³ Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag,^(A) a Shunammite,^(B) and brought her to the king. ⁴ The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.

⁵ Now Adonijah,^(C) whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots^(D) and horses^[a] ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. ⁶ (His father had never rebuked^(E) him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

⁷ Adonijah conferred with Joab^(F) son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar^(G) the priest, and they gave him their support. ⁸ But Zadok^(H) the priest, Benaiah^(I) son of Jehoiada, Nathan^(J) the prophet, Shimei^(K) and Rei and David’s special guard^(L) did not join Adonijah.

⁹ Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel.^(M) He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons,^(N) and all the royal officials of Judah, ¹⁰ but he did not invite^(O) Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.^(P)

¹¹ Then Nathan asked Bathsheba,^(Q) Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah,^(R) the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? ¹² Now then, let me advise^(S) you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³ Go in to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear^(T) to me your servant: “Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ ¹⁴ While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said.”

¹⁵ So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag^(U) the Shunammite was attending him. ¹⁶ Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king.

“What is it you want?” the king asked.

¹⁷ She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore^(V) to me your servant by the Lord your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’