1 Kings 2

1 And draw near do the days of David to die, and he chargeth Solomon his son, saying,

Now the days of David came near that he should die; and he commanded Solomon his son, saying,

2 'I am going in the way of all the earth, and thou hast been strong, and become a man,

“I am going the way of all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man;

3 and kept the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commands, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that thou dost wisely all that thou dost, and whithersoever thou turnest,

and keep the instruction of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn yourself.

4 so that Jehovah doth establish His word which He spake unto me, saying, If thy sons observe their way to walk before Me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul; saying, There is not cut off a man of thine from the throne of Israel.

Then the LORD may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your children are careful of their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you,’ he said, ‘a man on the throne of Israel.’

5 'And also, thou hast known that which he did to me — Joab son of Zeruiah — that which he did to two heads of the hosts of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether — that he slayeth them, and maketh the blood of war in peace, and putteth the blood of war in his girdle, that [is] on his loins, and in his sandals that [are] on his feet;

“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war on his sash that was around his waist and in his sandals that were on his feet.

6 and thou hast done according to thy wisdom, and dost not let his old age go down in peace to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)

Do therefore according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol (Sheol h7585) in peace.

7 'And to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite thou dost do kindness, and they have been among those eating at thy table, for so they drew near unto me in my fleeing from the face of Absalom thy brother.

But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

8 'And lo, with thee [is] Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, and he reviled me — a grievous reviling — in the day of my going to Mahanaim; and he hath come down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swear to him by Jehovah, saying, I do not put thee to death by the sword;

“Behold, there is with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’

9 and now, acquit him not, for a wise man thou [art], and thou hast known that which thou dost to him, and hast brought down his old age with blood to Sheol.' (Sheol h7585)

Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; and you will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down to Sheol (Sheol h7585) with blood."

10 And David lieth down with his fathers, and is buried in the city of David,

David slept with his fathers, and was buried in David’s city.

11 and the days that David hath reigned over Israel [are] forty years, in Hebron he hath reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem he hath reigned thirty and three years.

The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

12 And Solomon hath sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom is established greatly,

Solomon sat on David his father’s throne; and his kingdom was firmly established.

13 and Adonijah son of Haggith cometh in unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, and she saith, 'Is thy coming peace?' and he saith, 'Peace.'

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably.

14 And he saith, 'I have a word unto thee,' and she saith, 'Speak.'

He said moreover, I have something to tell you.” She said, “Say on.”

15 And he saith, 'Thou hast known that the kingdom was mine, and towards me set their faces had all Israel for reigning, and the kingdom is turned round about, and is my brother's, for from Jehovah it was his;

He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom is turned around, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from the LORD.

16 and now, one petition I am asking of thee — turn not back my face;' and she saith unto him, 'Speak.'

Now I ask one petition of you. Do not deny me.” She said to him, “Say on.”

17 And he saith, 'Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king, for he doth not turn back thy face, and he doth give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.'

He said, “Please speak to Solomon the king (for he will not tell you ‘no’), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”

18 And Bath-Sheba saith, 'Good; I do speak for thee unto the king.'

Bathsheba said, “All right. I will speak for you to the king.”

19 And Bath-Sheba cometh in unto king Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king riseth to meet her, and boweth himself to her, and sitteth on his throne, and placeth a throne for the mother of the king, and she sitteth at his right hand.

Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. The king rose up to meet her and bowed himself to her, and sat down on his throne and caused a throne to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.

20 And she saith, 'One small petition I ask of thee, turn not back my face;' and the king saith to her, 'Ask, my mother, for I do not turn back thy face.'

Then she said, “I ask one small petition of you; do not deny me.” The king said to her, “Ask on, my mother, for I will not deny you.”

21 And she saith, 'Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother for a wife.'

She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.”

22 And king Solomon answereth and saith to his mother, 'And why art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? also ask for him the kingdom — for he [is] mine elder brother — even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.'

King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.”

23 And king Solomon sweareth by Jehovah, saying, 'Thus doth God to me, and thus He doth add — surely against his soul hath Adonijah spoken this word;

Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

24 and now, Jehovah liveth, who hath established me, and causeth me to sit on the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me an house as He spake — surely to-day is Adonijah put to death.'

Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on my father David’s throne, and who has made me a house as he promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death today.”

25 And king Solomon sendeth by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he falleth upon him, and he dieth.

King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell on him, so that he died.

26 And to Abiathar the priest said the king, 'To Anathoth go, unto thy fields; for a man of death thou [art], but in this day I do not put thee to death, because thou hast borne the ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all that my father was afflicted in.'

To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are worthy of death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you bore the Lord GOD’s ark before David my father, and because you were afflicted in all in which my father was afflicted.”

