 1 King David was old, going on in days. So they covered him with clothes but he got no heat. 2 His servants said to him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin and let her stand before the king and let her nurse him and let her lie in your bosom so that my lord the king may get heat. 3 They sought out a beautiful girl throughout all the borders of Israel and found Abishag a Shunammite and they brought her to the king. 4 The girl was very beautiful. She nursed the king and served him, but the king did not know her. 5 Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself saying, I will be king. He prepared chariots and horsemen and 50 men to run before him. 6 His father had not displeased him at any time saying, Why have you done so? And he also was very good of form, and his mother bore him after Absalom. 7 He talked with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. They helped Adonijah, following him. 8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and David's mighty men, were not with Adonijah. 9 Adonijah killed sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the Stone of Serpents that is by Enrogel and called all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants. 10 But he did not call Nathan the prophet and Benaiah and the mighty men and Solomon his brother. 11 Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns and David our lord does not know? 12 Now come, please let me give you counsel and save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go in to King David and say to him, My lord and king, did you not swear to your handmaid saying, Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign? 14 Behold, while you are still talking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words. 15 Bathsheba went in to the king into the room. And the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite served the king. 16 Bathsheba bowed and knelt before the king. And the king said, What shall I do for you? 17 She said to him, my lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your handmaid, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. 18 Now, behold, Adonijah reigns. Now, my lord, you do not know. 19 He has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance and has called all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not called your servant Solomon. 20 You, my lord and king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, my son Solomon and I will be called+ offenders. 22 As she was still talking with the king the prophet Nathan came in. 23 They told the king, Behold the prophet Nathan. When he came in before the king, he bowed before the king with his face to the ground. 24 Nathan said, my lord and king, have you said, Adonijah will reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne? 25 For he has gone down this day, and has killed a great many of oxen and fat cattle and sheep, and has called all the king's sons and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, Let King Adonijah live. 26 But he has not called me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon. 27 Is this done by my lord the king? Have you not shown your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him? 28 David said, Call Bathsheba. Then she came into the king's presence and stood before the king. 29 The king said, As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my soul out of all distress? 30 Surely as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel saying, Surely Solomon your son will reign after me and he will sit on my throne in my place. Even so I will do today. 31 Bathsheba bowed her face to the earth, even kneeling to the king and said, Let my lord King David live forever. 32 King David said, Call Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. They came before the king. 33 The king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule and bring him down to Gihon. 34 Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel there. Then blow with the ram's horn and say, Let King Solomon live. 35 You shall come up after him and let him come and sit upon my throne. For he shall reign in my place. I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah. 36 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, Amen. May the Lord God of my lord the king say so. 37 As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David. 38 Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and caused Solomon to ride upon King David's mule, and brought him to Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the Tabernacle and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram's horn, and all the people said, Let King Solomon live. 40 All the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth was torn with their sound. 41 Adonijah heard and all the invited guests with him and they stopped eating. Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn and said, What is this noise roaring from the city? 42 As he was still speaking, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said to him, Come in. For you are a mighty man and you bring good news. 43 Jonathan said to Adonijah, Truly our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule. 45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. They have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is roaring. This is the noise that you heard. 46 Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47 Also the king's servants came to bless our lord King David saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed upon the bed. 48 Also the king said, Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne today, my eyes even seeing it. 49 All who were invited by Adonijah trembled and arose and left, each to his way. 50 Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and he arose and caught hold on the horns of the altar. 51 This was told to Solomon saying, Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon. For he has caught hold on the horns of the altar saying, Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword. 52 Solomon said, If he becomes a son of virtue, not a hair of his head shall fall to the earth. But if wickedness is found in him, then he shall die. 53 King Solomon sent and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed to King Solomon and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.
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