Now king David
was old
and stricken
in years
; and they covered
him with clothes
, but he gat no heat
.
Wherefore his servants said
unto him, Let there be sought
for my lord
the king
a young
virgin
: and let her stand
before
the king
, and let her cherish
him, and let her lie
in thy bosom
, that my lord
the king
may get heat
.
So they sought for a fair
damsel
throughout all the coasts
of Israel
, and found
Abishag
a Shunammite
, and brought
her to the king
.
And the damsel was very
fair
, and cherished
the king
, and ministered
to him: but the king
knew
her not.
Then Adonijah the son
of Haggith
exalted
himself, saying
, I will be king
: and he prepared
him chariots
and horsemen
, and fifty
men
to run
before
him.
And his father had not displeased
him at any time
in saying
, Why hast thou done so
? and he also was a very
goodly
man ; and his mother bare
him after
Absalom
.
And he conferred with Joab
the son
of Zeruiah
, and with Abiathar
the priest
: and they following
Adonijah
helped
him .
But Zadok the priest
, and Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
, and Nathan
the prophet
, and Shimei
, and Rei
, and the mighty men
which belonged to David
, were not with Adonijah
.
And Adonijah slew
sheep
and oxen
and fat cattle
by the stone
of Zoheleth
, which is by
Enrogel
, and called
all his brethren
the king's
sons
, and all the men
of Judah
the king's
servants
:
But Nathan the prophet
, and Benaiah
, and the mighty men
, and Solomon
his brother
, he called
not.
Wherefore Nathan spake
unto Bathsheba
the mother
of Solomon
, saying
, Hast thou not heard
that Adonijah
the son
of Haggith
doth reign
, and David
our lord
knoweth
it not?
Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel
, that thou mayest save
thine own life
, and the life
of thy son
Solomon
.
Go and get thee in
unto king
David
, and say
unto him, Didst not thou, my lord
, O king
, swear
unto thine handmaid
, saying
, Assuredly
Solomon
thy son
shall reign
after
me, and he shall sit
upon my throne
? why then doth Adonijah
reign
?
Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king
, I also will come in
after
thee, and confirm
thy words
.
And Bathsheba went in
unto the king
into the chamber
: and the king
was very
old
; and Abishag
the Shunammite
ministered
unto the king
.
And Bathsheba bowed
, and did obeisance
unto the king
. And the king
said
, What wouldest thou?
And she said unto him, My lord
, thou swarest
by the LORD
thy God
unto thine handmaid
, saying , Assuredly Solomon
thy son
shall reign
after
me, and he shall sit
upon my throne
.
And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth
; and now, my lord
the king
, thou knowest
it not:
And he hath slain oxen
and fat cattle
and sheep
in abundance
, and hath called
all the sons
of the king
, and Abiathar
the priest
, and Joab
the captain
of the host
: but Solomon
thy servant
hath he not called
.
And thou, my lord, O king
, the eyes
of all Israel
are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell
them who shall sit
on the throne
of my lord
the king
after
him.
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king
shall sleep
with his fathers
, that I and my son
Solomon
shall be counted offenders
.
And, lo, while she yet talked with the king
, Nathan
the prophet
also came in
.
And they told the king
, saying
, Behold Nathan
the prophet
. And when he was come in
before
the king
, he bowed
himself before the king
with his face
to the ground
.
And Nathan said
, My lord
, O king
, hast thou said
, Adonijah
shall reign
after
me, and he shall sit
upon my throne
?
For he is gone down this day
, and hath slain
oxen
and fat cattle
and sheep
in abundance
, and hath called
all the king's
sons
, and the captains
of the host
, and Abiathar
the priest
; and, behold, they eat
and drink
before
him, and say
, God save
king
Adonijah
.
But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok
the priest
, and Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
, and thy servant
Solomon
, hath he not called
.
Is this thing done
by my lord
the king
, and thou hast not shewed
it unto thy servant
, who should sit
on the throne
of my lord
the king
after
him?
