, and anointed Salomon: and they blewe the trumpet, and all the people said, God saue king Salomon. 40 And all the people came vp after him, and the people piped with pipes, and reioyced with great ioye, so that the earth rang with the sound of them. 41 And Adoniiah and all the ghestes that were with him, heard it: (and they had made an ende of eating) and when Ioab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, What meaneth this noise and vprore in the citie? 42 And as he yet spake, beholde, Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar the Priest came: and Adoniiah said, Come in: for thou art a worthie man, and bringest good tidings. 43 And Ionathan answered, and said to Adoniiah, Verely our lord King Dauid hath made Salomon King. 44 And the King hath sent with him Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they haue caused him to ride vpon the Kings mule. 45 And Zadok the Priest, and Nathan ye Prophet haue anointed him King in Gihon: and they are gone vp from thence with ioy, and the citie is moued: this is the noise that ye haue heard. 46 And Salomon also sitteth on the throne of the kingdome. 47 And moreouer the Kings seruantes came to blesse our lord King Dauid, saying, God make the name of Salomon more famous then thy name, and exalt his throne aboue thy throne: therefore the King worshipped vpon the bed. 48 And thus sayd the King also, Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel, who hath made one to sit on my throne this day, euen in my sight. 49 Then all the ghestes that were with Adonijah, were afraide, and rose vp, and went euery man his way. 50 And Adonijah fearing the presence of Salomon, arose and went, and tooke holde on the hornes of the altar. 51 And one tolde Salomon, saying, Beholde, Adonijah doeth feare King Salomon: for lo, he hath caught holde on the hornes of the altar, saying, Let King Salomon sweare vnto me this day, that he will not slay his seruant with the sword. 52 Then Salomon sayd, If he will shewe him selfe a worthy man, there shall not an heare of him fall to the earth, but if wickednes be found in him, he shall dye. 53 Then King Salomon sent, and they brought him from the altar, and he came and did obeisance vnto King Salomon. And Salomon sayde vnto him, Go to thine house.
King David in His Old Age
1 King David was now a very old man, and although his servants covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. 2 So his officials said to him, “Your Majesty, let us find a young woman to stay with you and take care of you. She will lie close to you and keep you warm.” 3 A search was made all over Israel for a beautiful young woman, and in Shunem they found such a woman named Abishag, and brought her to the king. 4 She was very beautiful, and waited on the king and took care of him, but he did not have intercourse with her.
Adonijah Claims the Throne
5-6 Now that Absalom was dead, Adonijah, the son of David and Haggith, was the oldest surviving son. He was a very handsome man. David had never reprimanded him about anything, and he was ambitious to be king. He provided for himself chariots, horses, and an escort of fifty men. 7 He talked with Joab (whose mother was Zeruiah) and with Abiathar the priest, and they agreed to support his cause. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's bodyguards were not on Adonijah's side.
9 One day Adonijah offered a sacrifice of sheep, bulls, and fattened calves at Snake Rock, near the spring of Enrogel. He invited the other sons of King David and the king's officials who were from Judah to come to this sacrificial feast, 10 but he did not invite his half brother Solomon or Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king's bodyguards.
Solomon Is Made King
11 Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, “Haven't you heard that Haggith's son Adonijah has made himself king? And King David doesn't know anything about it! 12 If you want to save your life and the life of your son Solomon, I would advise you to 13 go at once to King David and ask him, ‘Your Majesty, didn't you solemnly promise me that my son Solomon would succeed you as king? How is it, then, that Adonijah has become king?’” 14 And Nathan added, “Then, while you are still talking with King David, I will come in and confirm your story.”
15 So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old, and Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, was taking care of him. 16 Bathsheba bowed low before the king, and he asked, “What do you want?”
17 She answered, “Your Majesty, you made me a solemn promise in the name of the Lord your God that my son Solomon would be king after you. 18 But Adonijah has already become king, and you don't know anything about it. 19 He has offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves, and he invited your sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of your army to the feast, but he did not invite your son Solomon. 20 Your Majesty, all the people of Israel are looking to you to tell them who is to succeed you as king. 21 If you don't, as soon as you are dead, my son Solomon and I will be treated as traitors.”
22 She was still speaking, when Nathan arrived at the palace. 23 The king was told that the prophet was there, and Nathan went in and bowed low before the king. 24 Then he said, “Your Majesty, have you announced that Adonijah would succeed you as king? 25 This very day he has gone and offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited all your sons, Joab the commander of your army, and Abiathar the priest, and right now they are feasting with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he did not invite me, sir, or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon. 27 Did Your Majesty approve all this and not even tell your officials who is to succeed you as king?”
28 King David said, “Ask Bathsheba to come back in”—and she came and stood before him. 29 Then he said to her, “I promise you by the living Lord, who has rescued me from all my troubles, 30 that today I will keep the promise I made to you in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, that your son Solomon would succeed me as king.”
31 Bathsheba bowed low and said, “May my lord the king live forever!”
32 Then King David sent for Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah. When they came in, 33 he said to them, “Take my court officials with you; have my son Solomon ride my own mule, and escort him down to Gihon Spring, 34 where Zadok and Nathan are to anoint him as king of Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Follow him back here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, because he is the one I have chosen to be the ruler of Israel and Judah.”
36 “It shall be done,” answered Benaiah, “and may the Lord your God confirm it! 37 As the Lord has been with Your Majesty, may he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours.”
38 So Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon Spring. 39 Zadok took the container of olive oil which he had brought from the Tent of the Lord's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 Then they all followed him back, shouting for joy and playing flutes, making enough noise to shake the ground.
41 As Adonijah and all his guests were finishing the feast, they heard the noise. And when Joab heard the trumpet, he asked, “What's the meaning of all that noise in the city?” 42 Before he finished speaking, Jonathan, the son of the priest Abiathar, arrived. “Come on in,” Adonijah said. “You're a good man—you must be bringing good news.”
43 “I'm afraid not,” Jonathan answered. “His Majesty King David has made Solomon king. 44 He sent Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards to escort him. They had him ride on the king's mule, 45 and Zadok and Nathan anointed him as king at Gihon Spring. Then they went into the city, shouting for joy, and the people are now in an uproar. That's the noise you just heard. 46 Solomon is now the king. 47 What is more, the court officials went in to pay their respects to His Majesty King David and said, ‘May your God make Solomon even more famous than you, and may Solomon's reign be even more prosperous than yours.’ Then King David bowed in worship on his bed 48 and prayed, ‘Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has today made one of my descendants succeed me as king, and has let me live to see it!’”
49 Then Adonijah's guests were afraid, and they all got up and left, each going his own way. 50 Adonijah, in great fear of Solomon, went to the Tent of the Lord's presence and took hold of the corners of the altar. 51 King Solomon was told that Adonijah was afraid of him and that he was holding on to the corners of the altar and had said, “First, I want King Solomon to swear to me that he will not have me put to death.”
52 Solomon replied, “If he is loyal, not even a hair on his head will be touched; but if he is not, he will die.” 53 King Solomon then sent for Adonijah and had him brought down from the altar. Adonijah went to the king and bowed low before him, and the king said to him, “You may go home.”