Chronological
The First Book of the Kings
1 3 Abishag keepeth David in his extreme age. 5 Adonijah usurpeth the kingdom. 30 Solomon is anointed king, 50 Adonijah fleeth to the altar.
1 Now when King David was [a]old, and stricken in years, they covered him with clothes, but no [b]heat came unto him.
2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin, and let her [c]stand before the king, and cherish him: and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the King may get heat.
3 So they sought for a fair young maid throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found one Abishag [d]a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
4 And the maid was exceedingly fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him, but the king knew her not.
5 ¶ Then Adonijah the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, I will be king. And he got him chariots and horsemen, and [e]fifty men to run before him.
6 And his father would not displease him from his [f]childhood, to say, Why hast thou done so? And he was a very goodly man, and his mother bare him next after Absalom.
7 And he [g]took counsel of Joab the son of Zeruiah, and of Abiathar the Priest: and they [h]helped forward Adonijah.
8 But Zadok the Priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the Prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the men of might, which were with David, were not with Adonijah.
9 Then Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen, and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by [i]En Rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants.
10 But Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah, and [j]the mighty men, and Solomon his brother he called not.
11 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of (A)Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?
12 Now therefore come, and I will now give thee counsel, how to save thine own [k]life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
13 Go, and get thee in unto King David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O King, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why is then Adonijah King?
14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the King, I also will come in after thee, and [l]confirm thy words.
15 ¶ So Bathsheba went in unto the King into the chamber, and the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the King.
16 And Bathsheba bowed and made obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What is thy matter?
17 And she answered him, My lord, thou swearest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
18 And behold, now is Adonijah king, and now my lord, O King, thou knowest [m]it not.
19 And he hath offered many oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep, and hath called all the sons of the King, and Abiathar the Priest, and Joab the Captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not bidden.
20 And thou, my lord, O King, knowest that the eyes of all Israel are on thee, that thou shouldest tell them, who should sit on the throne of my lord the King after him.
21 For else when my lord the King shall sleep with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be [n]reputed [o]vile.
22 And lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan also the Prophet came in.
23 And they told the King, saying, Behold, Nathan the Prophet. And when he was come in to the King, he made obeisance before the king upon his face [p]to the ground.
24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25 For he is gone down this day, and hath slain many oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the Priest: and behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, [q]God save king Adonijah.
26 But me thy servant, and Zadok the Priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon hath he not called.
27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not showed it unto thy [r]servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
28 ¶ Then king David answered, and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the King.
29 And the King sware, saying, As the Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,
30 That as I [s]sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my place, so will I certainly do this day.
31 Then Bathsheba bowed her face to the earth, and did reverence unto the king, and said, God save my lord king David forever.
32 ¶ And king David said, Call me Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the King.
33 Then the king said unto them, Take with you the [t]servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and carry him down to Gihon.
34 And let Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet anoint him there king over Israel, and blow ye the trumpet, and say, God save King Solomon.
35 Then come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne: and he shall be King in my stead: for I have [u]appointed him to be prince over Israel, and over Judah.
36 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, So be it, and the Lord God of my lord the king [v]ratify it.
37 As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, so be he with Solomon, and exalt his throne above the throne of my lord king David.
38 So Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.
39 And Zadok the Priest took an horn of [w]oil out of the Tabernacle, and anointed Solomon: and they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, God save king Solomon.
40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth [x]rang with the sound of them.
41 ¶ And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him, heard it: (and they had made an end of eating) and when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, What meaneth this noise and uproar in the city?
42 And as he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the Priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in: for thou art a [y]worthy man, and bringest [z]good tidings.
43 And Jonathan answered, and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.
44 And the king hath sent with him Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule.
45 And Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are gone up from thence with joy, and the city is moved: this is the noise that ye have heard.
46 And Solomon also sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
47 And moreover the king’s servants came [aa]to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon more famous than thy name, and exalt his throne above thy throne: therefore the king worshipped upon the [ab]bed.
48 And thus said the king also, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath made one to sit on my throne this day, even in my sight.
