1Now King David was old, advanced in years, and they covered him with garments, but he could not keep warm.
2So his servants said to him, “Let them seek out for my lord the king a young virgin, and let her attend before the king and become his caretaker; let her lie in your bosom, and my lord the king will be warm.”
3So they sought a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.
4The young woman was very beautiful; she became the king’s caretaker and served him, but the king did not know her.
5Now Adonijah son of Haggith was exalting himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he made ready for himself a chariot and horsemen, with fifty men running before him.
6His father had never grieved him from his days, saying, “Why have you done this?” And he too was very handsome in form; and his mother bore him after Absalom.
7His words were with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave their support behind Adonijah.
8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the warriors who belonged to David were not with Adonijah.
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatlings by the Stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, and he called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants.
10But Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the warriors, and Solomon his brother he did not call.
11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it?
12So now come, let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
13Go and come in to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’
14Look, while you are still speaking there with the king, I myself will come in after you and confirm your words.
15So Bathsheba came in to the king in the chamber; now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.
16Bathsheba bowed low and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, “What do you want?”
17She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore by Yahweh your God to your maidservant, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
18But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and now, my lord the king, you do not know it.
19He has sacrificed oxen, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he has not called.
20And you, 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 lies down with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be reckoned as offenders.
22And behold, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
23They told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And he came in before the king and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
24Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?
25For today he has gone down and sacrificed oxen, fatlings, and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they say, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
26But me — even me, your servant — and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant, he has not called.
27If this thing has been done by my lord the king, then you have not made known to your servants who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.”
28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came in before the king and stood before the king.
29And the king swore an oath and said, “As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,
30just as I swore to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so indeed I will do this very day.”
31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and did homage to the king, and she said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
32Then King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king.
33And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him as king over Israel. Then blow the ram’s horn and say, ‘May King Solomon live!’
35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne; he shall reign in my place, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
36Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! So may Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, decree.
37As Yahweh has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and they led him to Gihon.
39And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people said, “May King Solomon live!”
40And all the people went up after him, the people playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth split open at their sound.
41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing eating. And Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn and said, “Why is the city in an uproar?”
42While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a capable man and you bring good news.”
43But Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “On the contrary! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44And the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king’s mule.
45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him as king at Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you heard.
46And Solomon has also taken his seat on the royal throne.
47And moreover, the king’s servants came to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than your name and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
48And moreover the king said this: ‘Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has granted today one to sit on my throne while my own eyes see it.’”
49Then all the guests who were with Adonijah trembled, and they rose and went, each on his own way.
50And Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; he rose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar.
51And it was told to Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and behold, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death by the sword.’”
52And Solomon said, “If he proves to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he shall die.”
53So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar, and he came and did homage to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”
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