Melachim Alef 1-2
Orthodox Jewish Bible
1 Now HaMelech Dovid was zaken and stricken in yamim; and they covered him with begadim, but he could get no warmth.
2 Wherefore his avadim said unto him, Let there be sought for adoni HaMelech a na’arah betulah; and let her stand before HaMelech, and let her care for him, and let her lie at thy kheyk (bosom), that adoni HaMelech may be warm.
3 So they sought for a na’arah yafeh throughout all the territory of Yisroel, and found Avishag HaShunammit, and brought her to HaMelech.
4 And the na’arah was yafeh ad me’od, and cared for HaMelech, and waited on him; but HaMelech knew her not.
5 Then Adoniyah Ben Chaggit put himself forward, saying, I will be Melech; and he prepared him merkavot and parashim, and chamishim ish to run before him.
6 And Aviv had not rebuked him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? And he also was tov to’ar (good looking); and [immo] bore him after Avshalom.
7 And he conferred with Yoav Ben Tzeruyah, and with Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen; and they lent ezer (help), following after Adoniyah.
8 But Tzadok HaKohen, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and Natan HaNavi, and Shim’i, and Re’i, and the Gibborim which belonged to Dovid, were not with Adoniyah.
9 And Adoniyah sacrificed tzon and bakar and fatted bull at the Zochelet Even (Stone of Zoheleth), which is Ein Rogel, and invited all his achim, the Bnei HaMelech, and all the anshei Yehudah who were avadim of HaMelech;
10 But Natan HaNavi, and Benayah, and the Gibborim, and Sh’lomo his brother, he invited not.
11 Wherefore Natan spoke unto Bat-Sheva em Sh’lomo, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adoniyah Ben Chaggit became Melech, and Dovid adoneinu knoweth it not?
12 Therefore come, let me, now, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own nefesh, and the nefesh of thy ben Sh’lomo.
13 Go and get thee in unto HaMelech Dovid, and say unto him, Didst not thou, adoni, O HaMelech, swear unto thine amah (maid servant, handmaid) saying, Assuredly Sh’lomo thy ben shall reign as Melech after me, and he shall sit upon my kisse? Why then doth Adoniyah reign as Melech?
14 Hinei, while thou yet speakest there with HaMelech, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy devarim.
15 And Bat-Sheva went in unto HaMelech into the cheder; and HaMelech was zaken me’od; and Avishag HaShunammit attended unto HaMelech.
16 And Bat-Sheva bowed, and did obeisance unto HaMelech. And HaMelech said, What wouldest thou?
17 And she said unto him, Adoni, thou didst swear by Hashem Eloheicha unto thine amah, saying, Assuredly Sh’lomo thy ben shall reign as Melech after me, and he shall sit upon my kisse.
18 And now, hinei, Adoniyah reigneth as Melech; and now, adoni HaMelech, thou knowest it not;
19 And he hath sacrificed shor and fatted bull and tzon in abundance, and hath invited all the Bnei HaMelech, and Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen, and Yoav the Sar HaTzava; but Sh’lomo thy eved hath he not invited.
20 And thou, adoni HaMelech, the eyes of kol Yisroel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the kisse adoni HaMelech after him.
21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when adoni HaMelech shall lie with his avot, that I and beni (my son) Sh’lomo shall be counted chatta’im.
22 And, hinei, while she yet was speaking with HaMelech, Natan HaNavi also came in.
23 And they told HaMelech, saying, Hinei Natan HaNavi! And when he was come in before HaMelech, he bowed himself before HaMelech with his face to the ground.
24 And Natan said, Adoni HaMelech, hast thou said, Adoniyah shall reign as Melech after me, and he shall sit upon my kisse?
25 For he has gone down this day, and hath sacrificed shor and fatted bull and tzon in abundance, and hath invited all the Bnei HaMelech, and the sarei hatzava, and Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, Yechi HaMelech Adoniyahu (long live HaMelech Adoniyah)!
26 But me, even me thy eved, and Tzadok HaKohen, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and thy eved Sh’lomo, hath he not invited.
