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

Adonijah Claims the Throne

About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.

Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah.

Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth[a] near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon.

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Footnotes

  1. 1:9 Or to the Serpent’s Stone; Greek version supports reading Zoheleth as a proper name.