1 Kings 1:1-40

David in His Old Age

1Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. 2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms,
Or  in your bosom
that my lord the king may be warm.”
3So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the bShunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not.

Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King

5Now cAdonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” dAnd he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, eand he was born next after Absalom. 7He conferred with fJoab the son of Zeruiah and with gAbiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him. 8But hZadok the priest and iBenaiah the son of Jehoiada and jNathan the prophet and kShimei and Rei and lDavid’s mighty men were not with Adonijah.

9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent’s Stone, which is beside mEn-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or nSolomon his brother.

Nathan and Bathsheba Before David

11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that oAdonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it? 12Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, pSolomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’ 14Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm
Or expand on
your words.”

15So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king). 16Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?” 17She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, rSolomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ 18And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it. 19 sHe has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, tAbiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but uSolomon your servant he has not invited. 20And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king vsleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.”

22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground. 24And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? 25For he has gone down this day and whas sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders
Hebrew; Septuagint Joab the commander
of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, y‘Long live King Adonijah!’
26 zBut me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited. 27Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

Solomon Anointed King

28Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. 29And the king swore, saying, aa“As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, 30 abas I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.” 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, ac“May my lord King David live forever!”

32King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. 33And the king said to them, “Take with you adthe servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to aeGihon. 34And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there afanoint him king over Israel. agThen blow the trumpet and say, ah‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.” 36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so. 37 aiAs the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, ajand make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”

38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, akand the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon. 39There Zadok the priest took the horn of aloil from the tent and amanointed Solomon. anThen they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, ao“Long live King Solomon!” 40And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise.

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