1 Kings 1 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
had grown old, in and no matter how many blankets they piled on him, he couldn’t get warm.
So his officials said to “Let’s find a for the king — someone to to and take care of She’ll lie next to you and keep you warm.”
They searched throughout all of Israel for a beautiful young woman and found from and brought her to the king.
The young woman was She became the king’s caretaker and served him, but the king with
Meanwhile, son of Haggith was saying, “I’m going to be king.” He got chariots, horsemen, and to of
His father had at any point by asking, “Why are you doing this?” Adonijah was also very good-looking, and he was
He had discussions with son of Zeruiah and with the and they for the
But the Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Shimei, Rei, and David’s did not side with Adonijah.
Adonijah held a at the of near He invited all his brothers — the king’s sons — and all the men of Judah who served the king.
But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite guard, or his brother Solomon.
Nathan went to Solomon’s mother, and said, “Have you heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has made himself king? And David doesn’t even know about it.”
“Now let me advise you — this is about and son Solomon’s life.”
“Go to King David and say to him, ‘Didn’t you, my king, to me that my son Solomon would be king after you and sit on your So why has Adonijah become king?’”
“While you’re still talking to him, I’ll come in after you and up everything you’ve said.”
So Bathsheba went to the king in his The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him.
Bathsheba and before the king, and the king asked, “What do you want?”
She said to him, “My king, you swore to me by ‘Solomon son will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’”
“But now look — Adonijah has become king, and you, my king, don’t even know about it.”
“He’s cattle, fattened calves, and sheep — huge quantities — and invited all the king’s sons, plus Abiathar the priest and Joab the army commander. But he didn’t invite Solomon.”
“And you, my king — all of is you, waiting for you to announce who will sit on the throne after you.”
“Otherwise, when you die and with my son Solomon and I will be as criminals.”
While she was still talking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
They announced to the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” He came before the king and with to the
Nathan said, “My king, did you declare that Adonijah will be king after you and sit on your throne?”
“Because today he went down and slaughtered cattle, fattened calves, and sheep in huge quantities, and invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they’re eating and drinking with him, shouting, ‘Long Adonijah!’”
“But me — your servant — he didn’t invite. Not Zadok the priest, not Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and not your servant Solomon.”
“Did this happen by order of my king? And you didn’t tell your servants who should sit on the throne after you?”
King David responded, “Call Bathsheba in to me.” She came and stood before the king.
The king made a “As surely as — the one who has me from every — ”
“The oath I swore to you by the of — ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me and will sit on my throne in my place’ — I will make it happen today.”
Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, knelt before the king, and said, “May my king David forever!”
King David said, “Bring me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king.
The king told them, “Take my officials with you, put my son Solomon on my own and bring him down to the spring.”
“There, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will king over Israel. Then blow the and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’”
“Then follow him back up, and he will come and sit on my throne. He will be king in my place, because I’m appointing him ruler over and Judah.”
Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Absolutely! May Yahweh, the God of my king, confirm it.”
“Just as Yahweh has been with my king, may he be with Solomon, and may he make Solomon’s throne than the throne of my king David.”
So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the and went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to the Gihon spring.
Zadok the priest took the of from the and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram’s and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!”
All the people followed him back up, playing and celebrating with such enormous joy that the from the noise.
Adonijah and all his guests heard it just as they were their When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he said, “What’s all that noise from the city?”
While he was still talking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in — you’re a so you must be bringing news.”
Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No — actually, has made Solomon king.”
“The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and Pelethites with him, and they put him on the king’s mule.”
“Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king at the Gihon spring. They came back up from there celebrating, and the is in an That’s the noise you’re hearing.”
“And what’s more, Solomon has already taken his seat on the throne.”
“The king’s officials have even come to congratulate our master King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name even more famous than yours, and throne even greater than yours!’ And the king in on bed.”
“And the king also said this: ‘Praise the God of Israel, who has let me live to see my own son sitting on my throne today.’”
All of Adonijah’s guests They got up and every man going his own way.
Adonijah was terrified of Solomon. He went and grabbed hold of the of the