1 Kings 2
Modern English Version
David’s Charge to Solomon(A)
2 Now it was coming close to the day of David’s death, and he gave his son Solomon a charge, saying:
2 “I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself to be a man. 3 And keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in His ways, keeping His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 that the Lord may carry out His word that He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in faithfulness with all their hearts and with all their souls, you shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’
5 “Moreover, you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the army of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, shedding the blood of war in a time of peace. He spilled their blood on the belt that was around his waist and on the shoes of his feet. 6 Do the right thing according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them eat at your table, for with such loyalty they supported me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
8 “There is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave with blood.”
10 So David slept with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.
11 David reigned over Israel forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat upon the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.
The Throne of Solomon Established
13 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come in peace?”
And he said, “I come peaceably.” 14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.”
And she said, “Speak.”
15 He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine and that all Israel viewed me as the king. However, the kingdom has become my brother’s, for it was given to him by the Lord. 16 And now I ask one petition of you; do not deny me.”
She said to him, “Keep speaking.”
17 And he said, “Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.”
18 Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak to the king on your behalf.”
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her and bowed to her. Then he sat down on his throne and had a seat placed at his right hand for her to sit upon.
20 Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you. Please do not deny me.”
And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”
21 She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given as a wife to Adonijah your brother.”
22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my elder brother. Ask not only for him, but also for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.”
23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life. 24 Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father and who has made me a house as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.” 25 So King Solomon dispatched Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he executed him.
26 The king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the ark of the Lord God before David my father and because you shared in all the hardships my father endured.” 27 So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord that He had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 Then word came to Joab, for Joab had followed Adonijah, though he did not support Absalom. And Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar. 29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tabernacle of the Lord and was by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go and execute him.”
30 So Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord and said to him, “Thus says the king, ‘Come forth.’ ”
And he said, “No, I will die here.”
And Benaiah told the king all Joab said.
31 The king said to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and my father’s house the guilt for the blood Joab shed without cause. 32 The Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, for he attacked two men more righteous and better than he—Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah—and killed them with the sword when my father David was unaware. 33 Therefore their blood shall return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his seed forever, but upon David and upon his seed and upon his house and upon his throne shall the peace of the Lord rest forever.”
34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and attacked and killed him, and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab and put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.
36 The king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and never leave the city. 37 For on the day you go out and pass over the Kidron Valley, know for certain that you will surely die. Your blood shall be on your own head.”
38 Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.
39 It came about that at the end of three years, two servants of Shimei ran away to Achish son of Maakah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Your servants are in Gath.” 40 Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish to look for his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath.
41 Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. 42 The king sent and called for Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warned you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and walk abroad anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ 43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?”
44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know all the wickedness in your heart and what you did to David my father. Therefore the Lord shall return your wickedness on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.”
46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, who went out and attacked him so that he died.
And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
1 Kings 2
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised
David’s Instruction to Solomon
2 When David’s time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying: 2 ‘I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous, 3 and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. 4 Then the Lord will establish his word that he spoke concerning me: “If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.”
5 ‘Moreover, you know also what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner son of Ner, and Amasa son of Jether, whom he murdered, retaliating in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist, and on the sandals on his feet. 6 Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his grey head go down to Sheol in peace. 7 Deal loyally, however, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from your brother Absalom. 8 There is also with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a terrible curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim; but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, “I will not put you to death with the sword.” 9 Therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; you will know what you ought to do to him, and you must bring his grey head down with blood to Sheol.’
Death of David
10 Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. 11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned for seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.
Solomon Consolidates His Reign
13 Then Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably.’ 14 Then he said, ‘May I have a word with you?’ She said, ‘Go on.’ 15 He said, ‘You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel expected me to reign; however, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.’ She said to him, ‘Go on.’ 17 He said, ‘Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.’ 18 Bathsheba said, ‘Very well; I will speak to the king on your behalf.’
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne, and had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, ‘I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.’ And the king said to her, ‘Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you.’ 21 She said, ‘Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.’ 22 King Solomon answered his mother, ‘And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom as well! For he is my elder brother; ask not only for him but also for the priest Abiathar and for Joab son of Zeruiah!’ 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, ‘So may God do to me, and more also, for Adonijah has devised this scheme at the risk of his life! 24 Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of my father David, and who has made me a house as he promised, today Adonijah shall be put to death.’ 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck him down, and he died.
