1 Kings 1
Christian Standard Bible
David’s Last Days
1 Now King David was old and advanced in age.(A) Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm.(B) 2 So his servants said to him, “Let us[a] search for a young virgin for my lord the king.(C) She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm.” 3 They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag(D) the Shunammite[b](E) and brought her to the king. 4 The girl was of unsurpassed beauty,(F) and she became the king’s caregiver. She attended to him, but he was not intimate with[c] her.
Adonijah’s Bid for Power
5 Adonijah son of Haggith(G) kept exalting himself, saying, “I will be king!” He prepared chariots, cavalry, and fifty men to run ahead of him.[d](H) 6 But his father had never once infuriated(I) him by asking, “Why did you do that?” (J) In addition, he was quite handsome(K) and was born after Absalom.(L) 7 He conspired[e] with Joab son of Zeruiah(M) and with the priest Abiathar.(N) They supported(O) Adonijah, 8 but the priest Zadok,(P) Benaiah son of Jehoiada,(Q) the prophet Nathan,(R) Shimei,(S) Rei, and David’s royal guard[f](T) did not side with Adonijah.
9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, goats, cattle, and fattened cattle near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel.(U) He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king,(V) 10 but he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the royal guard, or his brother Solomon.(W)
Nathan’s and Bathsheba’s Appeals
11 Then Nathan(X) said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother,(Y) “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king(Z) and our lord David does not know it?(AA) 12 Now please come and let me advise you.(AB) Save your life and the life of your son Solomon.(AC) 13 Go, approach King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne?(AD) So why has Adonijah become king?’ 14 At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I’ll come in after you and confirm your words.”(AE)
15 So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him.(AF) 16 Bathsheba knelt low and paid homage to the king, and he asked, “What do you want?”
17 She replied, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne.’ 18 Now look, Adonijah has become king. And,[g] my lord the king, you didn’t know it. 19 He has lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon. 20 Now, 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. 21 Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his ancestors,(AG) I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals.”(AH)
22 At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived,(AI) 23 and it was announced to the king, “The prophet Nathan is here.” He came into the king’s presence and paid homage to him with his face to the ground.
24 “My lord the king,” Nathan said, “did you say, ‘Adonijah is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne’? 25 For today he went down and lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and the priest Abiathar. And look! They’re eating and drinking in his presence, and they’re saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he did not invite me—me, your servant—or the priest Zadok or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. 27 I’m certain my lord the king would not have let this happen without letting your servant[h] know who will sit on my lord the king’s throne after him.”
Solomon Confirmed King
28 King David responded by saying, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. 29 The king swore an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty,(AJ) 30 just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne in my place,(AK) that is exactly what I will do this very day.”(AL)
31 Bathsheba knelt low with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king,(AM) and said, “May my lord King David live forever!” (AN)
32 King David then said, “Call in the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me.”(AO) So they came into the king’s presence. 33 The king said to them, “Take my servants(AP) with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule,(AQ) and take him down to Gihon.(AR) 34 There, the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan are to anoint him as king over Israel.(AS) You are to blow the ram’s horn(AT) and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ (AU) 35 You are to come up after him, and he is to come in and sit on my throne. He is the one who is to become king in my place; he is the one I have commanded to be ruler(AV) over Israel and Judah.”(AW)
36 “Amen,” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. “May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it.(AX) 37 Just as the Lord was with my lord the king,(AY) so may he[i] be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”(AZ)
38 Then the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites(BA) went down, had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. 39 The priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon.(BB) Then they blew the ram’s horn,(BC) and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!” (BD) 40 All the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy(BE) that the earth split open from the sound.[j]
Adonijah Hears of Solomon’s Coronation
41 Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him(BF) heard the noise as they finished eating. Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn and said, “Why is the town in such an uproar?” (BG) 42 He was still speaking when Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest,(BH) suddenly arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are an important man, and you must be bringing good news.”(BI)
43 “Unfortunately not,” Jonathan answered him. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 And with Solomon, the king has sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king’s mule. 45 The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king in Gihon.(BJ) They have gone up from there rejoicing. The town has been in an uproar; that’s the noise you heard. 46 Solomon has even taken his seat on the royal throne.(BK)
47 “The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more well known than your name, and may he make his throne greater than your throne.’(BL) Then the king bowed in worship on his bed.(BM) 48 And the king went on to say this: ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! Today he has provided one to sit on my throne,(BN) and I am a witness.’”[k]
49 Then all of Adonijah’s guests got up trembling and went their separate ways. 50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.(BO)
51 It was reported to Solomon, “Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first[l] swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”
52 Then Solomon said, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground,(BP) but if evil is found in him, he dies.”(BQ) 53 So King Solomon sent for him, and they took him down from the altar. He came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your home.”
Footnotes
- 1:2 Lit them
- 1:3 Shunem was a town in the hill country of Issachar at the foot of Mt. Moreh; Jos 19:17–18.