Then king David
answered
and said
, Call
me Bathsheba
. And she came
into the king's
presence
, and stood
before
the king
.
And the king sware
, and said
, As the LORD
liveth
, that hath redeemed
my soul
out of all distress
,
Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD
God
of Israel
, saying
, Assuredly Solomon
thy son
shall reign
after
me, and he shall sit
upon my throne
in my stead; even so will I certainly do
this day
.
Then Bathsheba bowed
with her face
to the earth
, and did reverence
to the king
, and said
, Let my lord
king
David
live
for ever
.
And king David
said
, Call
me Zadok
the priest
, and Nathan
the prophet
, and Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
. And they came
before
the king
.
The king also said
unto them, Take
with you the servants
of your lord
, and cause Solomon
my son
to ride
upon mine own mule
, and bring him down
to Gihon
:
And let Zadok the priest
and Nathan
the prophet
anoint
him there king
over Israel
: and blow
ye with the trumpet
, and say
, God save
king
Solomon
.
Then ye shall come up after
him, that he may come
and sit
upon my throne
; for he shall be king
in my stead: and I have appointed
him to be ruler
over Israel
and over Judah
.
And Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada
answered
the king
, and said
, Amen
: the LORD
God
of my lord
the king
say
so too .
As the LORD hath been with my lord
the king
, even so be he with Solomon
, and make
his throne
greater
than the throne
of my lord
king
David
.
So Zadok the priest
, and Nathan
the prophet
, and Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
, and the Cherethites
, and the Pelethites
, went down
, and caused Solomon
to ride
upon king
David's
mule
, and brought
him to Gihon
.
And Zadok the priest
took
an horn
of oil
out of the tabernacle
, and anointed
Solomon
. And they blew
the trumpet
; and all the people
said
, God save
king
Solomon
.
And all the people came up
after
him, and the people
piped
with pipes
, and rejoiced
with great
joy
, so that the earth
rent
with the sound
of them.
And Adonijah and all the guests
that were with him heard
it as they had made an end
of eating
. And when Joab
heard
the sound
of the trumpet
, he said
, Wherefore is this noise
of the city
being in an uproar
?
And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan
the son
of Abiathar
the priest
came
: and Adonijah
said
unto him, Come in
; for thou art a valiant
man
, and bringest
good
tidings
.
And Jonathan answered
and said
to Adonijah
, Verily
our lord
king
David
hath made Solomon
king
.
And the king hath sent
with him Zadok
the priest
, and Nathan
the prophet
, and Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
, and the Cherethites
, and the Pelethites
, and they have caused him to ride
upon the king's
mule
:
And Zadok the priest
and Nathan
the prophet
have anointed
him king
in Gihon
: and they are come up
from thence rejoicing
, so that the city
rang again
. This is the noise
that ye have heard
.
And also Solomon sitteth
on the throne
of the kingdom
.
And moreover the king's servants
came
to bless
our lord
king
David
, saying
, God
make the name
of Solomon
better
than thy name
, and make
his throne
greater
than thy throne
. And the king
bowed
himself upon the bed
.
And also thus said the king
, Blessed
be the LORD
God
of Israel
, which hath given
one to sit
on my throne
this day
, mine eyes
even seeing
it .
And all the guests that were with Adonijah
were afraid
, and rose up
, and went
every man
his way
.
And Adonijah feared
because
of Solomon
, and arose
, and went
, and caught hold
on the horns
of the altar
.
And it was told Solomon
, saying
, Behold, Adonijah
feareth
king
Solomon
: for, lo, he hath caught hold
on the horns
of the altar
, saying
, Let king
Solomon
swear
unto me to day
that he will not slay
his servant
with the sword
.
And Solomon said
, If he will shew himself a worthy
man
, there shall not an hair
of him fall
to the earth
: but if wickedness
shall be found
in him, he shall die
.
So king Solomon
sent
, and they brought him down
from the altar
. And he came
and bowed
himself to king
Solomon
: and Solomon
said
unto him, Go
to thine house
.