27 Is this thing done by adoni HaMelech, and thou hast not showed it unto thy eved, even who should sit on the kisse adoni HaMelech after him?
28 Then HaMelech Dovid answered and said, Call me Bat-Sheva. And she came into the presence of HaMelech, and stood before HaMelech.
29 And HaMelech swore a shevu’a (oath), and said, As Hashem liveth, that hath redeemed my nefesh out of kol tzarah,
30 Even as I swore a shevu’a unto thee by Hashem Elohei Yisroel, saying, Assuredly Sh’lomo thy ben shall reign as Melech after me, he shall sit upon my kisse in my place; so will I certainly do this day.
31 Then Bat-Sheva bowed with her face to eretz, and did reverence to HaMelech, and said, Yechi adoni HaMelech Dovid l’olam (long live adoni HaMelech forever)!
32 And HaMelech Dovid said, Call me Tzadok HaKohen, and Natan HaNavi, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada. And they came before HaMelech.
33 HaMelech also said unto them, Take with you the avadim of adoneichem, and have Sh’lomo beni (my son) to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gichon [See Yn 12:14];
34 And let Tzadok HaKohen and Natan HaNavi mashach (anoint) him there Melech over Yisroel; and blow ye with the shofar, and say, Yechi HaMelech Sh’lomo.
35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my kisse; for he shall be Melech in my place; and I have appointed him to be Nagid (ruler) over Yisroel and over Yehudah.
36 And Benayah Ben Yehoyada answered HaMelech, and said, Omein; And so may Hashem Elohei adoni HaMelech say.
37 As Hashem hath been with adoni HaMelech, even so may He be with Sh’lomo, and make his kisse greater than the kisse of adoni HaMelech Dovid.
38 So Tzadok HaKohen, and Natan HaNavi, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and the Kereti, and the Peleti, went down, and had Sh’lomo ride upon the mule of HaMelech Dovid, and brought him to Gichon.
39 And Tzadok HaKohen took a keren of shemen out of the ohel, and mashach (anointed) Sh’lomo. And they blew the shofar; and kol HaAm shouted, Yechi HaMelech Sh’lomo!
40 And kol HaAm came up after him, and the people played chalilim (flutes), and rejoiced with simchah gedolah, so that ha’aretz split with the sound of them.
41 And Adoniyah and kol hakeru’im (all the invited ones) that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Yoav heard the kol hashofar, he said, Why is the sound of the Ir in an uproar?
42 And while he yet spoke, hinei, Yonatan Ben Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen came; and Adoniyah said unto him, Come, for thou art an ish chayil, and tov tevaser (bringest good tidings).
43 And Yonatan answered and said to Adoniyah, Just the opposite! Verily adoneinu HaMelech Dovid hath made Sh’lomo Melech!
44 And HaMelech hath sent with him Tzadok HaKohen, and Natan HaNavi, and Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and the Kereti, and the Peleti, and they have had him ride upon pirdah (mule) of HaMelech:
45 And Tzadok HaKohen and Natan HaNavi have anointed him Melech at Gichon; and they are come up from there rejoicing, so that the city rang out. This is the noise that ye have heard.
46 And also Sh’lomo sitteth on the kisse hameluchah.
47 And moreover the avadim of HaMelech came to make a brocha on adoneinu HaMelech Dovid, saying, May your G-d make the shem of Sh’lomo more famous than thy shem, and make his kisse greater than thy kisse. And HaMelech bowed himself upon the mishkav (bed).
48 Also so said HaMelech, Baruch Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Who hath given one to sit on my kisse this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
49 And kol hakeruvim (all the invited ones) that were with Adoniyah were terrified, and rose up, and went every ish his own derech [see Isa 53:6].
50 And Adoniyah feared because of Sh’lomo, and arose, and went, and caught hold of the karnayim of the Mizbe’ach.
51 And it was told Sh’lomo, saying, Hinei, Adoniyah feareth HaMelech Sh’lomo; for, hinei, he hath caught hold of the karnayim of the Mizbe’ach, saying, Let Melech Sh’lomo swear a shevua (oath) unto me today that he will not slay his eved with the cherev.
