1 Kings 1

1 King David was old and well on in years, and they covered him with clothes, but he could not get warm. 2 And his servants said, “Let them look for a young woman, a virgin, for our lord the king. She will attend the king and keep him warm, and she will lie with him, and our lord the king will be warm.”

3 So they looked for a beautiful young woman through all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunammite, and they brought her to the king. [a] 4 And the young woman was very beautiful indeed. She kept the king warm and served him, but the king did not know her.

5 And Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself and said, “I will be king.” And he got himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run ahead of him. [b] 6 And his father had never at any time held him back and asked him why he was doing this. And he too was very handsome in appearance, and his mother bore him after Absalom. 7 And he talked the matter over with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their help and followed after Adonijah. 8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and David’s mighty men did not follow Adonijah. [c]

9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and calves and lambs by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside the spring of Rogel, and he called all his brothers and all the great men of Judah, the king’s servants. [d] 10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother he did not call.

11 And Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon and said, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? [e] 12 And now come, let me give you counsel, and rescue your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go in to king David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 And look — while you are still speaking there with the king, I will come in after you and complete your words.”

15 So Bathsheba went in to the king, into the inner room. And the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king. 16 And Bathsheba bent down and bowed to the king. And the king said, “What is it with you?” 17 And she said, “My lord the king, you swore by the Lord your God to your servant, ‘Solomon your son will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 And now, look, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know it. 19 And he has sacrificed calves and lambs and sheep in great numbers, and he has called all the king’s sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not called. 20 And you, my lord the king — the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 And when my lord the king lies down with his fathers, then I and my son Solomon will be sinners.” [f]

22 And look — while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came. 23 And it was reported to the king, “Look, Nathan the prophet is here.” And he came in before the king and bowed down to the king with his face to the ground. [g] 24 And Nathan said, “My lord the king, did you say, ‘Adonijah will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne’? 25 For he has gone down today and sacrificed calves and lambs and sheep in great numbers, and he has called all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look, they are eating and drinking in front of him, and they said, ‘Long live king Adonijah!’ 26 But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant he did not call. 27 Has this thing come about from my lord the king, and you did not let your servant know who is to sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

28 And David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came in before the king and stood in front of him. 29 And the king swore and said, “As the Lord lives, who has ransomed my life out of every affliction: [h] 30 just as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place’ — so I will do this very day.” 31 And Bathsheba bent down with her face to the ground and bowed down to the king and said, “Long live my lord king David, forever!”

32 And king David said, “Call Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada to me.” And they came in before the king. 33 And the king said to them, “Take the slaves of your lord with you, and set my son Solomon on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. [i] 34 And there let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and sound the horn, and you are to say, ‘Long live king Solomon!’ [j] 35 And he will sit on my throne, and he will be king in my place; and I have given the charge that he is to be leader over Israel and Judah.” 36 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “So be it. May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, confirm it. 37 As the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon; and may he make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.”

38 And Zadok the priest went down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite and the Pelethite, and they set Solomon on king David’s mule and led him to Gihon. 39 And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon, and he blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live king Solomon!” [k] 40 And all the people went up after him, and they danced in rings and rejoiced with great joy, and the earth was split with the sound of them. [l]

41 And Adonijah heard it, and all his invited guests, and they had only just finished eating. And Joab heard the sound of the horn and said, “What is this sound of the city in uproar?” 42 While he was still speaking, look — Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came in. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a man of strength, and bring good news.” [m] 43 And Jonathan answered and said, “Indeed he has: our lord king David has made Solomon king. 44 And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada and the Cherethite and the Pelethite, and they set him on the king’s mule; 45 and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, and the city rang with it. That is the sound you heard. 46 And Solomon has taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom. 47 And the king’s slaves went in to bless our lord king David, saying, ‘May God make the name of Solomon your son better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed down on his bed. 48 And this too the king said: ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has given today one from my own seed sitting on my throne, and my eyes see it.’”

49 And all Adonijah’s invited guests were beside themselves, and they got up and went off, each man his own way. 50 And Adonijah was afraid before Solomon, and he got up and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51 And it was reported to Solomon, “Look, Adonijah is afraid of king Solomon, and he is holding on to the horns of the altar and saying, ‘Let king Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death by the sword.’” 52 And Solomon said, “If he turns out to be a son of strength, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” [n] 53 And king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came in and bowed down to king Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”