¹¹ Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Haven’t you heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord doesn’t know it? ¹² Now therefore come, please let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and your son Solomon’s life. ¹³ Go in to king David, and tell him, ‘Didn’t you, my lord, king, swear to your servant, saying, “Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?” Why then does Adonijah reign?’ ¹⁴ Behold,^[a] while you are still talking there with the king, I will also come in after you and confirm your words.”

¹⁵ Bathsheba went in to the king in his room. The king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king. ¹⁶ Bathsheba bowed, and showed respect to the king. The king said, “What would you like?”

¹⁷ She said to him, “My lord, you swore by Yahweh^[b] your God^[c] to your servant, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ ¹⁸ Now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and you, my lord the king, don’t know it. ¹⁹ He has slain cattle and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army; but he hasn’t called Solomon your servant. ²⁰ You, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹ Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered criminals.”

²² Behold, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. ²³ They told the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet!”

When he had come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. ²⁴ Nathan said, “My lord, king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne?’ ²⁵ For he has gone down today, and has slain cattle, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live king Adonijah!’ ²⁶ But he hasn’t called me, even me your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon. ²⁷ Was this thing done by my lord the king, and you haven’t shown to your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”