26 The king said to the priest Abiathar, ‘Go to Anathoth, to your estate; for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before my father David, and because you shared in all the hardships my father endured.’ 27 So Solomon banished Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah though he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and grasped the horns of the altar. 29 When it was told King Solomon, ‘Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord and now is beside the altar’, Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, ‘Go, strike him down.’ 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, ‘The king commands, “Come out.”’ But he said, ‘No, I will die here.’ Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, ‘Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.’ 31 The king replied to him, ‘Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him; and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. 32 The Lord will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants for ever; but to David, and to his descendants, and to his house, and to his throne, there shall be peace from the Lord for evermore.’ 34 Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and killed him; and he was buried at his own house near the wilderness. 35 The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king put the priest Zadok in the place of Abiathar.
36 Then the king sent and summoned Shimei, and said to him, ‘Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and live there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. 37 For on the day you go out, and cross the Wadi Kidron, know for certain that you shall die; your blood shall be on your own head.’ 38 And Shimei said to the king, ‘The sentence is fair; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.’ So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.
39 But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When it was told Shimei, ‘Your slaves are in Gath’, 40 Shimei arose and saddled a donkey, and went to Achish in Gath, to search for his slaves; Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath. 41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, 42 the king sent and summoned Shimei, and said to him, ‘Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and solemnly adjure you, saying, “Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die”? And you said to me, “The sentence is fair; I accept.” 43 Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I charged you?’ 44 The king also said to Shimei, ‘You know in your own heart all the evil that you did to my father David; so the Lord will bring back your evil on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.’ 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died.
So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
1 Regi 2
Nouă Traducere În Limba Română
Testamentul politic al lui David
2 Când se apropia vremea să moară, David i-a poruncit fiului său Solomon astfel: 2 „Eu merg pe calea pe care merge toată lumea. Întăreşte-te şi fii om. 3 Păzeşte învăţăturile Domnului, Dumnezeul tău, umblând în căile Lui şi respectând legile, poruncile, hotărârile şi mărturiile Lui, după cum este scris în Legea lui Moise, ca să propăşeşti în tot ceea ce vei face şi oriunde vei merge 4 şi pentru ca Domnul să-Şi ţină promisiunea pe care mi-a făcut-o când a zis: «Dacă fiii tăi vor veghea asupra căii lor, umblând cu credincioşie înaintea Mea, din toată inima lor şi din tot sufletul lor, nu vei fi lipsit niciodată de un urmaş la tronul lui Israel.»
5 Tu ştii ceea ce mi-a făcut Ioab, fiul Ţeruiei, ce le-a făcut celor doi conducători ai oştirilor lui Israel, lui Abner, fiul lui Ner, şi lui Amasa, fiul lui Ieter. I-a omorât! A vărsat sânge de război în timp de pace şi a pus astfel sângele de război pe teaca de la brâu şi pe sandalele lui din picioare. 6 Fă-i după înţelepciunea ta, dar nu-i coborî în pace perii albi în Locuinţa Morţilor[a].
7 Arată-le însă bunătate fiilor lui Barzilai ghiladitul. Ei să fie printre cei care mănâncă la masa ta, căci mi-au fost alături atunci când fugeam de fratele tău Absalom.
8 Îl ai cu tine pe Şimei, fiul lui Ghera, beniamitul din Bahurim. El a rostit blesteme aspre împotriva mea în ziua în care mergeam la Mahanayim, dar, când mi-a ieşit în întâmpinare la Iordan, i-am jurat pe Domnul că nu-l voi omorî cu sabia. 9 Tu însă să nu-l laşi nepedepsit, căci eşti un om înţelept şi vei şti ce să-i faci. Cu sânge să-i cobori perii albi în Locuinţa Morţilor!“
10 Apoi David s-a culcat alături de părinţii săi şi a fost înmormântat în Cetatea lui David. 11 El domnise peste Israel timp de patruzeci de ani: la Hebron a domnit şapte ani, iar la Ierusalim a domnit treizeci şi trei de ani. 12 Astfel, Solomon i-a urmat la tron tatălui său, David, şi domnia lui s-a întărit foarte mult.
