Now the days of David
drew nigh
that he should die
; and he charged
Solomon
his son
, saying
,
I go the way
of all the earth
: be thou strong
therefore, and shew thyself a man
;
And keep the charge
of the LORD
thy God
, to walk
in his ways
, to keep
his statutes
, and his commandments
, and his judgments
, and his testimonies
, as it is written
in the law
of Moses
, that thou mayest prosper
in all that thou doest
, and whithersoever thou turnest
thyself:
That the LORD may continue
his word
which he spake
concerning me, saying
, If thy children
take heed
to their way
, to walk
before
me in truth
with all their heart
and with all their soul
, there shall not fail
thee (said
he) a man
on the throne
of Israel
.
Moreover thou knowest also what Joab
the son
of Zeruiah
did
to me, and what he did
to the two
captains
of the hosts
of Israel
, unto Abner
the son
of Ner
, and unto Amasa
the son
of Jether
, whom he slew
, and shed
the blood
of war
in peace
, and put
the blood
of war
upon his girdle
that was about his loins
, and in his shoes
that were on his feet
.
Do therefore according to thy wisdom
, and let not his hoar head
go down
to the grave
in peace
.
But shew kindness
unto the sons
of Barzillai
the Gileadite
, and let them be of those that eat
at thy table
: for so they came
to me when I fled
because
of Absalom
thy brother
.
And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son
of Gera
, a Benjamite
of Bahurim
, which cursed
me with a grievous
curse
in the day
when I went
to Mahanaim
: but he came down
to meet
me at Jordan
, and I sware
to him by the LORD
, saying
, I will not put thee to death
with the sword
.
Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise
man
, and knowest
what thou oughtest to do
unto him; but his hoar head
bring thou down
to the grave
with blood
.
So David slept
with his fathers
, and was buried
in the city
of David
.
And the days that David
reigned
over Israel
were forty
years
: seven
years
reigned
he in Hebron
, and thirty
and three
years
reigned
he in Jerusalem
.
Then sat Solomon
upon the throne
of David
his father
; and his kingdom
was established
greatly
.
And Adonijah the son
of Haggith
came
to Bathsheba
the mother
of Solomon
. And she said
, Comest
thou peaceably
? And he said
, Peaceably
.
He said moreover, I have somewhat to say
unto thee. And she said
, Say on
.
And he said, Thou knowest
that the kingdom
was mine, and that all Israel
set
their faces
on me, that I should reign
: howbeit the kingdom
is turned about
, and is become my brother's
: for it was his from the LORD
.
And now I ask one
petition
of thee, deny
me
not. And she said
unto him, Say on
.
And he said, Speak
, I pray thee, unto Solomon
the king
, (for he will not say
thee
nay
,) that he give
me Abishag
the Shunammite
to wife
.
And Bathsheba said
, Well
; I will speak
for thee unto the king
.
Bathsheba therefore went
unto king
Solomon
, to speak
unto him for Adonijah
. And the king
rose up
to meet
her, and bowed
himself unto her, and sat down
on his throne
, and caused a seat
to be set
for the king's
mother
; and she sat
on his right hand
.
Then she said, I desire
one
small
petition
of thee; I pray thee , say
me
not nay
. And the king
said
unto her, Ask on
, my mother
: for I will not say
thee
nay
.
And she said, Let Abishag
the Shunammite
be given
to Adonijah
thy brother
to wife
.
And king Solomon
answered
and said
unto his mother
, And why dost thou ask
Abishag
the Shunammite
for Adonijah
? ask
for him the kingdom
also; for he is mine elder
brother
; even for him, and for Abiathar
the priest
, and for Joab
the son
of Zeruiah
.
Then king Solomon
sware
by the LORD
, saying
, God
do
so to me, and more also
, if Adonijah
have not spoken
this word
against his own life
.
Now therefore, as the LORD liveth
, which hath established
me, and set
me on the throne
of David
my father
, and who hath made
me an house
, as he promised
, Adonijah
shall be put to death
this day
.
