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1 Kings 1:11-27
New English Translation

11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you[a] that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back?[b] 12 Now[c] let me give you some advice as to how[d] you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 13 Visit[e] King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise[f] your servant, “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 14 While[g] you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive[h] and verify your report.”[i]

15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters.[j] (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before[k] the king. The king said, “What do you want?” 17 She replied to him, “My master, you swore an oath to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you,[l] my master the king, are not even aware of it![m] 19 He has sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. 20 Now,[n] my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne.[o] 21 If a decision is not made,[p] when my master the king is buried with his ancestors,[q] my son Solomon and I[r] will be considered state criminals.”[s]

22 Just then,[t] while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor.[u] 24 Nathan said, “My master, O king, did you announce, ‘Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne’? 25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this moment[v] they are having a feast[w] in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’[x] 26 But he did not invite me—your servant—or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. 27 Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants[y] who should succeed my master the king on his throne?”[z]

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 1:11 tn Heb “Have you not heard?”
  2. 1 Kings 1:11 tn Heb “and our master David does not know.”
  3. 1 Kings 1:12 tn Heb “now, come.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
  4. 1 Kings 1:12 tn Or “so that.”
  5. 1 Kings 1:13 tn Heb “come, go to.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
  6. 1 Kings 1:13 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
  7. 1 Kings 1:14 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which here draws attention to Nathan’s concluding word of assurance and support. For this use of the word, see HALOT 252 s.v. הִנֵּה.
  8. 1 Kings 1:14 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will come after you.”
  9. 1 Kings 1:14 tn Heb “fill up [i.e., confirm] your words.”
  10. 1 Kings 1:15 tn Or “bedroom.”
  11. 1 Kings 1:16 tn Heb “bowed low and bowed down to.”
  12. 1 Kings 1:18 tc Instead of עַתָּה (ʿattah, “now”) many Hebrew mss, along with the Old Greek, Syriac Peshitta, and Latin Vulgate, have the similar sounding independent pronoun אַתָּה (ʾattah, “you”). This reading is followed in the present translation.
  13. 1 Kings 1:18 tn Heb “you do not know [about it].”
  14. 1 Kings 1:20 tc Many Hebrew mss have עַתָּה (ʿattah, “now”) rather than the similar sounding independent pronoun אַתָּה (ʾattah, “you”).
  15. 1 Kings 1:20 tn Heb “the eyes of all Israel are upon you to declare to them who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him.”
  16. 1 Kings 1:21 tn The words “if a decision is not made” are added for clarification.
  17. 1 Kings 1:21 tn Heb “lies down with his fathers.”
  18. 1 Kings 1:21 tn Heb “I and my son Solomon.” The order has been reversed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  19. 1 Kings 1:21 tn Heb “will be guilty”; NASB “considered offenders”; TEV “treated as traitors.”
  20. 1 Kings 1:22 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) here draws attention to Nathan’s arrival and invites the audience to view the scene through the eyes of the participants.
  21. 1 Kings 1:23 tn Heb “ground.” Since this was indoors, “floor” is more appropriate than “ground.”
  22. 1 Kings 1:25 tn Heb “look.”
  23. 1 Kings 1:25 tn Heb “eating and drinking.”
  24. 1 Kings 1:25 tn Heb “let the king, Adonijah, live!”
  25. 1 Kings 1:27 tc Many Hebrew mss and ancient textual witnesses agree with the Qere in reading this as singular, “your servant.”
  26. 1 Kings 1:27 tn Heb “From my master the king is this thing done, and you did not make known to your servants who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him?”
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1 Kings 1:11-27
International Standard Version

Nathan and Bathsheba Confer about Adonijah

11 “Haven’t you heard?” Nathan asked Solomon’s mother Bathsheba. “Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king and David, our true king,[a] isn’t aware of it. 12 If you listen to me, you’ll save your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go right now to King David and ask him, ‘Your majesty, you promised your servant that “Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne,” didn’t you? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 14 Then, while you are still talking to the king, I’ll come in after you and verify your statement.”

15 So Bathsheba went to the king in his private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him.[b] 16 Bathsheba knelt and bowed down to the king, and the king asked her, “What do you wish?”

17 “Your majesty,” she replied, “you promised your servant in the name of[c] the Lord your God, ‘Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne.’ 18 Now look, Adonijah has become king, and your majesty is not aware of it. 19 Adonijah[d] has sacrificed myriads of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. 20 And as for you, your majesty, everyone in Israel is looking to you to tell them who will sit on your majesty’s throne after you.[e] 21 Otherwise, as soon as your majesty is laid to rest with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be branded as traitors.”[f]

22 While she was still talking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 They informed the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.”

When he had been ushered into the presence of the king, Nathan bowed low in front of the king with his face to the ground 24 and asked, “Your majesty, did you say ‘Adonijah will be king after me and will sit on my throne’? 25 Well now, he went down today and sacrificed lots of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. They’re having a party together and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 Of course, he never invited me, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, nor your servant Solomon. 27 Were you behind this, your majesty, without letting your servants know who would sit on your majesty’s throne after him?”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 1:11 Lit. our lord
  2. 1 Kings 1:15 Lit. to the king
  3. 1 Kings 1:17 The Heb. lacks the name of
  4. 1 Kings 1:19 Lit. He
  5. 1 Kings 1:20 Lit. him
  6. 1 Kings 1:21 Lit. sinners
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