1 Kings 2:5-31

New International Version

⁵ “Now you yourself know what Joab^(A) son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner^(B) son of Ner and Amasa^(C) son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. ⁶ Deal with him according to your wisdom,^(D) but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

⁷ “But show kindness^(E) to the sons of Barzillai^(F) of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table.^(G) They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

⁸ “And remember, you have with you Shimei^(H) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim.^(I) When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore^(J) to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ ⁹ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom;^(K) you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

¹⁰ Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried^(L) in the City of David.^{(M) 11} He had reigned^(N) forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. ¹² So Solomon sat on the throne^(O) of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.^(P)

Solomon’s Throne Established

¹³ Now Adonijah,^(Q) the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”^(R)

He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” ¹⁴ Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”

“You may say it,” she replied.

¹⁵ “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. ¹⁶ Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

“You may make it,” she said.

¹⁷ So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag^(S) the Shunammite as my wife.”

¹⁸ “Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”

¹⁹ When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother,^(T) and she sat down at his right hand.^(U)

²⁰ “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”

The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

²¹ So she said, “Let Abishag^(V) the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”

²² King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag^(W) the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother^(X)—yes, for him and for Abiathar^(Y) the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”

²³ Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,^(Z) if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! ²⁴ And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised^(AA)—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” ²⁵ So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah^(AB) son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.^(AC)

²⁶ To Abiathar^(AD) the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth.^(AE) You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark^(AF) of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.”^{(AG) 27} So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling^(AH) the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.

²⁸ When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns^(AI) of the altar. ²⁹ King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar.^(AJ) Then Solomon ordered Benaiah^(AK) son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”

³⁰ So Benaiah entered the tent^(AL) of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!^(AM)’”

But he answered, “No, I will die here.”

Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”

³¹ Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood^(AN) that Joab shed.