And king Solomon
sent
by the hand
of Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
; and he fell
upon him that he died
.
And unto Abiathar the priest
said
the king
, Get
thee to Anathoth
, unto thine own fields
; for thou art worthy
of death
: but I will not at this time
put thee to death
, because thou barest
the ark
of the Lord
GOD
before
David
my father
, and because thou hast been afflicted
in all wherein my father
was afflicted
.
So Solomon thrust out
Abiathar
from being priest
unto the LORD
; that he might fulfil
the word
of the LORD
, which he spake
concerning the house
of Eli
in Shiloh
.
Then tidings came
to Joab
: for Joab
had turned
after
Adonijah
, though he turned
not after
Absalom
. And Joab
fled
unto the tabernacle
of the LORD
, and caught hold
on the horns
of the altar
.
And it was told king
Solomon
that Joab
was fled
unto the tabernacle
of the LORD
; and, behold, he is by
the altar
. Then Solomon
sent
Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
, saying
, Go
, fall
upon him.
And Benaiah came
to the tabernacle
of the LORD
, and said
unto him, Thus saith
the king
, Come forth
. And he said
, Nay; but I will die
here. And Benaiah
brought
the king
word
again
, saying
, Thus said
Joab
, and thus he answered
me.
And the king said
unto him, Do
as he hath said
, and fall
upon him, and bury
him; that thou mayest take away
the innocent
blood
, which Joab
shed
, from me, and from the house
of my father
.
And the LORD shall return
his blood
upon his own head
, who fell
upon two
men
more righteous
and better
than he, and slew
them with the sword
, my father
David
not knowing
thereof, to wit , Abner
the son
of Ner
, captain
of the host
of Israel
, and Amasa
the son
of Jether
, captain
of the host
of Judah
.
Their blood shall therefore return
upon the head
of Joab
, and upon the head
of his seed
for ever
: but upon David
, and upon his seed
, and upon his house
, and upon his throne
, shall there be peace
for
ever
from the LORD
.
So Benaiah the son
of Jehoiada
went up
, and fell
upon him, and slew
him: and he was buried
in his own house
in the wilderness
.
And the king put
Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
in his room over the host
: and Zadok
the priest
did the king
put
in the room of Abiathar
.
And the king sent
and called
for Shimei
, and said
unto him, Build
thee an house
in Jerusalem
, and dwell
there, and go not forth
thence any whither
.
For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out
, and passest over
the brook
Kidron
, thou shalt know
for certain
that thou shalt surely
die
: thy blood
shall be upon thine own head
.
And Shimei said
unto the king
, The saying
is good
: as my lord
the king
hath said
, so will thy servant
do
. And Shimei
dwelt
in Jerusalem
many
days
.
And it came to pass at the end of three
years
, that two
of the servants
of Shimei
ran away
unto Achish
son
of Maachah
king
of Gath
. And they told
Shimei
, saying
, Behold, thy servants
be in Gath
.
And Shimei arose
, and saddled
his ass
, and went
to Gath
to Achish
to seek
his servants
: and Shimei
went
, and brought
his servants
from Gath
.
And it was told Solomon
that Shimei
had gone
from Jerusalem
to Gath
, and was come again
.
And the king sent
and called
for Shimei
, and said
unto him, Did I not make thee to swear
by the LORD
, and protested
unto thee, saying
, Know
for a certain
, on the day
thou goest out
, and walkest
abroad any whither
, that thou shalt surely
die
? and thou saidst
unto me, The word
that I have heard
is good
.
Why then hast thou not kept the oath
of the LORD
, and the commandment
that I have charged
thee with?
The king said
moreover to Shimei
, Thou knowest
all the wickedness
which thine heart
is privy to
, that thou didst
to David
my father
: therefore the LORD
shall return
thy wickedness
upon thine own head
;
And king Solomon
shall be blessed
, and the throne
of David
shall be established
before
the LORD
for
ever
.
So the king commanded
Benaiah
the son
of Jehoiada
; which went out
, and fell
upon him, that he died
. And the kingdom
was established
in the hand
of Solomon
.