27 And Solomon casteth out Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, to fulfil the word of Jehovah which He spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

So Solomon thrust Abiathar out from being priest to the LORD, that he might fulfill the LORD’s word which he spoke concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 And the report hath come unto Joab — for Joab hath turned aside after Adonijah, though after Absalom he did not turn aside — and Joab fleeth unto the tent of Jehovah, and layeth hold on the horns of the altar.

This news came to Joab; for Joab had followed Adonijah, although he did not follow Absalom. Joab fled to the LORD’s Tent, and held onto the horns of the altar.

29 And it is declared to king Solomon that Joab hath fled unto the tent of Jehovah, and lo, near the altar; and Solomon sendeth Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, 'Go, fall upon him.'

King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the LORD’s Tent; and behold, he is by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, fall on him.”

30 And Benaiah cometh in unto the tent of Jehovah, and saith unto him, 'Thus said the king, Come out;' and he saith, 'Nay, but here I die.' And Benaiah bringeth back the king word, saying, 'Thus spake Joab, yea, thus he answered me.'

Benaiah came to the LORD’s Tent, and said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” He said, “No; but I will die here.” Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”

31 And the king saith to him, 'Do as he hath spoken, and fall upon him, and thou hast buried him, and turned aside the causeless blood which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;

The king said to him, “Do as he has said, and fall on him, and bury him, that you may take away the blood, which Joab shed without cause, from me and from my father’s house.

32 and Jehovah hath turned back his blood on his own head, who hath fallen on two men more righteous and better than he, and slayeth them with the sword, — and my father David knew not — Abner son of Ner, head of the host of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, head of the host of Judah;

The LORD will return his blood on his own head, because he fell on two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know it: Abner the son of Ner, captain of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the army of Judah.

33 yea, turned back hath their blood on the head of Joab, and on the head of his seed to the age; and for David, and for his seed, and for his house, and for his throne, there is peace unto the age, from Jehovah.'

So their blood will return on the head of Joab and on the head of his offspring forever. But for David, for his offspring, for his house, and for his throne, there will be peace forever from the LORD.”

34 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada goeth up and falleth upon him, and putteth him to death, and he is buried in his own house in the wilderness,

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell on him, and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

35 and the king putteth Benaiah son of Jehoiada in his stead over the host, and Zadok the priest hath the king put in the stead of Abiathar.

The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army; and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

36 And the king sendeth and calleth for Shimei, and saith to him, 'Build for thee a house in Jerusalem, and thou hast dwelt there, and dost not go out thence any where;

The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and live there, and do not go anywhere else.

37 and it hath been, in the day of thy going out, and thou hast passed over the brook Kidron, thou dost certainly know that thou dost surely die — thy blood is on thy head.'

For on the day you go out and pass over the brook Kidron, know for certain that you will surely die. Your blood will be on your own head.”

38 And Shimei saith to the king, 'The word [is] good; as my lord the king hath spoken so doth thy servant do;' and Shimei dwelleth in Jerusalem many days.

Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good. As my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

39 And it cometh to pass, at the end of three years, that flee do two of the servants of Shimei unto Achish son of Maachah, king of Gath, and they declare to Shimei, saying, 'Lo, thy servants [are] in Gath;'

At the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. They told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your slaves are in Gath.”

40 and Shimei riseth, and saddleth his ass, and goeth to Gath, unto Achish, to seek his servants, and Shimei goeth and bringeth his servants from Gath.

Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his slaves; and Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.

41 And it is declared to Solomon that Shimei hath gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and doth return,

Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had come again.

42 and the king sendeth and calleth for Shimei, and saith unto him, 'Have I not caused thee to swear by Jehovah — and I testify against thee, saying, In the day of thy going out, and thou hast gone anywhere, thou dost certainly know that thou dost surely die; and thou sayest unto me, The word I have heard [is] good?

The king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Did not I adjure you by the LORD and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and walk anywhere else, you shall surely die’? You said to me, ‘The saying that I have heard is good.’

43 and wherefore hast thou not kept the oath of Jehovah, and the charge that I charged upon thee?'

Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I have instructed you with?”

44 And the king saith unto Shimei, 'Thou hast known all the evil that thy heart hath known, which thou didst to David my father, and Jehovah hath turned back thine evil on thy head,

The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wickedness that you did to David my father. Therefore the LORD will return your wickedness on your own head.

45 and king Solomon [is] blessed, and the throne of David is established before Jehovah unto the age.'

But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will be established before the LORD forever.”

46 And the king chargeth Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he goeth out and falleth on him, and he dieth, and the kingdom is established in the hand of Solomon.

So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out, and fell on him, so that he died. The kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.