1 Kings 1:1-14

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Struggle for the Succession

1 King David was old and advanced in years, and although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. ² So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm.” ³ So they searched for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel and found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.^{(A) 4} The young woman was very beautiful. She became the king’s attendant and served him, but the king did not know her sexually.

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.^{(B) 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.^{(C) 7} He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah.^{(D) 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.^(E)

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,^{(F) 10} but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.^(G)

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?^{(H) 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?” ’^{(I) 14} Then while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”