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Now the days of Dovid drew near that he should die; and he charged Sh’lomo Bno, saying,

I go the derech kol ha’aretz; be thou chazak therefore, and show thyself a man;

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;

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.

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.

Do therefore according to thy chochmah, and let not his gray head go down to Sheol in shalom.

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.

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.

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.

David’s Charge to Solomon(A)

When the time drew near for David to die,(B) he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

“I am about to go the way of all the earth,”(C) he said. “So be strong,(D) act like a man, and observe(E) what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper(F) in all you do and wherever you go and that the Lord may keep his promise(G) to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully(H) before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

“Now you yourself know what Joab(I) son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner(J) son of Ner and Amasa(K) son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. Deal with him according to your wisdom,(L) but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

“But show kindness(M) to the sons of Barzillai(N) of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table.(O) They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

“And remember, you have with you Shimei(P) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim.(Q) When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore(R) to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom;(S) you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried(T) in the City of David.(U) 11 He had reigned(V) forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne(W) of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.(X)

Solomon’s Throne Established

13 Now Adonijah,(Y) the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”(Z)

He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” 14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”

“You may say it,” she replied.

15 “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. 16 Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

“You may make it,” she said.

17 So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag(AA) the Shunammite as my wife.”

18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”

19 When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother,(AB) and she sat down at his right hand.(AC)

20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”

The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

21 So she said, “Let Abishag(AD) the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”

22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag(AE) the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother(AF)—yes, for him and for Abiathar(AG) the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”

23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,(AH) if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! 24 And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised(AI)—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah(AJ) son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.(AK)

26 To Abiathar(AL) the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth.(AM) You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark(AN) of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.”(AO) 27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling(AP) the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.

28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns(AQ) of the altar. 29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar.(AR) Then Solomon ordered Benaiah(AS) son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”

30 So Benaiah entered the tent(AT) of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!(AU)’”

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

Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”

31 Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood(AV) that Joab shed. 32 The Lord will repay(AW) him for the blood he shed,(AX) because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa(AY) son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better(AZ) men and more upright than he. 33 May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord’s peace forever.”

34 So Benaiah(BA) son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab(BB) and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country. 35 The king put Benaiah(BC) son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok(BD) the priest.

36 Then the king sent for Shimei(BE) and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. 37 The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley,(BF) you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”(BG)

38 Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish(BH) son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” 40 At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.

41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, 42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn(BI) you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’ 43 Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”

44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong(BJ) you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. 45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure(BK) before the Lord forever.”

46 Then the king gave the order to Benaiah(BL) son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei(BM) down and he died.

The kingdom was now established(BN) in Solomon’s hands.