52 And Sh’lomo said, If he will show himself a ben chayil (a son of worthiness), there shall not a hair of him fall to ha’aretz; but if ra’ah (wickedness) shall be found in him, he shall die [Ro 6:23].
53 So HaMelech Sh’lomo sent, and they brought him down from the Mizbe’ach. And he came and bowed himself to Melech Sh’lomo; and Sh’lomo said unto him, Go to thine bais.
2 Now the days of Dovid drew near that he should die; and he charged Sh’lomo Bno, saying,
2 I go the derech kol ha’aretz; be thou chazak therefore, and show thyself a man;
3 And be shomer over the mishmeret (requirement, charge) of Hashem Eloheicha, to walk in His derakhim, to be shomer over His chukkot (decrees), and His mitzvot, and His mishpatim (ordinances), and His edot (testimonies), as it is written in the Torat Moshe, so that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and wherever thou turnest;
4 So that Hashem may uphold His Davar (Word, Promise) which He spoke concerning me, saying, If thy banim are shomer over their derech, to walk before Me in emes with all their lev and with all their nefesh, there shall not yikaret l’cha (be cut off of you, fail thee) Ish on the Kisse Yisroel.
5 Moreover thou knowest also what Yoav Ben Tzeruyah did to me, and what he did to the two sarim of the Tzivos Yisroel (Armies of Yisroel), unto Avner Ben Ner, and unto Amasa Ben Yeter, whom he killed, and the shefach dahm of war in shalom (peacetime), and put the dahm of milchamah (war) upon his khagorah (sword belt) that was about his loins, and on his na’alayim (sandals) that were on his raglayim.
6 Do therefore according to thy chochmah, and let not his gray head go down to Sheol in shalom.
7 But show chesed unto the Bnei Barzillai the Gileadi, and let them be of those that eat at thy shulchan; for so they stood by me when I fled from before Avshalom achicha.
8 And, hinei, thou hast with thee Shime’i Ben Gera the Binyamini of Bachurim, which cursed me with a kelalah (curse) nimretzet (grievous, strong) on the day when I went to Machanayim; but he came down to meet me at Yarden, and I swore a shevu’ah to him by Hashem, saying, I will not put thee to death with the cherev.
9 Now therefore hold him not guiltless; for thou art an ish chacham, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his gray head bring thou down with dahm to She’ol.
10 So Dovid slept with his avot, and was buried in Ir Dovid.
11 And the yamim that Dovid reigned as Melech over Yisroel were arba’im shanah; sheva shanim reigned he in Chevron, and shloshim v’shalosh shanim reigned he in Yerushalayim.
12 Then sat Sh’lomo upon the Kisse Dovid Aviv; and Malchuso was firmly established.
13 And Adoniyah Ben Chaggit came to Bat-Sheva Em Sh’lomo. And she said, Comest thou in shalom? And he said, Shalom.
14 He said moreover, I have davar to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
15 And he said, Thou hast da’as that the meluchah (kingdom, monarchy) was mine, and that kol Yisroel set their faces on me, that I should reign as Melech; howbeit the meluchah has veered, and is become my brother’s; for it was his from Hashem.
16 And now I ask thee one she’elah: refuse me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
17 And he said, Speak, now, unto Sh’lomo HaMelech, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Avishag HaShunammit as isha.
18 And Bat-Sheva said, Tov; I will speak for thee unto HaMelech.
19 Bat-Sheva therefore went unto HaMelech Sh’lomo, to speak unto him for Adoniyah. And HaMelech rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his kisse, and caused a kisse to be set for Em HaMelech; and she sat on his yamin (right hand).
20 Then she said, I desire one small she’elah of thee; now, say me not nay. And HaMelech said unto her, Ask on, immi: for I will not say thee nay.
