The First Book of the Kings
Commonly Called the Third Book of the Kings
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1 And king David [is] old, entering into days, and they cover him with garments, and he hath no heat, 2 and his servants say to him, 'Let them seek for my lord the king a young woman, a virgin, and she hath stood before the king, and is to him a companion, and hath lain in thy bosom, and my lord the king hath heat.' 3 And they seek a fair young woman in all the border of Israel, and find Abishag the Shunammite, and bring her in to the king, 4 and the young woman [is] very very fair, and she is to the king a companion, and serveth him, and the king hath not known her. 5 And Adonijah son of Haggith is lifting himself up, saying, 'I do reign;' and he prepareth for himself a chariot and horsemen, and fifty men running before him, 6 and his father hath not grieved him [all] his days, saying, 'Wherefore thus hast thou done?' and he also [is] of a very good form, and [his mother] bare him after Absalom. 7 And his words are with Joab son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they help after Adonijah; 8 and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty ones whom David hath, have not been with Adonijah. 9 And Adonijah sacrificeth sheep and oxen and fatlings near the stone of Zoheleth, that [is] by En-Rogel, and calleth all his brethren, sons of the king, and for all the men of Judah, servants of the king; 10 and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty ones, and Solomon his brother, he hath not called. 11 And Nathan speaketh unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, saying, 'Hast thou not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith hath reigned, and our lord David hath not known? 12 and now, come, let me counsel thee, I pray thee, and deliver thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon; 13 go and enter in unto king David, and thou hast said unto him, Hast thou not, my lord, O king, sworn to thy handmaid, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne? and wherefore hath Adonijah reigned? 14 Lo, thou are yet speaking there with the king, and I come in after thee, and have completed thy words.' 15 And Bath-Sheba cometh in unto the king, to the inner chamber, and the king [is] very aged, and Abishag the Shunammite is serving the king: 16 and Bath-Sheba boweth and doth obeisance to the king, and the king saith, 'What — to thee?' 17 And she saith to him, 'My lord, thou hast sworn by Jehovah thy God to thy handmaid: Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne; 18 and now, lo, Adonijah hath reigned, and now, my lord, O king, thou hast not known; 19 and he sacrificeth ox, and fatling, and sheep in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab head of the host — and for Solomon thy servant he hath not called. 20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel [are] on thee, to declare to them who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him; 21 and it hath been, when my lord the king lieth with his fathers, that I have been, I and my son Solomon — [reckoned] sinners.' 22 And lo, she is yet speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet hath come in; 23 and they declare to the king, saying, 'Lo, Nathan the prophet;' and he cometh in before the king, and boweth himself to the king, on his face to the earth. 24 And Nathan saith, 'My lord, O king, thou hast said, Adonijah doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne; 25 for he hath gone down to-day, and doth sacrifice ox, and fatling, and sheep, in abundance, and calleth for all the sons of the king, and for the heads of the host, and for Abiathar the priest, and lo, they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, Let king Adonijah live! 26 'And for me — me, thy servant, and for Zadok the priest, and for Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, and for Solomon thy servant, he hath not called; 27 if from my lord the king this thing hath been, then thou hast not caused thy servant to know who doth sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.' 28 And king David answereth and saith, 'Call for me for Bath-Sheba;' and she cometh in before the king, and standeth before the king. 29 And the king sweareth and saith, 'Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity; 30 surely as I sware to thee by Jehovah, God of Israel, saying, Surely Solomon thy son doth reign after me, and he doth sit on my throne in my stead; surely so I do this day.' 31 And Bath-Sheba boweth — face to the earth — and doth obeisance to the king, and saith, 'Let my lord, king David, live to the age.' 32 And king David saith, 'Call for me for Zadok the priest, and for Nathan the prophet, and for Benaiah son of Jehoiada;' and they come in before the king. 33 And the king saith to them, 'Take with you the servants of your lord, and ye have caused Solomon my son to ride on mine own mule, and caused him to go down unto Gihon, 34 and anointed him there hath Zadok the priest — and Nathan the prophet — for king over Israel, and ye have blown with a trumpet, and said, Let king Solomon live; 35 and ye have come up after him, and he hath come in and hath sat on my throne, and he doth reign in my stead, and him I have appointed to be leader over Israel, and over Judah.' 36 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answereth the king, and saith, 'Amen! so doth Jehovah, God of my lord the king, say; 37 as Jehovah hath been with my lord the king, so is He with Solomon, and doth make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.' 38 And Zadok the priest goeth down, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause Solomon to ride on the mule of king David, and cause him to go unto Gihon, 39 and Zadok the priest taketh the horn of oil out of the tent, and anointeth Solomon, and they blow with a trumpet, and all the people say, 'Let king Solomon live.' 40 And all the people come up after him, and the people are piping with pipes, and rejoicing — great joy, and the earth rendeth with their voice. 41 And Adonijah heareth, and all those called, who [are] with him, and they have finished to eat, and Joab heareth the noise of the trumpet, and saith, 'Wherefore [is] the noise of the city roaring?' 42 He is yet speaking, and lo, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest hath come in, and Adonijah saith, 'Come in, for a man of valour thou [art], and thou bearest good tidings.' 43 And Jonathan answereth and saith to Adonijah, 'Verily our lord king David hath caused Solomon to reign, 44 and the king sendeth with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethite, and the Pelethite, and they cause him to ride on the king's mule, 45 and they anoint him — Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet — for king in Gihon, and are come up thence rejoicing, and the city is moved; it [is] the noise that ye have heard. 46 'And also Solomon hath sat on the throne of the kingdom, 47 and also the servants of the king have come into bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God doth make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and his throne greater than thy throne; and the king boweth himself on the bed, 48 and also thus hath the king said, Blessed [is] Jehovah, God of Israel, who hath given to-day [one] sitting on my throne, and mine eyes seeing.' 49 And they tremble, and rise — all those called who [are] for Adonijah — and go, each on his way; 50 and Adonijah feareth because of Solomon, and riseth, and goeth, and layeth hold on the horns of the altar. 51 And it is declared to Solomon, saying, 'Lo, Adonijah feareth king Solomon, and lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me as to-day — he doth not put to death his servant by the sword.' 52 And Solomon saith, 'If he becometh a virtuous man — there doth not fall of his hair to the earth, and if evil is found in him — then he hath died.' 53 And king Solomon sendeth, and they bring him down from off the altar, and he cometh in and boweth himself to king Solomon, and Solomon saith to him, 'Go to thy house.'