49 Then all the guests that were with Adonijah, were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
50 ¶ And Adonijah fearing the presence of Solomon, arose and went, and took hold on the horns of the [ac]altar.
51 And one told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah doth fear king Solomon: for lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear unto me this day, that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
52 Then Solomon said, If he will show himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth, but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.
53 Then king Solomon sent, and they brought him from the altar, and he came and did obeisance unto King Solomon. And Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.
2 1 David exhorteth Solomon, and giveth charge concerning Joab, Barzillai, and Shimei. 10 The death of David. 17 Adonijah asketh Abishag to wife. 25 He is slain. 35 Zadok was placed in Abiathar’s room.
1 Then the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 I go the [ad]way of all the earth: be strong therefore, and show thyself a man,
3 And take heed to the [ae]charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that thou mayest (B)[af]prosper in all that thou doest, and in everything whereunto thou turnest thee,
4 That the Lord may confirm his word which he spake unto me, saying, If thy sons take heed to their way, that they walk before me in [ag]truth, with all their hearts, and with all their souls, (C)[ah]thou shalt not (said he) want one of thy posterity upon the throne of Israel.
5 Thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains to the hosts of Israel, unto (D)Abner the son of Ner, and unto (E)Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and [ai]shed blood of battle in peace, and [aj]put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let thou not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.
7 But show kindness unto the sons of (F)Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among them that eat at thy table: [ak]for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.
8 ¶ And behold, with thee (G)is Shimei the son of Gera, the son of Benjamin, of Bahurim, which cursed me with an horrible curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, (H)I will not slay thee with the sword.
9 But thou shalt not count him innocent: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him: therefore thou shalt cause his hoar head to go down to the grave with [al]blood.
10 So (I)David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
11 And the days which David (J)reigned upon Israel, were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
12 ¶ (K) Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was established mightily.
13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon: and she said, [am]Comest thou peaceably? and he said, Yea.
14 He said moreover, I have a suit unto thee. And she said, Say on.
15 Then he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set [an]their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned away, and is my brother’s: for it came to him by the Lord.
16 Now therefore I ask thee one request, [ao]refuse me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the King, (for he will not say thee nay) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
18 And Bathsheba said, Well, I will speak for thee unto the King.
19 ¶ Bathsheba therefore went unto King Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah: and the king rose to meet her, and [ap]bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne: and he caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother, and she sat at his right hand.
20 Then she said, I desire a small request of thee, say me not nay. Then the King said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
21 She said then, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
22 But king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the [aq]kingdom also: for he is mine elder brother, and hath for him both Abiathar the Priest, and Joab the son of Zeruiah.
23 Then King Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah hath not spoken this word against his own life.
24 Now therefore as the Lord liveth, who hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, who hath also made me an house, as he (L)promised, Adonijah shall surely die this day.
25 And King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he [ar]smote him that he died.
26 ¶ Then the King said unto Abiathar the Priest, Go to Anathoth unto thine own [as]fields: for thou art [at]worthy of death: but I will not this day kill thee, because thou [au]barest the Ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because thou hast suffered in all, wherein my father hath been afflicted.
27 So Solomon cast out Abiathar from being Priest unto the Lord, that he might (M)fulfill the words of the Lord, which he spake against the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 ¶ Then tidings came to Joab: (for Joab had [av]turned after Adonijah, but he turned not after Absalom) and Joab fled unto the Tabernacle of the Lord, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
29 And it was told king Solomon, that Joab was fled unto the Tabernacle of the Lord, and behold, he is by the [aw]altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
30 And Benaiah came to the Tabernacle of the Lord, and said unto him, Thus saith the King, Come out. And he said, Nay, but I will die here. Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.
31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and [ax]smite him, and bury him, that thou mayest take away the blood, which Joab shed causeless, from me, and from the house of my father.
32 And the Lord shall bring his blood upon his own head, for he smote two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, and my father David knew not: to wit, (N)Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and (O)Amasa the son of Jether captain of the host of Judah.
33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the [ay]head of Joab, and on the head of his seed forever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house and upon his throne shall there be peace forever from the Lord.