21 And she said, Let Avishag HaShunammit be given to Adoniyah thy brother as isha.
22 And HaMelech Sh’lomo answered and said unto immo, And why dost thou request Avishag HaShunammite for Adoniyah? Ask for him the meluchah also; for he is achi hagadol; even for him, for Evyatar HaKohen, and for Yoav Ben Tzeruyah.
23 Then HaMelech Sh’lomo swore a shevu’a by Hashem, saying, Elohim do so to me, and more also, if Adoniyah have not spoken this davar against his own nefesh.
24 Now therefore, Hashem Chai (as Hashem liveth), which hath established me, and set me on the Kisse Dovid Avi, and who hath made me a Bayit ([Davidic] Dynasty), as He promised, Adoniyah shall be executed this day.
25 And HaMelech Sh’lomo sent by the yad Benayah Ben Yehoyada; and he struck him that he died.
26 And unto Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen said HaMelech, Get thee to Anatot, unto thine own sadot; for ish mavet atah (You are a man deserving of death); but I will not this day put thee to death, because thou borest the Aron Adonoi Hashem before Dovid Avi, and because thou hast shared hardship in all wherein Avi endured hardship [See 2Ti 4:5 OJBC].
27 So Sh’lomo thrust out Evyatar (Abiathar) from being Kohen unto Hashem; in order to fulfill the Devar Hashem, which He had spoken at Shiloh concerning the Bais Eli [See 1Sm 2:30-35].
28 Then news came to Yoav; for Yoav had inclined after Adoniyah, though he turned not to take sides with Avshalom. And Yoav fled unto the Ohel Hashem, and caught hold the karnot HaMizbe’ach.
29 And it was told Melech Sh’lomo that Yoav was fled unto the Ohel Hashem; and, hinei, he is beside the Mizbe’ach. Then Sh’lomo sent Benayah Ben Yehoyada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
30 And Benayah came to the Ohel Hashem, and said unto him, Thus saith HaMelech, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benayah brought HaMelech word again, saying, Thus said Yoav, and thus he answered me.
31 And HaMelech said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away from me the demei chinnam (innocent blood), the shefach dahm of Yoav, even from against the Bais Avi.
32 And Hashem shall return his dahm upon his own rosh, who fell upon two anashim more tzadikim and tovim than he, and killed them with the cherev, Dovid Avi not knowing thereof: Avner Ben Ner, Sar Tzava Yisroel, and Amasa Ben Yeter, Sar Tzava Yehudah.
33 Let their dahm therefore turn back upon the rosh Yoav, and upon the rosh of his zera l’olam; but upon Dovid, and upon his Zera, and upon his Bais, and upon his Kisse, let there be shalom ad olam from Hashem.
34 So Benayah Ben Yehoyada went up, and fell upon him, and executed him; and he was buried in his bais (house, i.e., in court or garden of his house) in the midbar.
35 And in his place HaMelech put Benayah Ben Yehoyada in charge of the Tzava (Army); and Tzadok HaKohen did HaMelech put in the place of Evyatar.
36 And HaMelech sent and summoned Shime’i, and said unto him, Build thee a bayit in Yerushalayim, and dwell there, and go not go out from there anywhere.
37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the Kidron Valley, thou shalt know for certain that mot tamut (thou shalt surely die); thy dahm shall be upon thine own rosh.
38 And Shime’i said unto HaMelech, Tov HaDavar (good is the word); just as adoni HaMelech hath said, so will thy eved do. And Shime’i dwelt in Yerushalayim yamim rabbim.
39 And it came to pass at the end of shalosh shanim, that two of the avadim of Shime’i ran away unto Achish Ben Maachah Melech Gat. And they told Shime’i, saying, Hinei, thy avadim are in Gat.
40 And Shime’i arose, and saddled his chamor, and went to Gat to Achish to search for his avadim; and Shime’i went, and brought back his avadim from Gat.
