Old Testament · History

1 Kings chapter 1

had grown old, , and no matter how many blankets they piled on him, he couldn’t get warm.So his officials said to him, “Let’s find a for the king — someone to and take care of him. 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 .Meanwhile, son of Haggith was , saying, “I’m going to be king.” He got himself chariots, horsemen, and .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 , and they .But , Benaiah son of Jehoiada, , Shimei, Rei, and David’s did not side with Adonijah.Adonijah held a at the 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 your 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 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 before the king, and the king asked, “What do you want?”She said to him, “My king, you swore to me by : ‘Solomon your 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 .”“And you, my king — , waiting for you to announce who will sit on the throne after you.”“Otherwise, when you die and , my son Solomon and I will be .”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 .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, ‘!’”“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 —”“The oath I swore to you by — ‘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 !”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 , and bring him down to the .”“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 .”Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “! May Yahweh, the God of my king, confirm it.”“Just as Yahweh has 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 went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to the Gihon spring.Zadok the priest took the from the and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram’s horn, and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!”All the people followed him back up, playing and celebrating with such enormous joy that from the noise.Adonijah and all his guests heard it just as they were . 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 , so you must be bringing good 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 . That’s the noise you’re hearing.”“And what’s more, Solomon has already taken his seat on the .”“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 his throne even greater than yours!’ And the king .”“And the king also said this: ‘, 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 .Solomon was told, “Adonijah is terrified of King Solomon — he’s grabbed hold of the horns of the altar and is saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me right now that he won’t execute with the sword.’”Solomon said, “If he proves himself to be a , . But if he’s found to be , he’ll die.”King Solomon sent men to bring Adonijah down from the altar. He came and , and Solomon told him, “.”