Adonijah Plots to Seize the Throne

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

2Therefore 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 your bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

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

4And the young woman was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

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

6And his father had not rebuked him at any time in saying, Why have you done so? and he also was a very handsome man; and his mother bore him after Absalom.

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

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

9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and invited all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:

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

11Therefore Nathan spoke unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith does reign, and David our lord knows it not?

12Now therefore come, let me, I pray you, give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.

13Go and get in unto king David, and say unto him, Did not you, my lord, O king, swear unto your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then does Adonijah reign?

14Behold, while you yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words.

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

16And Bath-sheba bowed, and knelt before the king. And the king said, What would you?

17And she said unto him, My lord, you swore by the LORD your God unto your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

18And now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and now, my lord the king, you know it not:

19And he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army: but Solomon your servant has he not called.

20And you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21Otherwise 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.

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

23And 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.

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

25For he has gone down this day, and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

26But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, has he not invited.

27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you have not showed it unto your servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

David Makes Solomon King

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

29And the king swore, and said, As the LORD lives, that has redeemed my soul out of all distress,

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

31Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and knelt before to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live forever.

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

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

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

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

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

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

38So 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.

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

40And all the people came up after him, and the people played on flutes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth shook with the sound of them.

41And 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, Why is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

42And while he yet spoke, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for you are a valiant man, and bring good tidings.

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

44And the king has 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:

45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they have come up from there rejoicing, so that the city resounds with it. This is the noise that you have heard.

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

47And moreover the king's servants came 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 bowed himself upon the bed.

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

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

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

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

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

53So 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 your house.