41 And it was told Sh’lomo that Shime’i had gone from Yerushalayim to Gat, and had returned.
42 And HaMelech sent and summoned Shime’i, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear a shevu’ah by Hashem, and adjured thee [i.e., under oath], saying, Know for a certain, on the yom thou goest out, and walkest abroad any place whatever [outside Yerushalayim] that mot tamut (thou shalt surely die)? And thou saidst unto me, Tov HaDavar Sha’ma’ti (The good word I will hear, I will obey).
43 Why then hast thou not been shomer over the Shevuat Hashem, and the Mitzvah that I have charged thee with?
44 HaMelech said moreover to Shime’i, Thou knowest all the ra’ah which thine lev is privy to, that thou didst to Dovid Avi; therefore Hashem shall return thy ra’ah upon thine own rosh;
45 And HaMelech Sh’lomo baruch, and the Kisse Dovid shall be nakhon (secure) before Hashem ad olam.
46 So HaMelech commanded Benayah Ben Yehoyada, who went and fell upon him, that he died. The mamlachah was established in the yad Sh’lomo.
1 Kings 1-2
Common English Bible
David and Abishag
1 King David had become very old. His servants covered him with blankets, but he couldn’t stay warm. 2 They said to him, “Allow us to find a young woman for our master the king. She will serve the king and take care of him by lying beside our master the king and keeping him warm.” 3 So they looked in every corner of Israel until they found Abishag from Shunem. They brought her to the king. 4 She was very beautiful. She cared for the king and served him, but the king didn’t have sex with her.
Adonijah’s rebellion
5 Adonijah, Haggith’s son, bragged about himself and said, “I’ll rule as king myself.” He got his own chariot and horses with fifty runners to go in front. 6 Now Adonijah’s father had never given him direction; he never questioned why Adonijah did what he did. He was very handsome and was born after Absalom. 7 He took advice from Joab, Zeruiah’s son, and from the priest Abiathar. They assisted Adonijah. 8 But Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, the prophet Nathan, Shimei and his friends, and David’s veterans didn’t join Adonijah. 9 So Adonijah prepared lamb, oxen, and fattened cattle at the Stone of Zoheleth, next to En-rogel. He invited his brothers (the royal princes) and all the citizens of Judah who were the royal servants to come. 10 But he didn’t invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, David’s veterans, or his brother Solomon.
11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Did you hear that Adonijah, Haggith’s son, has become king, but our master David doesn’t know about it? 12 Let me give you some advice on how you and your son Solomon can survive this. 13 Go to King David and say, ‘Didn’t my master the king swear to your servant, “Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. He will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 While you are speaking there with the king, I’ll come along and support your words.”
15 So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was serving the king. 16 Bathsheba bowed down on her face before the king.
The king asked, “What do you want?”
17 She said to him, “Your Majesty, you swore by the Lord your God to your servant, ‘Your son Solomon will certainly rule after me. He will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king, and my master the king doesn’t know about it. 19 He has prepared large quantities of oxen, fattened cattle, and lamb. He has invited all the royal princes as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the general. However, he didn’t invite your servant Solomon. 20 As for you, my master the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will follow you on the throne of my master the king. 21 When my master the king lies down with his ancestors, then I and my son Solomon will become outlaws.”
22 While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived. 23 The king was informed, “The prophet Nathan is here.” Then Nathan came in before the king and bowed his face to the ground. 24 He said, “My master the king, you must have said, ‘Adonijah will become king after me and will sit on my throne.’ 25 Indeed, today he went down and prepared oxen, fattened cattle, and lamb in large numbers. He invited all the royal princes, the generals, and Abiathar the priest. They are eating and drinking with him, and they said, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 Adonijah didn’t invite me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, or your servant Solomon. 27 If this message was from my master the king, you didn’t make it known to your servant. Who should follow you on the throne of my master the king?”
28 King David answered, “Bring me Bathsheba.” She came and stood before the king. 29 The king made a solemn pledge and said, “As surely as the Lord lives, who rescued me from every trouble, 30 regarding what I swore to you by the Lord, Israel’s God, ‘Your son Solomon will certainly succeed me; he will sit on the throne after me’—I’ll see that it happens today.”
