Kings III 1
1 And king David [was] old and advanced in days, and they covered him with clothes, and he was not warmed.
Now King David was old and far on in years; and though they put covers over him, his body was cold.
2 And his servants said, Let them seek for the king a young virgin, and she shall wait on the king, and cherish him, and lie with him, and my lord the king shall be warmed.
So his servants said to him, Let search be made for a young virgin for my lord the king, to take care of him and be waiting on him; and you may take her in your arms, and so my lord the king will be warm.
3 So they sought for a fair damsel out of all the coasts of Israel; and they found Abisag the Somanite, and they brought her to the king.
So after searching through all the land of Israel for a fair young girl, they saw Abishag the Shunammite, and took her to the king.
4 And the damsel was extremely beautiful, and she cherished the king, and ministered to him, but the king knew her not.
Now she was very beautiful; and she took care of the king, waiting on him at all times; but the king had no connection with her.
5 And Adonias the son of Aggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king; and he prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, lifting himself up in pride, said, I will become king; and he made ready his carriages of war and his horsemen, with fifty runners to go before him.
6 And his father never at any time checked him, saying, Why have you done [thus]? and he was also very handsome in appearance, and his mother bore him after Abessalom.
Now all his life his father had never gone against him or said to him, Why have you done so? and he was a very good-looking man, and younger than Absalom.
7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Saruia, and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed after Adonias.
And he had talk with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest; and they were on his side and gave him their support.
8 But Sadoc the priest, and Banaeas the son of Jodae, and Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Resi, and the mighty men of David, did not follow Adonias.
But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei, and David's men of war did not take the side of Adonijah.
9 And Adonias sacrificed sheep and calves and lambs by the stone of Zoelethi, which was near Rogel: and he called all his brethren, and all the adult [men] of Juda, servants of the king.
Then Adonijah put to death sheep and oxen and fat beasts by the stone of Zoheleth, by En-rogel; and he sent for all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants, to come to him:
10 But Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas, and the mighty [men], and Solomon his brother, he did not call.
But he did not send for Nathan the prophet and Benaiah and the other men of war and Solomon his brother.
11 And Nathan spoke to Bersabee the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast you not heard that Adonias the son of Aggith reigns, and our lord David knows it not?
Then Nathan said to Bath-sheba, the mother of Solomon, Has it not come to your ears that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has made himself king without the knowledge of David our lord?
12 And now come, let me, I pray, give you counsel, and you shall rescue your life, and the life of your son Solomon.
So now, let me make a suggestion, so that you may keep your life safe and the life of your son Solomon.
13 Haste, and go in to king David, and you shall speak to him, saying, Hast not you, my lord, O king, sworn to your handmaid, saying, Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then does Adonias reign?
Come now, go to King David and say to him, Did you not, O my lord, take an oath to me, your servant, saying, Truly Solomon your son will be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom? why then is Adonijah acting as king?
14 And behold, while you are still speaking there with the king, I also will come in after you, and will confirm your words.
And while you are still talking there with the king, see, I will come in after you and say that your story is true.
15 So Bersabee went in to the king into the chamber: and the king was very old, and Abisag the Somanite was ministering to the king.
Then Bath-sheba went into the king's room; now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was waiting on him.
16 And Bersabee bowed, and did obeisance to the king; and the king said, What is your request?
And Bath-sheba went down on her face on the earth before the king giving him honour. And he said, What is your desire?
17 And she said, My lord, you did swear by the Lord your God to your handmaid, saying, Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and shall sit upon my throne.
And she said to him, My lord, you took an oath by the Lord your God and gave your word to your servant, saying, Truly, Solomon your son will be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom.
18 And now, behold, Adonias reigns, and you, my lord, O king, know [it] not.
And now, see, Adonijah has made himself king without my lord's knowledge;
19 And he has sacrificed calves and lambs and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander-in-chief of the host; but Solomon your servant he has not called.
And has put to death oxen and fat beasts and sheep in great numbers, and has sent for all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the captain of the army; but he has not sent for Solomon your servant.
20 And you, my lord, O king, —the eyes of all Israel [are] upon you, to tell them who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him.
And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, waiting for you to say who is to take the place of my lord the king after him.
21 And it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and Solomon my son shall be offenders.
For as things are, it will come about, when my lord the king is sleeping with his fathers, that I and Solomon my son will be made outlaws.
22 And behold, while she was yet talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came. And it was reported to the king,
And while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
23 Behold, Nathan the prophet [is here]: and he came in to the king's presence, and did obeisance to the king with his face to the ground.
And they said to the king, Here is Nathan the prophet. And when he came in before the king, he went down on his face on the earth.
24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, did you say, Adonias shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
And Nathan said, O my lord king, have you said, Adonijah is to be king after me, seated on the seat of my kingdom?
25 For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed calves and lambs and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and the chiefs of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they said, [Long] live king Adonias.
Because today he has gone down and has put to death oxen and fat beasts and sheep in great numbers, and has sent for all the king's sons to come to him, with the captains of the army and Abiathar the priest; and they are feasting before him and crying, Long life to King Adonijah!
26 But he has not invited me your servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banaeas the son of Jodae, and Solomon your servant.
But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, he has not sent for.
27 Has this matter happened by the authority of my lord the king, and have you not made known to your servant who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him?