Consolidarea autorităţii politice a lui Solomon
13 Adonia, fiul Haghitei, a venit la Batşeba, mama lui Solomon. Ea l-a întrebat:
– Vii cu pace?
– Cu pace! a răspuns el.
14 Apoi a adăugat:
– Am ceva să-ţi spun.
– Spune, i-a zis ea.
15 – Ştii că domnia era a mea, i-a spus el, şi că tot Israelul se aşteptase ca eu să domnesc. Dar domnia i-a revenit fratelui meu, căci Domnul i-a dat-o. 16 Acum, am să-ţi fac o rugăminte. Nu mă refuza!
– Spune, i-a zis ea.
17 – Te rog, cere-i regelui Solomon ca Abişag şunamita să-mi fie dată de soţie, a zis el, fiindcă nu te va refuza.
18 – Bine, a răspuns Batşeba, am să mijlocesc la rege pentru tine.
19 Batşeba s-a dus la regele Solomon ca să vorbească pentru Adonia. Regele s-a ridicat s-o întâmpine, s-a plecat înaintea ei şi apoi s-a aşezat pe tron. El a poruncit să se aducă un tron şi pentru mama lui, iar ea s-a aşezat la dreapta lui. 20 Apoi ea a zis:
– Am să-ţi fac o mică rugăminte. Nu mă refuza!
– Spune, mamă, căci nu te voi refuza, i-a răspuns regele.
21 – Abişag şunamita să-i fie dată de soţie fratelui tău Adonia, i-a cerut ea.
22 Regele Solomon i-a răspuns mamei sale:
– De ce o ceri doar pe Abişag din Şunem pentru Adonia? Cere şi domnia pentru el[b], căci este fratele meu mai mare; cere-o pentru el, pentru preotul Abiatar şi pentru Ioab, fiul Ţeruiei!
23 Atunci regele Solomon a jurat pe Domnul, zicând: „Dumnezeu să se poarte cu mine cu toată asprimea[c], dacă cuvintele acestea nu-l vor costa viaţa pe Adonia. 24 Viu este Domnul Care m-a întărit şi m-a aşezat pe tronul tatălui meu, David, şi Care mi-a făcut o Casă după cum a promis, că Adonia va muri astăzi!“ 25 Regele Solomon l-a trimis pe Benaia, fiul lui Iehoiada, să-l omoare pe Adonia; şi astfel Adonia a murit.
26 După aceea, regele i-a zis preotului Abiatar: „Du-te la proprietăţile tale de la Anatot, căci meriţi să mori, dar nu te voi omorî astăzi, pentru că ai purtat Chivotul Domnului, Stăpânul, înaintea tatălui meu, David, şi pentru că ai luat parte la tot ce a suferit tatăl meu.“ 27 Astfel, Solomon l-a îndepărtat pe Abiatar din slujba de preot al Domnului, împlinind cuvântul pe care Domnul îl rostise la Şilo despre Casa lui Eli. 28 Când a primit vestea, Ioab, care trecuse de partea lui Adonia, deşi nu trecuse de partea lui Absalom, a fugit la Cortul Domnului şi s-a prins de coarnele altarului. 29 Regelui Solomon i s-a spus că Ioab a fugit la Cortul Domnului şi că era la altar. Atunci Solomon l-a trimis pe Benaia, fiul lui Iehoiada, poruncindu-i: „Du-te şi omoară-l!“ 30 Benaia s-a dus la Cortul Domnului şi i-a zis lui Ioab:
– Regele a poruncit să ieşi afară!
– Nu! a răspuns el. Vreau să mor aici!