31 Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground. She honored the king and said, “May my master King David live forever!”
32 King David said, “Bring me Zadok the priest, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son.” They came to the king, 33 who said to them, “Take with you the servants of your masters. Put my son Solomon on my mule and bring him down to Gihon. 34 There Zadok the priest and the prophet Nathan will anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 You will follow him. He will enter and sit on my throne, and so he will succeed me as king. I have appointed him to become ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36 Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, responded to the king, “Yes, may it happen as the Lord, the God of my king, says. 37 Just as the Lord was with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon. May his throne be even greater than the throne of my master King David.” 38 Zadok the priest, the prophet Nathan, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and put Solomon on King David’s mule. They led him to Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram’s horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 All the people followed him playing flutes and celebrating. The ground shook at their noise.
41 Adonijah and all his invited guests heard this when they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he said, “What’s that noise coming from the city?” 42 While he was still speaking, Jonathan, Abiathar the priest’s son, arrived.
Adonijah said, “Come on in! You are an honest man and will bring a good report.”
43 Jonathan replied to Adonijah, “No! Our master King David has made Solomon king! 44 To support him, the king sent along Zadok the priest; the prophet Nathan; Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son; and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. They’ve put Solomon on the royal mule. 45 Zadok the priest and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king at Gihon. They went up from there celebrating so that the city was thrown into a commotion. That is the sound you heard. 46 There’s more: Solomon has taken over the throne of the kingdom. 47 The royal attendants blessed our master King David: ‘May your God make Solomon’s name better than your name. May God elevate his throne above your throne.’”
The king then worshipped on his bed 48 and said, “Bless Israel’s God, the Lord, who today has set my son[a] on my throne, and has allowed my eyes to see it.”
49 Trembling with fear, all of Adonijah’s guests got up and fled, each going a different way. 50 Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to grab hold of the horns of the altar. 51 Solomon was told, “Look! Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and has grabbed the horns of the altar. He’s saying, ‘King Solomon must swear to me first that he won’t execute his servant with the sword.’”
52 Solomon said, “If he shows himself to be an honorable person, then not a hair of his head will be harmed. But if any evil is found in him, he will die.” 53 King Solomon sent word and had him brought down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon. Solomon said to him, “Go home!”
David’s last words
2 David’s time was coming to an end. So he commanded Solomon his son, 2 “I’m following the path that the whole earth takes. Be strong and be a man. 3 Guard what is owed to the Lord your God, walking in his ways and observing his laws, his commands, his judgments, and his testimonies, just as it is written in the Instruction from Moses. In this way you will succeed in whatever you do and wherever you go. 4 So also the Lord will confirm the word he spoke to me: ‘If your children will take care to walk before me faithfully, with all their heart and all their being, then one of your own children will never fail to be on the throne of Israel.’ 5 You should know what Joab, Zeruiah’s son, has done to me and what he did to the two generals of Israel, Abner, Ner’s son, and Amasa, Jether’s son. He murdered them, spilling blood at peacetime and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet. 6 So act wisely: Don’t allow him to die a peaceful death. 7 As for Barzillai’s sons from Gilead, show them kindness. Let them eat with you. When I was running away from your brother Absalom, they came to me. 8 Now as for this Shimei, Gera’s son—a Benjaminite from Bahurim—who is with you, he cursed me viciously when I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, ‘Surely I won’t execute you with the sword.’ 9 But you don’t need to excuse him. You are wise and know what to do to him. Give him a violent death.”
10 Then David lay down with his ancestors and was buried in David’s City. 11 He ruled over Israel forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
Solomon secures his throne
12 Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his royal power was well established. 13 Adonijah, Haggith’s son, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She said, “Are you coming in peace?”
He said, “Yes. 14 I have something to say to you.”
She said, “Say it.”
15 He said, “You know how the kingdom was mine. All Israel had appointed me as their king. Then suddenly the kingdom went to my brother as the Lord willed. 16 Now I have just one request of you. Don’t refuse me!”
She said to him, “Go on.”