Has this thing been done by my lord the king, without giving word to your servants who was to be placed on my lord the king's seat after him?
28 And king David answered and said, Call me Bersabee: and she came in before the king, and stood before him.
Then King David in answer said, Send for Bath-sheba to come to me. And she came in and took her place before the king.
29 And the king swore, and said, [As] the Lord lives who redeemed my soul out of all affliction,
And the king took an oath, and said, By the living Lord, who has been my saviour from all my troubles,
30 as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.
As I took an oath to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying, Certainly Solomon your son will become king after me, seated on my seat in my place; so will I do this day.
31 And Bersabee bowed with her face to the ground, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
Then Bath-sheba went down on her face on the earth before the king giving him honour, and said, May my lord King David go on living for ever.
32 And king David said, Call me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas the son of Jodae: and they came in before the king.
And King David said, Send for Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.
33 And the king said to them, Take the servants of your lord with you, and mount my son Solomon upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gion.
And the king said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and put Solomon my son on my beast, yes, mine, and take him down to Gihon;
34 And there let Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him to be king over Israel, and do you sound the trumpet, and you shall say, Let king Solomon live.
And there let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet put the holy oil on him to make him king over Israel; and sounding the horn say, Long life to King Solomon!
35 And he shall sit upon my throne, and reign in my stead: and I have given charge that he should be for a prince over Israel and Juda.
Then come up after him and he will come in and take his place on the seat of my kingdom; for he is to be king in my place, and I have given orders that he is to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.
36 And Banaeas the son of Jodae answered the king and said, So let it be: may the Lord God of my lord the king confirm [it].
And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, answering the king, said, So be it: and may the Lord, the God of my lord the king, say so.
37 As the Lord was with my lord the king, so let him be with Solomon, and let him exalt his throne beyond the throne of my lord king David.
As the Lord has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon and make the seat of his authority greater than that of my lord King David.
38 And Sadoc the priest went down, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas son of Jodae, and the Cherethite, and the Phelethite, and they mounted Solomon upon the mule of king David, and led him away to Gion.
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and put Solomon on King David's beast and took him to Gihon.
39 And Sadoc the priest took the horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon, and blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Let king Solomon live.
And Zadok the priest took the vessel of oil out of the Tent, and put the holy oil on Solomon. And when the horn was sounded, all the people said, Long life to King Solomon!
40 And all the people went up after him, and they danced in choirs, and rejoiced with great joy, and the earth quaked with their voice.
And all the people came up after him, piping with pipes, and they were glad with great joy, so that the earth was shaking with the sound.
41 And Adonias and all his guests heard, and they had [just] left off eating: and Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, and said, What [means] the voice of the city in tumult?
And it came to the ears of Adonijah and all the guests who were with him, when their meal was ended. And Joab, hearing the sound of the horn, said, What is the reason of this noise as if the town was worked up?
42 While he was yet speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came in: and Adonias said, Come in, for you are a mighty man, and [you come] to bring glad tidings.
And while the words were on his lips, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest, came; and Adonijah said, Come in; for you are a man of good faith and the news which you have for us will be good.
43 And Jonathan answered and said, Verily our lord king David has made Solomon king:
And Jonathan, answering, said to Adonijah, Not so, but our lord King David has made Solomon king:
44 and the king has sent with him Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banaeas the son of Jodae, and the Cherethite, and the Phelethite, and they have mounted him on the king's mule;
And he sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they put him on the king's beast:
45 and Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him in Gion, and have gone up thence rejoicing, and the city resounded: this [is] the sound which you have heard.
And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet put the holy oil on him and made him king in Gihon; and they came back from there with joy, and the town was all worked up. This is the noise which has come to your ears.
46 And Solomon is seated upon the throne of the kingdom.
And now Solomon is seated on the seat of the kingdom.
47 And the servants of the king have gone in to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne; and the king worshipped upon his bed.
And the king's servants came to our lord King David, blessing him and saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and the seat of his authority greater than your seat; and the king was bent low in worship on his bed.
48 Moreover thus said the king, Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel, who has this day appointed one of my seed sitting on my throne, and my eyes see it.
Then the king said, May the God of Israel be praised, who has given one of my seed to be king in my place this day and has let my eyes see it.
49 And all the guests of Adonias were dismayed, and every man went his way.
And all the guests of Adonijah got up in fear and went away, every man to his place.
50 And Adonias feared because of Solomon, and arose, and departed, and laid hold on the horns of the altar.
And Adonijah himself was full of fear because of Solomon; and he got up and went to the altar, and put his hands on its horns.
51 And it was reported to Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonias fears king Solomon, and holds the horns of the altar, saying, Let Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his servant with the sword.
And they gave Solomon word of it, saying, See, Adonijah goes in such fear of King Solomon, that he has put his hands on the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon first give me his oath that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.
52 And Solomon said, If he should be a valiant man, there shall not a hair of his fall to the ground; but if evil be found in him, he shall die.
And Solomon said, If he is seen to be a man of good faith, not a hair of him will be touched; but if any wrongdoing is seen in him, he is to be put to death.
53 And king Solomon sent, and they brought him away from the altar; and he went in and did obeisance to king Solomon: and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.
So King Solomon sent, and they took him down from the altar. And he came and gave honour to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, Go to your house.