34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and smote him and slew him, and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
35 And the King put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and the king set Zadok the [az]Priest in the room of Abiathar.
36 ¶ Afterward the king sent, and called Shimei and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and depart not thence any whither.
37 For that day that thou goest out, and passest over the river of Kidron, know assuredly, that thou shalt die the death: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
38 And Shimei said unto the king, The thing is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
39 And after three years two of the [ba]servants of Shimei fled away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath: and they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.
40 And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish, to seek his servants: and [bb]Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.
41 And it was told Solomon, that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.
42 And the King sent and called Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, That day that thou goest out, and walkest any whither, know assuredly that thou shalt die the death? And thou saidest unto me, The thing is good, that I have heard.
43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment wherewith I charged thee?
44 The King said also to Shimei, [bc]Thou knowest all the wickedness whereunto thine heart is privy, that thou didst to David my father: the Lord therefore shall bring thy wickedness upon thine own head.
45 And let king Solomon be blessed, and the throne of David established before the Lord forever.
46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada: who went out and smote him that he died. And the (P)kingdom was [bd]established in the hand of Solomon.
37 1 This Psalm containeth exhortation and consolation for the weak, that are grieved at the prosperity of the wicked, and the affliction of the godly. 7 For how prosperously soever the wicked do live for the time, he doth affirm their felicity to be vain and transitory, because they are not in the favor of God, but in the end they are destroyed as his enemies. 11 And how miserably that the righteous seemeth to live in the world, yet his end is peace, and he is in the favor of God, he is delivered from the wicked, and preserved.
A Psalm of David.
1 Fret not [a]thyself because of the wicked men, neither be envious for the evildoers.
2 For they shall soon be [b]cut down like grass, and shall wither as the green herb.
3 [c]Trust thou in the Lord and do good: dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed assuredly:
4 And delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee thine heart’s desire.
5 [d]Commit thy way unto the Lord, and trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy [e]judgment as the noon day.
7 Wait patiently upon the Lord, and hope in him: fret not thyself for him [f]which prospereth in his way, nor for the man that bringeth his enterprises to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and leave off wrath: fret not thyself [g]also to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off, and they that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the land.
10 [h]Therefore yet a little while and the wicked shall not appear, and thou shalt look after his place, and he shall not be found.
11 But (A)meek men shall possess the earth, and shall have their delight in the multitude of peace.
12 [i]The wicked practiceth against the just, and gnasheth his teeth against him.
13 But the Lord shall laugh him to scorn: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn their sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 But their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 [j]A small thing unto the just man is better than great riches to the wicked and mighty.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the just men.
18 The Lord [k]knoweth the days of upright men, and their inheritance shall be perpetual.
19 They shall not be confounded in the perilous time, and in the days of famine they shall have [l]enough.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be consumed as the [m]fat of lambs: even with the smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth and payeth not again: but the righteous is merciful and [n]giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of God shall inherit the land, and they that be cursed of him, shall be cut off.
23 [o]The paths of man are directed by the Lord: for he loveth his way.
24 Though he [p]fall, he shall not be cast off, for the Lord putteth under his hand.
25 I have been young, and am old: yet I saw never the righteous forsaken, nor his [q]seed begging bread.
26 But he is ever merciful and lendeth, and his seed enjoyeth the blessing.
27 Flee from evil and do good, and dwell forever.
28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his Saints: they shall be preserved forevermore: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous men shall inherit the land, and dwell therein [r]forever.
30 The [s]mouth of the righteous will speak of wisdom, and his tongue will talk of judgment.
31 For the Law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not slide.
32 The wicked watched the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 But the Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him, when he is [t]judged.
34 Wait thou on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee, that thou shalt inherit the land: when the wicked men shall perish, thou shalt see.
35 I have seen the wicked strong, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he [u]passed away, and lo, he was gone, and I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 [v]Mark the upright man, and behold the just: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But their transgressors shall be destroyed together, and the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the [w]salvation of the righteous men shall be of the Lord: he shall be their strength in the time of trouble.