Benaia s-a întors la rege şi i-a spus cuvintele lui Ioab. 31 Regele i-a poruncit: „Fă-i după cum a cerut. Omoară-l, îngroapă-l şi îndepărtează astfel de peste mine şi de peste familia tatălui meu sângele nevinovat, pe care l-a vărsat Ioab. 32 Domnul îl va pedepsi pentru sângele vărsat, pentru că i-a lovit pe cei doi bărbaţi care erau mai drepţi şi mai buni decât el şi i-a omorât cu sabia pe Abner, fiul lui Ner, conducătorul oştirii lui Israel, şi pe Amasa, fiul lui Ieter, conducătorul oştirii lui Iuda, fără ca tatăl meu, David, să ştie acest lucru. 33 Sângele lor să cadă asupra capului lui Ioab şi a urmaşilor lui pentru totdeauna, dar asupra lui David, a seminţei[d] lui, a Casei lui şi a tronului său să fie pace de la Domnul pe vecie.“ 34 Atunci Benaia, fiul lui Iehoiada, s-a dus, l-a lovit pe Ioab şi l-a omorât. Acesta a fost îngropat apoi în proprietatea[e] lui din pustie. 35 Regele l-a numit pe Benaia, fiul lui Iehoiada, conducător al oştirii în locul lui Ioab, iar pe preotul Ţadok l-a pus în locul lui Abiatar.
36 Apoi regele l-a chemat pe Şimei şi i-a zis:
– Zideşte-ţi o casă în Ierusalim şi locuieşte acolo, dar să nu pleci în altă parte. 37 Fii sigur că, în ziua în care vei pleca şi vei trece uedul[f] Chidron, vei muri. Atunci sângele tău va cădea asupra capului tău!
38 – Bine, i-a răspuns Şimei, slujitorul tău va face aşa cum a zis stăpânul meu, regele!
39 Trei ani mai târziu însă doi dintre slujitorii lui Şimei au fugit la Achiş, fiul lui Maaca, regele Gatului. Lui Şimei i s-a spus: „Iată că slujitorii tăi sunt la Gat!“ 40 Atunci Şimei şi-a înşeuat măgarul şi s-a dus la Achiş, la Gat, ca să-şi caute slujitorii. Şimei a plecat şi şi-a adus slujitorii înapoi de la Gat. 41 Solomon a aflat că Şimei a plecat din Ierusalim la Gat şi că s-a întors. 42 Atunci regele l-a chemat pe Şimei şi i-a zis: „Nu te-am pus eu să juri pe Domnul şi nu te-am avertizat că vei muri negreşit în ziua în care vei ieşi din Ierusalim ca să pleci în altă parte? Şi nu mi-ai răspuns tu: «Bine! Voi asculta!» 43 De ce nu ţi-ai ţinut jurământul făcut Domnului şi nu ai ascultat porunca pe care ţi-am dat-o?“ 44 Regele i-a mai zis lui Şimei: „Tu ştii în inima ta tot răul pe care i l-ai făcut tatălui meu, David. Acum Domnul a întors răutatea ta asupra capului tău! 45 Dar regele Solomon va fi binecuvântat, iar tronul lui David va fi păzit înaintea Domnului pe vecie.“ 46 Şi regele i-a poruncit lui Benaia, fiul lui Iehoiada, să-l omoare; el a ieşit, l-a lovit pe Şimei şi l-a omorât. Şi astfel domnia s-a întărit în mâinile lui Solomon.
Footnotes
- 1 Regi 2:6 Ebr.: Şeol; şi în v. 9
- 1 Regi 2:22 Posesiunea asupra haremului regal era văzută ca o pretenţie la tron (vezi 2 Sam. 3:7; 12:8; 16:21)
- 1 Regi 2:23 Formulă tipică de jurământ (Lit.: Aşa să-mi facă Dumnezeu şi chiar mai mult)
- 1 Regi 2:33 Termenul ebraic pentru sămânţă este un singular care se poate referi atât la un singur urmaş, cât şi la toţi urmaşii de pe linia genealogică a unei persoane (colectiv). Este foarte probabil ca în cele mai multe cazuri termenul să exprime o ambiguitate intenţionată. În traducerea de faţă a fost redat fie literal, fie cu urmaş sau urmaşi, în funcţie de contextul literal şi de cel teologic
- 1 Regi 2:34 Sau: în mormântul său
- 1 Regi 2:37 Vale din ţinuturile aride care acumulează apele de pe versanţi în timpul sezonului ploios, creând un pârâu temporar
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Nouă Traducere În Limba Română (Holy Bible, New Romanian Translation) Copyright © 2006 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.