1 Kings 1

Now King David was old, advanced in years, and they covered him with garments, but he could not get warm.

So his servants said to him, “Let them search for a young virgin for my lord the king. Let her stand before the king and be in his service, and let her lie in your bosom so that my lord the king may keep warm.”

So they searched for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel and found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.

The young woman was very beautiful, and she became his attendant and served the king, but the king did not know her sexually.

Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, was exalting himself, saying, “I will be king.” Then he prepared chariots and horsemen for himself, and 50 men to run before him.

His father had never rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why did you do that?” And he was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.

He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave help, following after Adonijah.

But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

And Adonijah killed sheep and cattle and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth which is beside En-rogel, and he called all his brothers, 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 did not call.

Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord does not know it?

So now come, let me give you counsel so that you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

Go to King David and tell him, “Didn’t you yourself, my lord king, swear to your servant, saying, ‘Indeed, Solomon your son is to reign as king after me, and he will sit on my throne?’ Why then does Adonijah reign?”

Behold, while you are still there speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.”

So Bathsheba went to the king into the inner room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.

And Bathsheba kneeled and bowed down to the king. And the king said, “What can I do for you?”

So she said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore by Yahweh your God to your servant, ‘Indeed, Solomon your son is to reign as king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’

But now, behold, Adonijah reigns, but you, my lord the king, do not know it.

He has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance and has called all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not called Solomon your servant.

And as for 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.

Otherwise, it will be that when my lord the king lies down with his fathers that I and my son Solomon will be considered guilty.”

Now behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came.

So they told the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet!” When he had come in before the king, he bowed down to the king with his face to the ground.

And Nathan said, “My lord king, have you said, ‘Adonijah is to reign as king after me and he will sit on my throne?’

For he has gone down this day and has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are eating and drinking before him and are saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’

But he has not called me, me your servant, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.

Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you have not made known to your servants who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

Then king David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king.

The king swore and said, “As Yahweh lives who has redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

just as I swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Indeed, Solomon your son will reign as king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,’ indeed, so I will do this day.”

Then Bathsheba kneeled and bowed down with her face to the earth before the king and said, “Let my lord King David live forever!”

Then King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king.

And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my mule and bring him down to Gihon.

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel there. Then blow the shofar and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

Then you are to come up after him and he is to come and to sit on my throne, for he is to reign as king in my place. He is the one I have appointed to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.”

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen. So says Yahweh, the God of my lord the king!

As Yahweh has been with my lord the king, so may he be 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 they had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon.

Then Zadok the priest took the horn of oil that he had taken from the Tent, and anointed Solomon. They blew the shofar and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

All the people went up after him, and the people piped with pipes and rejoiced with great joy so that the earth split with their sound.

Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the shofar, he said, “Why is the city making such an uproar?”

While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are an honorable man and bring good news.”

Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “The truth is that our lord King David has made Solomon king.

The king has 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 had him ride on the king’s mule.

And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. They have come up from there rejoicing so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard.

Also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.

“Also, the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name and make his throne greater than your throne,’ and the king bowed down on the bed.

The king also said this: ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, and my eyes see it!’”

Then all those who were called, who were for Adonijah, were afraid and rose up and each one went his way.

Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

And it was told to Solomon, saying, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, for behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me this day that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”

Then Solomon said, “If he proves to be an honorable man, not a hair of his will fall to the earth, but if evil is found in him, he will die.”

So King Solomon sent and they brought him down from the altar, and he came and bowed down to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”