1 Kings 1

1 Now king David was old, and advanced in years: and when he was covered with clothes, he was not warm.

Now, King David, was old, advanced in days, —and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

2 His servants therefore said to him: Let us seek for our lord the king, a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the king.

Wherefore his servants said unto him—Let there be sought for my lord the king, a young woman—a virgin, so shall she stand before the king, that she may become his companion, —and she shall lie in thy bosom, and my lord the king shall get, heat.

3 So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the coasts of Israel, and they found Abisag a Sunamitess, and brought her to the king.

So they sought a fair young woman, throughout all the bounds of Israel, —and found Abishag, the Shunammite, and brought her in, unto the king.

4 And the damsel was exceeding beautiful, and she slept with the king: and served him, but the king did not know her.

Now, the young woman, was exceeding fair, —so she became unto the king a companion, and ministered unto him, but, the king, knew her not.

5 And Adonias the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying: I will be king. And he made himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

And, Adonijah son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying—I, will be king. Therefore prepared he for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 Neither did his father rebuke him at any time, saying: Why hast thou done this? And he also was very beautiful, the next in birth after Absalom.

Now his father had not displeased him all his days, by saying—Why, thus, hast thou done? Moreover also, he, was of exceeding handsome appearance, and, him, did his mother bear, after Absolom.

7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Sarvia, and with Abiathar the priest, who furthered Adonias’s side.

So then he had speech with Joab, son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest, —and they gave help, following Adonijah.

8 But Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Rei, and the strength of David’s army was not with Adonias.

But, Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

9 And Adonias having slain rams and calves, and all fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which was near the fountain Rogel, invited all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Juda, the king’s servants:

And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and heifers, near the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, —and invited all his brethren, sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, servants of the king;

10 But Nathan the prophet, and Banaias, and all the valiant men, and Solomon his brother, he invited not.

but, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he invited not.

11 And Nathan said to Bethsabee the mother of Solomon: Hast thou not heard that Adonias the son of Haggith reigneth, and our lord David knoweth it not?

Then spake Nathan unto Bath-sheba mother of Solomon, saying—Hast thou not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith hath become king, and, our lord David, knoweth it not?

12 Now then come, take my counsel and save thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

Now, therefore, come; let me give thee counsel, I pray thee, —so shalt thou rescue thine own life, and the life of thy son, Solomon.

13 Go, and get thee in to king David, and say to him: Didst not thou, my lord O king, swear to me thy handmaid, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then doth Adonias reign?

Go, and get thee in unto King David, and thou shalt say unto him—Didst not, thou thyself, my lord O king, swear unto thy handmaid, saying—Solomon thy son, shall become king after me, yea, he, shall sit upon my throne? Why, then, hath, Adonijah, become king?

14 And while thou art yet speaking there with the king, I will come in after thee, and will fill up thy words.

Lo! while thou art yet speaking there with the king, I also, will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

15 So Bethsabee went in to the king into the chamber: now the king was very old, and Abisag the Sunamitess ministered to him.

So Bath-sheba went in unto the king, into the chamber, now, the king, was very old, —and Abishag the Shunammite, was ministering unto the king.

16 Bethsabee bowed herself, and worshipped the king. And the king said to her: What is thy will?

And Bath-sheba bowed, and did homage unto the king, —and the king said—What aileth thee?

17 She answered and said: My lord, thou didst swear to thy handmaid by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.

And she said unto him—My lord, thou thyself, didst swear by Yahweh thy God, unto thy handmaid, Assuredly, Solomon thy son, shall become king after me, —yea, he, shall sit upon my throne.

18 And behold now Adonias reigneth, and thou, my lord the king, knowest nothing of it.

But, now, lo! Adonijah, hath become king; now, therefore, my lord, O king, thou knowest it not:

19 He hath killed oxen, and all fat cattle, and many rams, and invited all the king’s sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the general of the army: but Solomon thy servant he invited not.

and he hath sacrificed oxen and heifers and sheep, in abundance, and hath invited all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab general of the army, —but, Solomon thy servant, hath he not invited.

20 And now, my lord O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldst tell them, who shall sit on thy throne, my lord the king, after thee.

Thou, therefore, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel, are upon thee, —to tell them, who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king, after him.

21 Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king sleepeth with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, then shall I and my son Solomon be counted, offenders.

22 As she was yet speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came.

And lo! while yet she was speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet, came in.

23 And they told the king, saying: Nathan the prophet is here. And when he was come in before the king, and had worshipped, bowing down to the ground,

So they told the king, saying, Lo! Nathan the prophet! And, when he had come in before the king, he bowed himself down to the king with his face to the ground.

24 Nathan said: My lord O king, hast thou said: Let Adonias reign after me, and let him sit upon my throne?

Then said Nathan—My lord, O king, hast, thou, said, Adonijah, shall become king after me, —yea, he, shall sit upon my throne?

25 Because he is gone down today, and hath killed oxen, and fatlings, and many rams, and invited all the king’s sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest: and they are eating and drinking before him, and saying: God save king Adonias:

For he hath gone down to-day, and hath sacrificed oxen and heifers and sheep, in abundance, and hath invited all the sons of the king, and the generals of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and, there they are—eating and drinking before him, —and they have said—Long live King Adonijah!

26 But me thy servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and Solomon thy servant he hath not invited.

But, me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Solomon thy servant, hath he not invited.

