Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Adonijah Makes Himself King

1 King David was now very old. He couldn’t keep warm even when blankets were spread over him. ² So his attendants spoke to him. They said, “You are our king and master. Please let us try to find a young virgin to serve you. She can take care of you. She can lie down beside you to keep you warm.”

³ So David’s attendants looked all over Israel for a beautiful young woman. They found Abishag. She was from the town of Shunem. They brought her to the king. ⁴ The woman was very beautiful. She took care of the king and served him. But the king didn’t have sex with her.

⁵ Adonijah was the son of David and his wife Haggith. He came forward and announced, “I’m going to be the next king.” So he got chariots and horses ready. He also got 50 men to run in front of him. ⁶ His father had never tried to stop him from doing what he wanted to. His father had never asked him, “Why are you acting the way you do?” Adonijah was also very handsome. Now that Absalom was dead, Adonijah was David’s oldest son.

⁷ Adonijah talked things over with Joab, the son of Zeruiah. He also talked with Abiathar the priest. They agreed to help him. ⁸ But Zadok the priest and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, didn’t join Adonijah. Nathan the prophet didn’t join him. Shimei and Rei didn’t join him. And neither did David’s special guard.

⁹ Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle and fat calves. He sacrificed them at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah. ¹⁰ But he didn’t invite Benaiah or Nathan the prophet. He didn’t invite the special guard or his brother Solomon either.

¹¹ Nathan asked Solomon’s mother Bathsheba, “Haven’t you heard? Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has made himself king. And King David doesn’t know anything about it. ¹² So let me tell you what to do to save your life. It will also save the life of your son Solomon. ¹³ Go in and see King David. Say to him, ‘You are my king and master. You promised me, “You can be sure that your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne.” If that’s really true, why has Adonijah become king?’ ¹⁴ While you are still talking to the king, I’ll come in and support what you have said.”

¹⁵ So Bathsheba went to see the old king in his room. Abishag, the Shunammite, was taking care of him there. ¹⁶ Bathsheba bowed low in front of the king.

“What do you want?” the king asked.

¹⁷ She said to him, “My master, you made a promise in the name of the Lord your God. You promised me, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me. He will sit on my throne.’ ¹⁸ But now Adonijah has made himself king. And you don’t even know about it. ¹⁹ He has sacrificed large numbers of cattle, fat calves and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons. He has also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he hasn’t invited your son Solomon. ²⁰ You are my king and master. All the Israelites are watching to see what you will do. They want to find out from you who will sit on the throne after you. ²¹ If you don’t do something, I and my son Solomon will be treated like people who have committed crimes. That will happen as soon as you join the members of your family who have already died.”

²² While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. ²³ The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” So Nathan went to the king. He bowed down with his face toward the ground.

²⁴ Nathan said, “You are my king and master. Have you announced that Adonijah will be king after you? Have you said he will sit on your throne? ²⁵ Today he has gone down outside the city. He has sacrificed large numbers of cattle, fat calves and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons. He has also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Even now they are eating and drinking with him. They are saying, ‘May King Adonijah live a long time!’ ²⁶ But he didn’t invite me. He didn’t invite Zadok the priest or Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. He didn’t invite your son Solomon either. ²⁷ King David, have you allowed all of that to happen? Did you do it without letting us know about it? Why didn’t you tell us who is going to sit on your throne after you?”

David Makes Solomon King

²⁸ King David said, “Tell Bathsheba to come in.” So she came and stood in front of the king.

²⁹ Then the king made a promise. He said, “The Lord has saved me from all my troubles. You can be sure that he lives. ³⁰ And you can be just as sure I will do what I promised. This is the day I will do what I promised in the name of the Lord. He is the God of Israel. I promised you that your son Solomon would be king after me. He will sit on my throne in my place.”

Stephen Is Arrested

⁸ Stephen was full of God’s grace and power. He did great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ But members of the group called the Synagogue of the Freedmen began to oppose him. Some of them were Jews from Cyrene and Alexandria. Others were Jews from Cilicia and Asia Minor. They all began to argue with Stephen. ¹⁰ But he was too wise for them. That’s because the Holy Spirit gave Stephen wisdom whenever he spoke.

¹¹ Then in secret they talked some men into lying about Stephen. They said, “We heard Stephen speak evil things against Moses and against God.”

¹² So the people were stirred up. The elders and the teachers of the law were stirred up too. They arrested Stephen and brought him to the Sanhedrin. ¹³ They found witnesses who were willing to tell lies. These liars said, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place. He also speaks against the law. ¹⁴ We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us.”

¹⁵ All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked right at Stephen. They saw that his face was like the face of an angel.