- 1:4 Lit he did not know
- 1:5 Heralds announcing his procession
- 1:7 Lit His words were
- 1:8 Lit David’s warriors
- 1:18 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Syr; other Hb mss read And now
- 1:27 Some Hb mss, LXX; alt Hb tradition reads servants
- 1:37 Alt Hb tradition reads so he will
- 1:40 LXX reads the land resounded with their noise
- 1:48 Lit and my eyes are seeing
- 1:51 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read today
1 Kings 1
Common English Bible
David and Abishag
1 King David had become very old. His servants covered him with blankets, but he couldn’t stay warm. 2 They said to him, “Allow us to find a young woman for our master the king. She will serve the king and take care of him by lying beside our master the king and keeping him warm.” 3 So they looked in every corner of Israel until they found Abishag from Shunem. They brought her to the king. 4 She was very beautiful. She cared for the king and served him, but the king didn’t have sex with her.
Adonijah’s rebellion
5 Adonijah, Haggith’s son, bragged about himself and said, “I’ll rule as king myself.” He got his own chariot and horses with fifty runners to go in front. 6 Now Adonijah’s father had never given him direction; he never questioned why Adonijah did what he did. He was very handsome and was born after Absalom. 7 He took advice from Joab, Zeruiah’s son, and from the priest Abiathar. They assisted Adonijah. 8 But Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, the prophet Nathan, Shimei and his friends, and David’s veterans didn’t join Adonijah. 9 So Adonijah prepared lamb, oxen, and fattened cattle at the Stone of Zoheleth, next to En-rogel. He invited his brothers (the royal princes) and all the citizens of Judah who were the royal servants to come. 10 But he didn’t invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, David’s veterans, or his brother Solomon.
11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Did you hear that Adonijah, Haggith’s son, has become king, but our master David doesn’t know about it? 12 Let me give you some advice on how you and your son Solomon can survive this. 13 Go to King David and say, ‘Didn’t my master the king swear to your servant, “Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. He will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 While you are speaking there with the king, I’ll come along and support your words.”
15 So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was serving the king. 16 Bathsheba bowed down on her face before the king.
The king asked, “What do you want?”
17 She said to him, “Your Majesty, you swore by the Lord your God to your servant, ‘Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. He will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king, and my master the king doesn’t know about it. 19 He has prepared large quantities of oxen, fattened cattle, and lamb. He has invited all the royal princes as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the general. However, he didn’t invite your servant Solomon. 20 As for you, my master the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will follow you on the throne of my master the king. 21 When my master the king lies down with his ancestors, then I and my son Solomon will become outlaws.”
22 While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived. 23 The king was informed, “The prophet Nathan is here.” Then Nathan came in before the king and bowed his face to the ground. 24 He said, “My master the king, you must have said, ‘Adonijah will become king after me and will sit on my throne.’ 25 Indeed, today he went down and prepared oxen, fattened cattle, and lamb in large numbers. He invited all the royal princes, the generals, and Abiathar the priest. They are eating and drinking with him, and they said, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 Adonijah didn’t invite me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, or your servant Solomon. 27 If this message was from my master the king, you didn’t make it known to your servant. Who should follow you on the throne of my master the king?”
28 King David answered, “Bring me Bathsheba.” She came and stood before the king. 29 The king made a solemn pledge and said, “As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued me from every trouble, 30 regarding what I swore to you by the Lord, Israel’s God, ‘Your son Solomon will certainly succeed me; he will sit on the throne after me’—I’ll see that it happens today.”
31 Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground. She honored the king and said, “May my master King David live forever!”
32 King David said, “Bring me Zadok the priest, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son.” They came to the king, 33 who said to them, “Take with you the servants of your masters. Put my son Solomon on my mule and bring him down to Gihon. 34 There Zadok the priest and the prophet Nathan will anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 You will follow him. He will enter and sit on my throne, and so he will succeed me as king. I have appointed him to become ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36 Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, responded to the king, “Yes, may it happen as the Lord, the God of my king, says. 37 Just as the Lord was with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon. May his throne be even greater than the throne of my master King David.” 38 Zadok the priest, the prophet Nathan, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and put Solomon on King David’s mule. They led him to Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram’s horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 All the people followed him playing flutes and celebrating. The ground shook at their noise.
41 Adonijah and all his invited guests heard this when they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he said, “What’s that noise coming from the city?” 42 While he was still speaking, Jonathan, Abiathar the priest’s son, arrived.
Adonijah said, “Come on in! You are an honest man and will bring a good report.”
43 Jonathan replied to Adonijah, “No! Our master King David has made Solomon king! 44 To support him, the king sent along Zadok the priest; the prophet Nathan; Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son; and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. They’ve put Solomon on the royal mule. 45 Zadok the priest and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king at Gihon. They went up from there celebrating so that the city was thrown into a commotion. That is the sound you heard. 46 There’s more: Solomon has taken over the throne of the kingdom. 47 The royal attendants blessed our master King David: ‘May your God make Solomon’s name better than your name. May God elevate his throne above your throne.’”
The king then worshipped on his bed 48 and said, “Bless Israel’s God, the Lord, who today has set my son[a] on my throne, and has allowed my eyes to see it.”
49 Trembling with fear, all of Adonijah’s guests got up and fled, each going a different way. 50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to grab hold of the horns of the altar. 51 Solomon was told, “Look! Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and has grabbed the horns of the altar. He’s saying, ‘King Solomon must swear to me first that he won’t execute his servant with the sword.’”
52 Solomon said, “If he shows himself to be an honorable person, then not a hair of his head will be harmed. But if any evil is found in him, he will die.” 53 King Solomon sent word and had him brought down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon. Solomon said to him, “Go home!”
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 1:48 Heb lacks my son; other versions have it or something similar.
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