27 Is this word come out from my lord the king, and hast thou not told me thy servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

If, of my lord the king, this thing had been brought to pass, then wouldest thou not have made known unto thy servant, who should sit upon the throne of my lord the king, after him?

28 And king David answered and said: Call to me Bethsabee. And when she was come in to the king, and stood before him,

Then responded King David, and said, Call me Bath-sheba. So she came in before the king, and stood before the king.

29 The king swore and said: As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul out of all distress,

And the king sware, and said, —By the life of Yahweh, who hath redeemed my life out of every strait,

30 Even as I swore to thee by the Lord the God of Israel, saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.

even as I sware unto thee by Yahweh, God of Israel, saying, Assuredly, Solomon thy son, shall become king after me, yea, he, shall sit upon my throne, in my stead, even so, will I do this day.

31 And Bethsabee bowing with her face to the earth worshipped the king, saying: May my lord David live for ever.

Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the ground, and did homage unto the king, —and said—Let my lord, King David, live to times age-abiding!

32 King David also said: Call me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada. And when they were come in before the king,

Then said King David—Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada. And they came in before the king.

33 He said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord, and set my son Solomon upon my mule: and bring him to Gihon.

Then said the king unto them—Take ye with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon the mule which pertaineth unto myself, —and bring him down unto Gihon;

34 And let Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and you shall sound the trumpet, and shall say: God save king Solomon.

then shall Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel, —and ye shall blow with the horn, and say—Long live King Solomon!

35 And you shall come up after him, and he shall come, and shall sit upon my throne, and he shall reign in my stead: and I will appoint him to be ruler over Israel, and over Juda.

Then shall ye come up after him, and he shall enter, and sit upon my throne, yea, he, shall become king in my stead; even, him, have I charged to become leader, over Israel, and over Judah.

36 And Banaias the son of Joiada answered the king, saying: Amen: so say the Lord the God of my lord the king.

Then did Benaiah son of Jehoiada make response unto the king, and say—Amen! so, say Yahweh, God of my lord the king.

37 As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, so be he with Solomon, and make his throne higher than the throne of my lord king David.

As Yahweh hath been with my lord the king, so, let him he with Solomon, —and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord, King David.

38 So Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet went down, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi: and they set Solomon upon the mule of king David, and brought him to Gihon.

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon the mule of King David, —and they escorted him to Gihon.

39 And Sadoc the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon: and they sounded the trumpet, and all the people said: God save king Solomon.

Then took Zadok the priest, the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon, —and they blew with a [ram’s] horn, and all the people said, Long live King Solomon!

40 And all the multitude went up after him, and the people played with pipes, and rejoiced with a great joy, and the earth rang with the noise of their cry.

And all the people came up after him, the people themselves also, playing with flutes, and rejoicing with great joy, —so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

41 And Adonias, and all that were invited by him, heard it, and now the feast was at an end: Joab also hearing the sound of the trumpet, said: What meaneth this noise of the city in an uproar?

And Adonijah, and all the guests who were with him, heard it, just as, they, had made an end of eating, —and, when Joab heard the sound of a horn, he said—Wherefore the noise of the city, in tumult?

42 While he yet spoke, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonias said to him: Come in, because thou art a valiant man, and bringest good news.

While yet he was speaking, lo! Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, came in, —and Adonijah said—Come in, for, a worthy man, thou art, and, good tidings, dost thou bring.

43 And Jonathan answered Adonias: Not so: for our lord king David hath appointed Solomon king.

But Jonathan responded and said to Adonijah, —Of a truth, our lord, King David, hath made, Solomon, king.

44 And hath sent with him Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaias the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi, and they have set him upon the king’s mule.

And the king hath sent with him—Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, —and they have caused him to ride upon the mule of the king;

45 And Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are gone up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again: this is the noise that you have heard.

and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king, in Gihon, and they went up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again, —That, is the noise ye have heard.

46 Moreover Solomon sitteth upon the throne of the kingdom,

Moreover also, Solomon hath taken his seat upon the throne of the kingdom.

47 And the king’s servants going in have blessed our lord king David, saying: May God make the name of Solomon greater than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king adored in his bed:

Moreover also, the servants of the king have been in, to bless our lord King David, saying—Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne, —And the king bowed himself upon his bed.

48 And he said: Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, who hath given this day one to sit on my throne, my eyes seeing it.

Moreover also, thus and thus, hath said the king, —Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who hath given, to-day, one to sit upon my throne, mine own eyes also beholding it.

49 Then all the guests of Adonias were afraid, and they all arose and every man went his way.

Then trembled and rose up, all Adonijah’s guests, —and departed, every man his own way.

50 And Adonias fearing Solomon, arose, and went, and took hold on the horn of the altar.

Adonijah also, feared because of Solomon, —and rose and went, and caught hold of the horns of the altar.

51 And they told Solomon, saying: Behold Adonias, fearing king Solomon, hath taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: Let king Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his servant with the sword.

And it was told Solomon, saying, Lo! Adonijah, feareth King Solomon, —lo! therefore, he hath laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear unto me at once that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.

52 And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much as one hair of his head fall to the ground: but if evil be found in him, he shall die.

Then said Solomon, If he will be a man of worth, there shall not one hair of him fall to the earth, —but, if mischief be found in him, then shall he die.

53 Then king Solomon sent, and brought him out from the altar: and going in he worshipped king Solomon: and Solomon said to him: Go to thy house.

So King Solomon sent, and brought him down from the altar, and he came in, and bowed himself down to King Solomon, —and Solomon said unto him—Go to thine own house.