Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options
Close EXB

1 Kings 2:12-46
Expanded Bible

12 Solomon ·became king after [L sat on the throne of] David, his father, and ·he was in firm control of [firmly established] his ·kingdom [rule].

Solomon’s Reign Begins

13 At this time Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. “Do you come in peace?” Bathsheba asked.

“Yes, ·this is a peaceful visit [L in peace],” Adonijah answered. 14 “I have something to say to you.”

“You may speak,” she said.

15 “You ·remember [know] that at one time the kingdom was mine,” Adonijah said. “All the people of Israel ·recognized [wanted; looked to; expected] me as their king, but ·things have changed [L the kingdom has turned]. Now my brother is the king, because ·the Lord chose him [L it was his from the Lord]. 16 Now I have one ·thing [request; favor] to ask you; please do not refuse me.”

Bathsheba answered, “What do you want?”

17 “I know King Solomon will ·do anything you ask him [not refuse you],” Adonijah continued. “Please ask him to give me Abishag the Shunammite [1 Kin. 1:3–4] to be my wife.”

18 “Very well,” she answered. “I will speak to the king for you.”

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. When Solomon saw her, he stood up to meet her, then bowed down, and sat on the throne. He told some servants to bring another throne for his mother. Then she sat down at his right ·side [hand].

20 Bathsheba said, “I have one small thing to ask you. Please do not ·refuse me [turn me down].”

“Ask, mother,” the king answered. “I will not ·refuse you [turn you down].”

21 So she said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to ·marry [be given to] your brother Adonijah.”

22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you ask me to give him Abishag? ·Why don’t you also [You may as well] ask for him to become the king since he is my older brother? Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah ·would support him [are on his side]!”

23 Then King Solomon ·swore [vowed; promised] by the name of the Lord, saying, “May God ·punish me terribly [deal severely with me, and worse; L do to me, and even more] if ·this doesn’t cost Adonijah [Adonijah doesn’t pay for this request/word with] his life! 24 By the Lord who has ·given me [established/confirmed me on] the throne that belonged to my father David and who has kept his promise and ·given the kingdom to me and my people [established my dynasty; L made me a house; 2 Sam. 7], Adonijah will die today!” 25 Then King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went and ·killed [struck down] Adonijah.

26 King Solomon said to Abiathar the priest, “·I should kill you too [You deserve to die], but ·I will allow you to go back [go] to your fields in Anathoth. I will not kill you at this time, because you helped carry the Ark of the Lord God ·while marching with [for; before] my father David. And I know you shared in all the hard times with him.” 27 Then Solomon ·removed [dismissed; banished] Abiathar from being the Lord’s priest. ·This happened as the Lord had said it would […in order to fulfill the word of the Lord], when he was speaking in Shiloh about the priest Eli and his ·descendants [L house; 1 Sam. 2:34–36].

28 When Joab heard about what had happened, he was afraid. He had supported Adonijah but not Absalom. So Joab ·ran [fled] to the Tent of the Lord [C in which the Ark was kept] and took hold of the ·corners [horns; 1:50] of the altar. 29 Someone told King Solomon that Joab had run to the Tent of the Lord and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah to go and kill him.

30 Benaiah went into the Tent of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’”

But Joab answered, “No, I will die here.”

So Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said. 31 Then the king ordered Benaiah, “Do as he says! Kill him there and bury him. Then my ·family [L father’s house] and I will ·be free of the guilt of Joab, who has killed innocent people [L have taken away the blood Joab shed without cause]. 32 Without my father knowing it, he killed two men who were ·much [more righteous and] better than he was—Abner son of Ner, the commander of Israel’s army [2 Sam. 3:22–39], and Amasa son of Jether, the commander of Judah’s army [2 Sam. 20:8–10]. So the Lord will ·pay him back [L bring his blood on his own head] for those deaths. 33 Joab and his ·family [descendants] will ·be forever guilty for their deaths [L have their blood on their heads forever], but there will be peace from the Lord for David, his descendants, his ·family [L house], and his throne forever.”

34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada killed Joab, and he was buried near his home in the ·desert [wilderness]. 35 The king then ·made [appointed] Benaiah son of Jehoiada commander of the army in Joab’s place. He also ·made [appointed] Zadok the new high priest in Abiathar’s place.

36 Next the king sent for Shimei. Solomon said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there. Don’t leave the city. 37 The very day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley [C bordering Jerusalem], ·someone will kill you [L you will surely die], and ·it will be your own fault [L your blood will be on your own head].”

38 So Shimei answered the king, “·I agree with what you say [Your sentence/demand/word is fair]. I will do what you say, my master and king.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem ·for a long time [L many days].

39 But three years later two of Shimei’s ·slaves [servants] ran away to Achish king of Gath, who was the son of Maacah. Shimei heard that his ·slaves [servants] were in Gath, 40 so he put his saddle on his donkey and went to Achish at Gath to find them. Then he brought them back from Gath.

41 Someone told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. 42 So Solomon sent for Shimei and said, “I made you ·promise [vow; swear] in the name of the Lord not to leave Jerusalem. I warned you ·if you went out anywhere you would [L that on the day you left you would surely] die, and you ·agreed to what I said [said, “The sentence/demand/word is fair”]. 43 Why did you break your ·promise [vow; oath] to the Lord and disobey my command?” 44 The king also said, “You know the ·many wrong [evil; wicked] things you did to my father David, so now the Lord will ·punish you for those wrongs [L return your evil on your own head]. 45 But the Lord will bless ·me [L King Solomon] and ·make the rule of David safe [establish/secure the throne of David] before the Lord forever.”

