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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.

Meanwhile, about this time Haggith’s son Adonijah began to seek a reputation for himself and decided,[a] “I’m going to be king!” So he prepared chariots, cavalry, and 50 soldiers to serve as a security detail to guard him.[b] His father had never challenged him at any time during his life by asking him, “Why are you acting like this?” Adonijah[c] was very handsome and had been born after Absalom. He had the support of Zeruiah’s son Joab and of Abiathar the priest, who followed Adonijah[d] and assisted him, but Zadok the priest, Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal elite forces would have nothing to do with Adonijah.

Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the Serpent Stone[e] near En-rogel,[f] inviting all of his relatives, the king’s sons, and all of the men of Judah who worked for the king, 10 but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, David’s[g] personal elite forces, or his brother Solomon.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 1:5 Lit. said
  2. 1 Kings 1:5 Lit. soldiers to run ahead of him
  3. 1 Kings 1:6 Lit. He
  4. 1 Kings 1:7 Lit. him
  5. 1 Kings 1:9 Or the stone of Omelet
  6. 1 Kings 1:9 Cf. Josh 15:7; 18:16; 2Sam 17:17
  7. 1 Kings 1:10 Lit. the