1 Kings 1

1 Now king David was old [and] stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

When King David was old and advanced in years, they covered him with blankets, but he could not keep warm.

2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

So his servants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin for our master the king. Let her serve the king and take care of him. Let her lie in his arms so that our master the king may keep warm.”

3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

So they searched for a beautiful girl within all the borders of Israel. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.

4 And the damsel [was] very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

The girl was very beautiful. She served the king and took care of him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.

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

At that time, Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run ahead of him.

6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also [was a] very goodly [man; ] and [his mother] bare him after Absalom.

His father had never troubled him, saying, “Why have you done this or that?” Adonijah was also a very handsome man, born next after Absalom.

7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped [him].

He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. They followed Adonijah and helped him.

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

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

9 And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which [is] by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants:

Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants.

10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.

11 Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth [it] not?

Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and David our master does not know it?

12 Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

Now therefore let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

13 Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

Go to King David; say to him, 'My master the king, did you not swear to your servant, saying, “Surely Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne?” Why then is Adonijah reigning?'

14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

While you are there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

15 And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.

So Bathsheba went into the king's room. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.

16 And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself before the king. Then the king said, “What do you desire?”

17 And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, [saying], Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

She said to him, “My master, you swore to your servant by Yahweh your God, saying, 'Surely Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.'

18 And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest [it] not:

Now, see, Adonijah is king, and you, my master the king, do not know it.

19 And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

He has sacrificed oxen, fatted calves, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant.

20 And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel [are] upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

As for you, my master the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, waiting for you to tell them who will sit on the throne after you, my master.

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

Otherwise it will happen, when my master the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals.”

22 And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.

23 And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

The servants told the king, “Nathan the prophet is here.” When he came in before the king, he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

Nathan said, “My master the king, have you said, 'Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne?'

25 For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

For he has gone down today and sacrificed oxen, fatted calves, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest. They are eating and drinking before him, and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

26 But me, [even] me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

But as for me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, he has not invited us.

27 Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed [it] unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

Has my master the king done this without telling us, your servants, who should sit on the throne after him?”

28 Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.

Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba back to me.” She came into the king's presence and stood before the king.

29 And the king sware, and said, [As] the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

The king made an oath and said, “As Yahweh lives, who has redeemed me out of all trouble,

30 Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

as I vowed to you by Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, 'Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place,' I will do this today.”

31 Then Bath-sheba bowed with [her] face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and prostrated herself before the king and said, “May my master King David live forever!”

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

King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king.

33 The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

The king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your master, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel and blow the trumpet and say, 'Long live King Solomon!'

35 Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

Then you will come up after him, and he will come and sit on my throne; for he will be king in my place. I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.”

36 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so [too].

Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, “So let it be! May Yahweh, the God of my master the king, confirm it.

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

As Yahweh has been with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my master King David.”

38 So 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.

So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride upon King David's mule; they brought him to Gihon.

39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”

40 And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

Then all the people went up after him, and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with their sound.

41 And Adonijah and all the guests that [were] with him heard [it] as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore [is this] noise of the city being in an uproar?

Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “Why is there an uproar in the city?”

42 And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou [art] a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news.”

43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “Our master King David has made Solomon the king,

44 And the king hath 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:

and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites. They have had Solomon ride on the king's mule.

45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This [is] the noise that ye have heard.

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard.

46 And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

Also, Solomon is sitting on the throne of the kingdom.

47 And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

Moreover, the king's servants came to bless our master King David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.' Then the king bowed down on the bed.

48 And also thus said the king, Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel, which hath given [one] to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing [it].

The king also said, 'Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who has given a person to sit on my throne this day, and that my own eyes should see it.'”

49 And all the guests that [were] with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.

Then all the guests of Adonijah were terrified. They stood up and each man went his way.

50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

Adonijah was afraid of Solomon and rose up, went, and took hold of the horns of the altar.

51 And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

Then it was told Solomon, saying, “See, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, for he has laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'”

52 And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.

Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not a hair of his will fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he will die.”

53 So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.

So King Solomon sent men, who brought Adonijah down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”