⁴ the fourth was Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth was Shephatiah son of Abital;^(A)

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.”^{(A) 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.^{(B) 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.”^{(C) 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.^{(D) 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.”^{(E) 21} She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”^{(F) 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, and the priest Abiathar and Joab son of Zeruiah are on his side!”^{(G) 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!^{(H) 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.”^{(I) 25} So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck him down, and he died.

⁵ Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” He prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.^{(A) 6} His father had never at any time reprimanded him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.^{(B) 7} He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah.^{(C) 8} But the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the prophet Nathan, and Shammah^[a] and his companions,^[b] David’s own warriors, did not side with Adonijah.^(D)

⁹ Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the stone Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah,^{(E) 10} but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.^(F)

¹¹ Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king and our lord David does not know it?^{(G) 12} Now therefore come, let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³ Go in at once to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then is Adonijah king?” ’^{(H) 14} Then while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

¹⁵ So Bathsheba went to the king in his room. The king was very old; Abishag the Shunammite was attending the king.^{(I) 16} Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, “What do you wish?” ¹⁷ She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne.’^{(J) 18} But now suddenly Adonijah has become king, though you, my lord the king, do not know it.