46 Then the king ordered Benaiah to kill Shimei, and he did. Now ·Solomon was in full control of his kingdom [L the kingdom was established/secured in Solomon’s hands].

Read full chapter
Listen to 1 Kings 2:12-46
Close NASB

1 Kings 2:12-46
New American Standard Bible

12 Then (A)Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.

13 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, “(B)Do you come peacefully?” And he said, “Peacefully.” 14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Speak.” 15 So he said, “You yourself know that (C)the kingdom was mine and (D)that all Israel [a]intended for me to be king; (E)however, the kingdom has turned around and become my brother’s, (F)for it was his from the Lord. 16 So now I am making one request of you; do not [b]refuse me.” And she said to him, “Speak.” 17 Then he said, “Please speak to Solomon the king—for he will not [c]refuse you—that he may give me (G)Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.” 18 And Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king for you.”

Adonijah Executed

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king stood to meet her, bowed to her, and sat on his throne; then he (H)had a throne set up for the king’s mother, and (I)she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, “I am making one small request of you; (J)do not [d]refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not [e]refuse you.” 21 So she said, “(K)Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.” 22 But King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? (L)Request for him the kingdom as well—(M)since he is my older brother—for him, for (N)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 so, if Adonijah has (O)not spoken this word against his own [f]life! 24 Now then, as the Lord lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and (P)has made me a house just as He [g]promised, Adonijah certainly shall be put to death today!” 25 Then King Solomon (Q)sent the order by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he [h]struck him so that he died.

26 Then to Abiathar the priest the king said, “(R)Go to Anathoth to your own field, (S)for you [i]deserve to die; but I will not put you to death at this [j]time, because (T)you carried the ark of the Lord [k]God before my father David, and because (U)you were afflicted in everything with which my father was afflicted.” 27 So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, to fulfill (V)the word of the Lord, which He had spoken regarding the house of Eli in Shiloh.

Joab Executed

28 Now the news came to Joab (W)because Joab had followed Adonijah, (X)though he had not followed Absalom. So Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and (Y)took hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And it was reported to King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord, and [l]was beside the altar. Then Solomon (Z)sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “(AA)Go, [m]execute him.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “This is what the king has said: ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, for I will die here.” So Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, “This is what Joab spoke, and so he answered me.” 31 And the king said to him, “(AB)Do just as he has spoken, and [n]execute him and bury him, (AC)so that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without [o]justification. 32 (AD)The Lord will return his blood on his own head, (AE)because he [p]struck two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, while my father David did not know about it: (AF)Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and (AG)Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 (AH)So their blood shall return on the head of Joab and on the head of his [q]descendants forever; but for David and his [r]descendants, and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the Lord forever.” 34 Then (AI)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and [s]struck him and put him to death, and he was buried at his own house (AJ)in the wilderness. 35 And (AK)the king appointed Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king appointed (AL)Zadok the priest (AM)in place of Abiathar.

Shimei Executed

36 Now the king sent men and summoned (AN)Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, and do not leave there for any other place. 37 For on the day you leave and (AO)cross the [t]brook Kidron, you will know for certain that you will assuredly die; (AP)your blood will be [u]on your own head.” 38 Shimei then said to the king, “The word is good. Just as my lord the king has spoken, so your servant shall do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.

39 But it came about at the end of three years, that two of Shimei’s servants ran away (AQ)to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And others told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your servants are in Gath.” 40 Then Shimei got up and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish, to search for his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And it was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned. 42 So the king sent men and summoned Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you depart and go anywhere, you shall assuredly die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’ 43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord, and the command which I [v]imposed on you?” 44 The king also said to Shimei, “(AR)You yourself know all the evil that [w]you acknowledge in your heart, which you did to my father David; therefore (AS)the Lord will return your evil on your own head. 45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and (AT)the throne of David will be established before the Lord forever.” 46 (AU)So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and [x]struck him so that he died.

(AV)And the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 2:15 Lit set their faces toward me
  2. 1 Kings 2:16 Lit turn away my face
  3. 1 Kings 2:17 Lit turn away your face
  4. 1 Kings 2:20 Lit turn away my face
  5. 1 Kings 2:20 Lit turn away your face
  6. 1 Kings 2:23 Lit soul
  7. 1 Kings 2:24 Lit spoke
  8. 1 Kings 2:25 Lit attacked
  9. 1 Kings 2:26 Lit are a man of death
  10. 1 Kings 2:26 Lit day
  11. 1 Kings 2:26 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  12. 1 Kings 2:29 Lit behold, beside
  13. 1 Kings 2:29 Lit attack
  14. 1 Kings 2:31 Lit attack
  15. 1 Kings 2:31 Or cause
  16. 1 Kings 2:32 Lit attacked
  17. 1 Kings 2:33 Lit seed
  18. 1 Kings 2:33 Lit seed
  19. 1 Kings 2:34 Lit attacked
  20. 1 Kings 2:37 Or wadi
  21. 1 Kings 2:37 I.e., your own responsibility
  22. 1 Kings 2:43 Lit commanded
  23. 1 Kings 2:44 Lit your heart acknowledges
  24. 1 Kings 2:46 Lit attacked
Next
1 Kings 1
1 Kings 3
Next
dropdown
Expanded Bible (EXB)

The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation