1 Kings 1
Legacy Standard Bible
David in Old Age
1 Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm. 2 So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her stand before the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.” 3 So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the (A)Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 Now the young woman was very beautiful; and she became the king’s nurse and attended him, but the king did not [a]know her.
5 Now (B)Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” So (C)he prepared for himself a chariot and horsemen and fifty men as runners before him. 6 But his father had never [b]grieved him at any time by asking, “Why have you done so?” And he was also a very handsome man in form, and [c](D)he was born after Absalom. 7 [d]And he had conferred with (E)Joab the son of Zeruiah and with (F)Abiathar the priest; and following (G)Adonijah, they helped him. 8 But (H)Zadok the priest, (I)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, (J)Nathan the prophet, (K)Shimei, Rei, and (L)the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
9 And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the [e]stone of Zoheleth, which is beside (M)En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, and (N)Solomon his brother.
Nathan Speaks to Bathsheba
11 Then Nathan spoke to (O)Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 12 So now come, please let me (P)give you counsel and provide escape for your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go [f]at once to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord, O king, sworn to your maidservant, saying, “(Q)Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 Behold, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and fully confirm your words.”
15 So Bathsheba went in to the king in the bedroom. Now (R)the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king. 16 Then Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself [g]before the king. And the king said, “What [h]do you wish?” 17 And she said to him, “My lord, you swore to your maidservant by [i]Yahweh your God, saying, ‘(S)Surely your son Solomon shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18 But now, behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know it. 19 (T)And he has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 20 As for you now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise it will be, (U)as soon as my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered [j]offenders.”
22 Behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23 Then they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And then he came in before the king and prostrated himself [k]before the king with his [l]face to the ground. 24 Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 25 (V)For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest, and behold, they are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘(W)Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 (X)But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and your servant Solomon, he has not invited. 27 Has this thing happened by my lord the king, and you have not made known to your [m]servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
28 Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29 And the king swore and said, “(Y)As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, 30 surely as (Z)I swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Surely your son Solomon shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place’; I will surely do so this day.” 31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her [n]face to the ground, and prostrated herself [o]before the king and said, “(AA)May my lord King David live forever.”
32 Then King David said, “Call to me (AB)Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came into the king’s presence. 33 And the king said to them, “Take with you (AC)the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to (AD)Gihon. 34 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall (AE)anoint him there as king over Israel and (AF)blow the trumpet and say, ‘(AG)Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne. And he shall be king in my place; for I have commanded him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 36 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! Thus may Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, say. 37 (AH)As Yahweh has been with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon, and (AI)make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David!”
Solomon Anointed King
38 So (AJ)Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, (AK)the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and brought him to (AL)Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest then (AM)took the horn of oil from the tent and (AN)anointed Solomon. Then they (AO)blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “(AP)Long live King Solomon!” 40 And all the people went up after him, and the people [p]were playing on flutes and were glad with great gladness, so that the earth [q]shook at their sound.
41 And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. Then Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, “Why is the sound of the city such an uproar?” 42 While he was still speaking, behold, (AQ)Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Then Adonijah said, “Come in, for (AR)you are a valiant man and bring good news.” 43 But Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king has also sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. 45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon, and they have come up from there with gladness, (AS)so that the city is in an uproar. This is the sound which you have heard. 46 And also, (AT)Solomon has even taken his seat on the throne of the kingdom. 47 And also, the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May (AU)your God make the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!’ And (AV)the king bowed himself on the bed. 48 And also, the king said thus, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who (AW)has granted one to sit on my throne today while my own eyes see it.’”
49 Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled; and they arose and each went on his way. 50 And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, and he arose, went, and (AX)took hold of the horns of the altar. 51 Then it was told to Solomon, saying, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’” 52 And Solomon said, “If he is a worthy man, (AY)not one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” 53 So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and prostrated himself [r]before King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 1:4 Or have relations with
- 1 Kings 1:6 Lit pained him
- 1 Kings 1:6 Lit she gave him birth
- 1 Kings 1:7 Lit His words were
- 1 Kings 1:9 Lit Gliding, Serpent Stone
- 1 Kings 1:13 Lit and enter
- 1 Kings 1:16 Lit to
- 1 Kings 1:16 Lit to you
- 1 Kings 1:17 The personal covenant name of God, a form of I AM WHO I AM, cf. Ex 3:14-15
- 1 Kings 1:21 Lit sinners
- 1 Kings 1:23 Lit to
- 1 Kings 1:23 Lit nose
- 1 Kings 1:27 Some mss servant
- 1 Kings 1:31 Lit nose
- 1 Kings 1:31 Lit to
- 1 Kings 1:40 Lit fluting
- 1 Kings 1:40 Lit was split
- 1 Kings 1:53 Lit to
1 Kings 1
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
1 And King David was old and advanced in years; they covered him with [bed]clothes, but he could not get warm.
2 So his servants [the [a]physicians] said to him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin, and let her wait on and be useful to the king; let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may get warm.
