Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

In Praise of the Lord

King David in His Old Age

1 King David was now a very old man, and although his servants covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. ² So his officials said to him, “Your Majesty, let us find a young woman to stay with you and take care of you. She will lie close to you and keep you warm.” ³ A search was made all over Israel for a beautiful young woman, and in Shunem they found such a woman named Abishag, and brought her to the king. ⁴ She was very beautiful, and waited on the king and took care of him, but he did not have intercourse with her.

Adonijah Claims the Throne

^5-6 (A)Now that Absalom was dead, Adonijah, the son of David and Haggith, was the oldest surviving son. He was a very handsome man. David had never reprimanded him about anything, and he was ambitious to be king. He provided for himself chariots, horses, and an escort of fifty men. ⁷ He talked with Joab (whose mother was Zeruiah) and with Abiathar the priest, and they agreed to support his cause. ⁸ But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's bodyguards were not on Adonijah's side.

⁹ One day Adonijah offered a sacrifice of sheep, bulls, and fattened calves at Snake Rock, near the spring of Enrogel. He invited the other sons of King David and the king's officials who were from Judah to come to this sacrificial feast, ¹⁰ but he did not invite his half brother Solomon or Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king's bodyguards.

Solomon Is Made King

^11 (B)Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, “Haven't you heard that Haggith's son Adonijah has made himself king? And King David doesn't know anything about it! ¹² If you want to save your life and the life of your son Solomon, I would advise you to ¹³ go at once to King David and ask him, ‘Your Majesty, didn't you solemnly promise me that my son Solomon would succeed you as king? How is it, then, that Adonijah has become king?’” ¹⁴ And Nathan added, “Then, while you are still talking with King David, I will come in and confirm your story.”

¹⁵ So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old, and Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, was taking care of him. ¹⁶ Bathsheba bowed low before the king, and he asked, “What do you want?”

¹⁷ She answered, “Your Majesty, you made me a solemn promise in the name of the Lord your God that my son Solomon would be king after you. ¹⁸ But Adonijah has already become king, and you don't know anything about it. ¹⁹ He has offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves, and he invited your sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of your army to the feast, but he did not invite your son Solomon. ²⁰ Your Majesty, all the people of Israel are looking to you to tell them who is to succeed you as king. ²¹ If you don't, as soon as you are dead, my son Solomon and I will be treated as traitors.”

²² She was still speaking, when Nathan arrived at the palace. ²³ The king was told that the prophet was there, and Nathan went in and bowed low before the king. ²⁴ Then he said, “Your Majesty, have you announced that Adonijah would succeed you as king? ²⁵ This very day he has gone and offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited all your sons, Joab the commander of your army,^[a] and Abiathar the priest, and right now they are feasting with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ ²⁶ But he did not invite me, sir, or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon. ²⁷ Did Your Majesty approve all this and not even tell your officials who is to succeed you as king?”

²⁸ King David said, “Ask Bathsheba to come back in”—and she came and stood before him. ²⁹ Then he said to her, “I promise you by the living Lord, who has rescued me from all my troubles, ³⁰ that today I will keep the promise I made to you in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, that your son Solomon would succeed me as king.”

The Arrest of Stephen

⁸ Stephen, a man richly blessed by God and full of power, performed great miracles and wonders among the people. ⁹ But he was opposed by some men who were members of the synagogue of the Freedmen^[a] (as it was called), which had Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. They and other Jews from the provinces of Cilicia and Asia started arguing with Stephen. ¹⁰ But the Spirit gave Stephen such wisdom that when he spoke, they could not refute him. ¹¹ So they bribed some men to say, “We heard him speaking against Moses and against God!” ¹² In this way they stirred up the people, the elders, and the teachers of the Law. They seized Stephen and took him before the Council. ¹³ Then they brought in some men to tell lies about him. “This man,” they said, “is always talking against our sacred Temple and the Law of Moses. ¹⁴ We heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will tear down the Temple and change all the customs which have come down to us from Moses!” ¹⁵ All those sitting in the Council fixed their eyes on Stephen and saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.