1 Kings 1
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
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 for ever! ’(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
New Catholic Bible
The Reign of Solomon
Chapter 1
Help for King David. 1 Now King David was old, well on in years. They would cover him up, but he could not get warm. 2 So his servants said to him, “My lord, the king, let a young virgin be found for you to attend to you and to care for you. She can lie alongside of you so that my lord, the king, can keep warm.” 3 And so they searched for a beautiful young woman all throughout the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunamite, and they brought her to the king. 4 The young woman was very beautiful, and she cared for the king. She served the king, but he did not have intimate relations with her.
Adonijah’s Plan. 5 Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exulted himself saying, “I will be king.” He had his own chariots and horsemen, and he had fifty men to run in front of him.[a] 6 His father never rebuked him by saying, “Why have you done this?” He was very handsome, and he had been born after Absalom.
7 Adonijah conferred with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, and they helped Adonijah and followed after him. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, David’s brave warriors, did not side with Adonijah.
9 [b]Adonijah sacrificed some sheep, oxen, and fatted calves at the stone of Zoheleth in En-rogel. He invited all of his brethren, the king’s sons, and all of the men of Judah, the king’s servants, 10 but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the king’s brave men, or Solomon, his brother.
11 Solomon Becomes King. Nathan, therefore, spoke to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, is reigning, and our lord David does not know about it. 12 Come and let me give you counsel, so that I may save my own life and the life of your son Solomon.
13 “Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘Did not my lord, the king, make an oath to your handmaid, saying, “Solomon, your son, will reign after me and will sit upon my throne? Why, then, is Adonijah reigning?” 14 While you are still speaking with the king, I will arrive and confirm your words.’ ”
15 So Bathsheba went into the king’s chamber. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunamite served the king.[c] 16 Bathsheba bowed down, paying obeisance to the king, and the king said, “What do you want?” 17 She said to him, “My lord, you made an oath to your handmaid by the Lord, your God, saying, ‘Solomon, your son, will reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne.’ 18 But now Adonijah is reigning, and my king does not know about it. 19 He has sacrificed many oxen, fatted calves, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, 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 of Israel are upon you. They want you to tell them who will sit upon your throne, my lord, the king.[d] 21 Otherwise when my lord, the king, sleeps with his fathers, I and Solomon, my son, will be condemned.”
22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet entered. 23 They announced to the king, “Nathan the prophet.” He came before the king and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. 24 Nathan said, “Has my lord, the king, said, ‘Adonijah will rule after me and he will sit upon my throne?’ 25 Today he went down and sacrificed many oxen, fatted calves, and sheep, and he invited all of the king’s sons, the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. They are eating and drinking with him, and they are saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But he did not invite myself, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, nor Solomon, your servant. 27 Has my lord, the king, done this thing without informing your servant about who is to sit upon your throne after you, O lord, my king?”
28 Then King David said, “Summon Bathsheba.” She came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29 The king then swore an oath, saying, “As the Lord lives who has delivered me from all of my adversities, 30 and as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel saying, ‘Solomon, your son, will reign after me, and he will sit upon my throne in my place,’ I will fulfill it today.” 31 Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground and did obeisance saying, “May my lord, King David, live forever.”
32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, to me.” They came before the king. 33 The king said to them, “Take your lord’s servants and put Solomon, my son, on my own donkey and bring him to Gihon. 34 There, have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him as king over Israel. Sound your trumpet and proclaim, ‘Long live, King Solomon.’ 35 Then follow him back up so that he might come and sit upon my throne, for he will take my place as king. I have chosen him to be the king over Israel and Judah.”
36 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, answered the king saying, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord, the king, confirm it. 37 May the Lord be with Solomon just as he has been with my lord, the king. May he make his throne greater than the throne of my lord, king David.”
38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down. They had Solomon ride upon King David’s donkey, and they brought him to Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out from the tabernacle and he anointed Solomon. They sounded the trumpet and all of the people proclaimed, “Long live, King Solomon.” 40 All of the people went up and joined his following, and they played upon flutes and so greatly rejoiced that the ground shook from the noise.
41 Adonijah Acknowledges Solomon. Adonijah and all of those whom he had invited to be with him finished eating and heard it. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “What is this uproar coming from the city?” 42 While he was still speaking, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for a brave man like you must bring good news.” 43 Jonathan answered Adonijah saying, “It is not so! Our Lord, king David, has made Solomon king. 44 The king sent him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, 45 and Zadok, the priest, and Nathan the prophet anointed him in Gihon. They are coming up from there rejoicing so that the city resounds with it. This is the noise that you heard. 46 Moreover, Solomon is sitting upon the royal throne.
47 “The king’s servants have come to bless our lord, King David, saying, ‘May God make the name of Solomon greater than your name, and his throne than your throne.’ The king then worshiped in his bed 48 and the king said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed me to see with my own eyes the one who will sit upon my throne.’ ”
49 All of those whom Adonijah had invited became frightened, and they rose up and they each went his own way. 50 But Adonijah, because he feared Solomon, got up and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.[e]
51 Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, for he has taken hold of the horns of the altar saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear an oath to me today that he will not harm his servant.’ ” 52 Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be a man of virtue, then not one of his hairs will fall to the ground. But if he proves to be wicked, he will die!”
53 So King Solomon sent and had him brought down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go home.”
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 1:5 See 2 Sam 3–4: Adonijah, David’s fourth son, had become the eldest son and, therefore, pretender to the throne.
- 1 Kings 1:9 Adonijah was not the true successor to King David. It was Solomon who was chosen by God and having animal sacrifice would not legitimize his rule.
- 1 Kings 1:15 The relationship between David and Bathsheba has changed dramatically since the adultery and murder that had started it. He is now an old man with another woman in her place, but she comes to intercede on behalf of her son Solomon.
- 1 Kings 1:20 Israel, unlike other nations during this period, was not bound by the law of primogeniture. Bathsheba is almost taunting King David with her words to force him to denounce Adonijah and to name Solomon as his successor. David has never opposed Adonijah but now needs to take a firm stand.
- 1 Kings 1:50 Adonijah invokes the right of asylum which the sanctuary and, especially the altar, was regarded as providing and which was regulated by the law (Ex 21:13-14).
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