40 For the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and shall save them, because they trust in him.
71 He prayeth in faith, established by the word of promise, 5 And confirmed by the work of God from his youth. 10 He complaineth of the cruelty of his enemies, 17 And desireth God to continue his graces toward him, 22 Promising to be mindful and thankful for the same.
1 In (A)[a]thee, O Lord, I trust: let me never be ashamed.
2 Rescue me and deliver me in thy [b]righteousness: incline thine ear unto me and save me.
3 Be thou my strong rock, whereunto I may always resort: thou [c]hast given commandment to save me: for thou art my rock, and my fortress.
4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand [d]of the wicked: out of the hand of the evil and cruel man.
5 For thou art mine hope, O Lord God, even my [e]trust from my youth.
6 Upon thee have I been stayed from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be always of thee.
7 I am become as it were a [f]monster unto many: but thou art my sure trust.
8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thy glory every day.
9 Cast me not off in the time of [g]age: forsake me not when my strength faileth.
10 For mine enemies speak of me, and they that lay wait for my soul, take their counsel together,
11 Saying, [h]God hath forsaken him: pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
12 Go not far from me, O God: [i]my God haste thee to help me.
13 Let them be confounded and consumed that are against my soul: let them be covered with reproof and confusion, that seek mine hurt.
14 But I will wait continually, and will praise thee more and more.
15 My mouth shall daily rehearse thy righteousness, and thy salvation: [j]for I know not the number.
16 I will [k]go forward in the strength of the Lord God, and will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.
17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth even until now: therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works,
18 [l]Yea even unto mine old age and gray head, O God: forsake me not, until I have declared thine arm unto this generation, and thy power to all them that shall come.
19 And thy [m]righteousness, O God, I will exalt on high: for thou hast done great things: [n]O God, who is like unto thee!
20 Which hast showed me great troubles and [o]adversities, but thou wilt return and revive me, and wilt come again, and take me up from the depth of the earth.
21 Thou wilt increase mine honor, and return and comfort me.
22 Therefore will I praise thee for thy [p]faithfulness, O God, upon instrument and viol: unto thee will I sing upon the harp, O Holy one of Israel.
23 My lips will rejoice when I sing unto thee, and my [q]soul which thou hast delivered.
24 My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness daily: for they are confounded and brought unto shame, that seek mine hurt.
94 1 He prayeth unto God against the violence and arrogance of tyrants, 10 warning them of God’s judgments. 12 Then doth he comfort the afflicted by the good issue of their afflictions, as he felt in himself, and did set in others, and by the ruin of the wicked, 23 whom the Lord will destroy.
1 O Lord God [a]the avenger, O God the avenger, show thyself [b]clearly.
2 Exalt thyself, O Judge of the world, and render a reward to the proud.
3 Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked [c]triumph?
4 They prate and speak fiercely: all the workers of iniquity vaunt themselves.
5 They [d]smite down thy people, O Lord, and trouble thine heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.
7 [e]Yet they say, The Lord shall not see: neither will the God of Jacob regard it.
8 Understand, ye unwise among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?
9 He that [f]planted the ear, shall he not hear? or he that formed the eye, shall he not see?
10 Or he that chastiseth the [g]nations, shall he not correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know?
11 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.
12 Blessed is the man whom thou [h]chastisest, O Lord, and teachest him in thy Law,
13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of evil, while the pit is dug for the wicked.
14 Surely the Lord will not fail his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
15 For [i]judgment shall return to justice, and all the upright in heart shall follow after it.
16 Who will rise up with me against the wicked? or who will take my part against the workers of iniquity?
17 If the Lord had not [j]helped me, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
18 When I said, [k]My foot slideth, thy mercy, O Lord, stayed me.
19 In the multitude of my [l]thoughts in mine heart, thy comforts have rejoiced my soul.
20 Hath the throne of iniquity [m]fellowship with thee, which forgeth wrong for a Law?
21 They gather them together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
22 But the Lord is my refuge, and my God is the rock of mine hope.
23 And he will recompense them their wickedness, and [n]destroy them in their own malice, yea, the Lord our God shall destroy them.
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