3 So they sought a fair maiden through all the territory of Israel and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
4 The maiden was beautiful; and she waited on and nursed him. But the king had no intercourse with her.
5 Then Adonijah son of [David’s wife] Haggith exalted himself, saying, I [the eldest living son] will be king. And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, with fifty men to run before him.
6 David his father had never in his life displeased him by asking, Why have you done so? He was also a very attractive man and was born after Absalom.
7 He conferred with [b]Joab son of Zeruiah [David’s half sister] and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed Adonijah and helped him.
8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men did not side with Adonijah.
9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatlings by the Stone of Zoheleth, which is beside [the well] En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah.
10 But Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, and Solomon his brother he did not invite.
11 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, reigns and David our lord does not know it?
12 Come now, let me advise you how to save your own life and your son Solomon’s.
13 Go to King David and say, Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?
14 Behold, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.
15 So Bathsheba went in to the king in his chamber. Now the king was very old and feeble, and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to [him].
16 Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king. The king said, What do you wish?
17 And she said to him, My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me and sit upon my throne.
18 And now, behold, Adonijah is reigning, and, my lord the king, you do not know it.
19 He has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he did not invite Solomon your servant.
20 Now, my lord O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after you.
21 Otherwise, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be counted as offenders.
22 While she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
23 The king was told, Here is Nathan the prophet. And when he came before the king, he bowed himself before him with his face to the ground.
24 And Nathan said, My lord the king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?
25 He has gone this day and sacrificed oxen, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and they eat and drink before him and say, Long live King Adonijah!
26 But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited.
27 Is this done by my lord the king and you have not shown your servants who shall succeed my lord the king?
28 Then King David answered, Call Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.
29 And the king took an oath and said, As the Lord lives, Who has redeemed my soul out of all distress,
30 Even as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead—even so will I certainly do this day.
31 Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king and said, Let my lord King David live forever!
32 King David said, Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
33 The king told them, Take the servants of your lord and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule and bring him down to Gihon [in the Kidron Valley].
34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, Long live King Solomon!
35 Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my stead; I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.
36 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so too.
37 As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.
38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites [the king’s bodyguards] went down and caused Solomon to ride upon King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon.
39 Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet and all the people said, Long live King Solomon!
40 All the people followed him; they played on pipes and rejoiced greatly, so that the earth [resounded] with the joyful sound.
41 And Adonijah and all the guests with him heard it as they finished feasting. When Joab heard the trumpet sound, he said, What does this uproar in the city mean?
42 While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, Come in, for you are a trustworthy man and bring good news.
43 Jonathan replied, Adonijah, truly our lord King David has made Solomon king!
44 The king has sent him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule.
45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon; they have come up from there rejoicing, so the city resounds. This is the noise you heard.
46 Solomon sits on the royal throne.
47 Moreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name and make his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed
48 And said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has granted me to see one of my offspring sitting on my throne this day.
49 And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid and rose up and went every man his way.
50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose and went [to the tabernacle tent on Mt. Zion] and caught hold of the horns of the altar [as a fugitive’s refuge].
51 And it was told Solomon, Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has caught hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
52 Solomon said, If he will show himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of him shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.
53 So King Solomon sent, and they brought Adonijah down from the altar [in front of the tabernacle]. He came and bowed himself to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 1:2 Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 14, 3.
- 1 Kings 1:7 The commander of Israel’s army.
1 Kings 1
King James Version
1 Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
2 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.
3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
4 And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
5 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.
6 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.
7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
8 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.
9 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:
10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
11 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?
12 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.
13 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?
14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.
15 And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
16 And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
17 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.
18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:
19 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.
20 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.
21 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.
22 And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
23 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.
24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25 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.
26 But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
27 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?
28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
29 And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
30 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.
31 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.
32 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.
33 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:
34 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.
35 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.
36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the Lord God of my lord the king say so too.
37 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.
38 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.
39 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.
40 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.
41 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?
42 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.
43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.
44 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:
45 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.
46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
47 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.
48 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.
49 And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
51 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 today that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
52 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.
53 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.
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