17 Adonijah continued, “Ask King Solomon to let me marry Abishag from Shunem—he won’t refuse you.”
18 Bathsheba said, “Okay; I’ll speak to the king for you.”
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk with him about Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her and bowed low to her. Then he returned to his throne and had a throne set up for the queen mother. She sat to his right. 20 She said, “I have just one small request for you. Don’t refuse me.”
The king said to her, “Mother, ask me. I won’t refuse you.”
21 “Let Abishag from Shunem be married to your brother Adonijah,” she said.
22 King Solomon replied to his mother, “Why ask only for Abishag from Shunem for Adonijah? Why not ask for the entire kingdom for him? After all, he is my older brother and has the support of Abiathar the priest and Joab, Zeruiah’s son.” 23 King Solomon swore by the Lord, “May God do to me as he sees fit! Adonijah has made this request at the cost of his life! 24 Now, as surely as the Lord lives—the one who supported me, put me on the throne of my father David, and provided a royal house for me exactly as he promised—Adonijah will be executed today.” 25 So King Solomon sent Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son. He attacked Adonijah, and Adonijah died.
26 The king said to the priest Abiathar, “Go to your fields at Anathoth, because you are a condemned man. However, I won’t kill you today because you carried the Lord’s chest in front of my father David and because you shared in all my father’s sufferings.” 27 So Solomon expelled Abiathar from the Lord’s priesthood in order to fulfill the Lord’s word that was spoken against Eli’s family at Shiloh.
28 Now the news reached Joab because he had supported Adonijah, though he hadn’t supported Absalom. Joab ran to the Lord’s tent and grabbed the horns of the altar. 29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the Lord’s tent and was now beside the altar. So Solomon sent Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, instructing him, “Go. Attack Joab!”
30 Benaiah came to the Lord’s tent and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’”
Joab said, “No! I’d rather die here.”
Benaiah sent a report back to the king: “This is what Joab said and how he answered me.”
31 The king said to him, “Do as he said. Attack him and then bury him. In doing this, you will remove from me and from my father’s royal house the guilt over the innocent blood that Joab shed. 32 May the Lord return that bloodguilt back on his own head for attacking the two men who were better and more righteous than he was. He murdered those two with the sword: Abner, Ner’s son and Israel’s general, and Amasa, Jether’s son and Judah’s general. But my father David didn’t know about it. 33 May the bloodguilt for their deaths return on Joab’s head and on the head of his family line forever. But may the Lord’s peace be on David, his family, and his royal house forever.” 34 So Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, went and attacked Joab and killed him.
Joab was buried at his home in the wilderness. 35 In his place, the king gave leadership of the army to Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son. The king put the priest Zadok in Abiathar’s position. 36 Then he sent for Shimei and said, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and stay in the city. Don’t leave to go anywhere else. 37 If you try to leave, be advised that on the day you cross the Kidron Valley you will most certainly die. Your bloodguilt will be on your own head.”
38 Shimei said to the king, “This is a good idea. Your servant will do just what my master the king said.” So Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.
39 After three years, two of Shimei’s servants fled to the king of Gath, Achish, Maacah’s son. Shimei was informed, “Your servants are now in Gath.” 40 Shimei saddled his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to look for his servants. Shimei then brought his servants back from Gath. 41 Solomon was told that Shimei had left Jerusalem for Gath and then returned.
42 The king sent for Shimei and asked him, “Didn’t I make you swear a solemn pledge by the Lord? And didn’t I swear to you, ‘If you try to leave and go anywhere, be advised that on that very day you will most certainly die’? You said to me, ‘This is a good idea. I agree to it.’ 43 Why didn’t you keep your solemn promise to the Lord and the command that I gave you?” 44 The king said further, “You know quite well all the evil that you did to my father David. May the Lord return your evil on your own head. 45 However, may King Solomon be blessed and David’s throne be secure before the Lord forever.” 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, who went and attacked Shimei, and he died.
In these ways royal power was handed over to Solomon.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 1:48 Heb lacks my son; other versions have it or something similar.
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Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible