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Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith,[a] was promoting himself,[b] boasting,[c] “I will be king!” He managed to acquire[d] chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.[e] (Now his father had never corrected[f] him[g] by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.[h]) He collaborated[i] with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported[j] him.[k] But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors[l] did not ally themselves[m] with Adonijah. Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons,[n] as well as all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors,[o] or his brother Solomon.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Heb “son of Haggith,” but since this formula usually designates the father (who in this case was David), the translation specifies that David was Adonijah’s father.sn Haggith was one of David’s wives (2 Sam 3:4; 2 Chr 3:2).
  2. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Heb “lifting himself up.”
  3. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Heb “saying.”
  4. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Or “he acquired for himself.”
  5. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Heb “to run ahead of him.”
  6. 1 Kings 1:6 tn Or “disciplined.”
  7. 1 Kings 1:6 tn Heb “did not correct him from his days.” The phrase “from his days” means “from his earliest days,” or “ever in his life.” See GKC 382 §119.w, n. 2.
  8. 1 Kings 1:6 tn Heb “and she gave birth to him after Absalom.” This does not imply they had the same mother; Absalom’s mother was Maacah, not Haggith (2 Sam 3:4).
  9. 1 Kings 1:7 tn Heb “his words were.”
  10. 1 Kings 1:7 tn Heb “helped after” (i.e., stood by).
  11. 1 Kings 1:7 tn Heb “Adonijah.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  12. 1 Kings 1:8 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
  13. 1 Kings 1:8 tn Heb “were not.”
  14. 1 Kings 1:9 tc The ancient Greek version omits this appositional phrase.
  15. 1 Kings 1:10 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).

Now Adonijah,(A) whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots(B) and horses[a] ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. (His father had never rebuked(C) him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

Adonijah conferred with Joab(D) son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar(E) the priest, and they gave him their support. But Zadok(F) the priest, Benaiah(G) son of Jehoiada, Nathan(H) the prophet, Shimei(I) and Rei and David’s special guard(J) did not join Adonijah.

Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel.(K) He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons,(L) and all the royal officials of Judah, 10 but he did not invite(M) Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.(N)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 1:5 Or charioteers