| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. | 1Now King David was old and getting on in years. Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm. |
| 2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” | 2So his servants said to him: "Let us search for a young virgin for my lord the king. She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm." |
| 3So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. | 3They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. |
| 4The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her. | 4The girl was of unsurpassed beauty, and she became the king's caregiver. She served him, but he was not intimate with her. |
| 5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. | 5Adonijah son of Haggith kept exalting himself, saying, "I will be king!" He prepared chariots, cavalry, and 50 men to run ahead of him. |
| 6(And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) | 6But his father had never once reprimanded him by saying, "Why do you act this way?" In addition, he was quite handsome and was born after Absalom. |
| 7Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. | 7He conspired with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. They supported Adonijah, |
| 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah. | 8but Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's warriors did not side with Adonijah. |
| 9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. | 9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king, |
| 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother. | 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the warriors, or his brother Solomon. |
| 11So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? | 11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king and our lord David does not know it? |
| 12Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. | 12Now please come and let me advise you. Save your life and the life of your son Solomon. |
| 13Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ | 13Go, approach King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne? So why has Adonijah become king?' |
| 14Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.” | 14At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I'll come in after you and confirm your words." |
| 15So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) | 15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him. |
| 16And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?” | 16Bathsheba bowed down and paid homage to the king, and he asked, "What do you want?" |
| 17Then she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ | 17She replied, "My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, 'Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne.' |
| 18So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. | 18Now look, Adonijah has become king. And, my lord the king, you didn't know it. |
| 19He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your servant he has not invited. | 19He has lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon. |
| 20And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. | 20Now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. |
| 21Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.” | 21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals." |
| 22And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. | 22At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived, |
| 23So they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. | 23and it was announced to the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." He came into the king's presence and bowed to him 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 on my throne’? | 24My lord the king," Nathan said, "did you say, 'Adonijah is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne? |
| 25For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ | 25For today he went down and lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And look! They're eating and drinking in his presence, and they're saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!' |
| 26But he has not invited me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. | 26But he did not invite me--me, your servant--or Zadok the priest or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. |
| 27Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” | 27I'm certain my lord the king would not have let this happen without letting your servant know who will sit on my lord the king's throne after him." |
| 28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. | 28King David responded by saying, "Call in Bathsheba for me." So she came into the king's presence and stood before him. |
| 29And the king took an oath and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, | 29The king swore an oath and said, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty, |
| 30just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.” | 30just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel: Your son Solomon is to become king after me, and he is the one who is to sit on my throne in my place, that is exactly what I will do this very day." |
| 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever!” | 31Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!" |
| 32And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. | 32King David then said, "Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me." So they came into the king's presence. |
| 33The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. | 33The king said to them, "Take my servants with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. |
| 34There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ | 34There, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him as king over Israel. You are to blow the ram's horn and say, 'Long live King Solomon!' |
| 35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” | 35You are to come up after him, and he is to come in and sit on my throne. He is the one who is to become king in my place; he is the one I have commanded to be ruler over Israel and Judah."" |
| 36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. | 36Amen," Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. "May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it. |
| 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.” | 37Just as the LORD was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David." |
| 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. | 38Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down, had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and took him to Gihon. |
| 39Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” | 39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram's horn, and all the people proclaimed, "Long live King Solomon!" |
| 40And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound. | 40All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth split open from the sound. |
| 41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?” | 41Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him heard the noise as they finished eating. Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn and said, "Why is the town in such an uproar?" |
| 42While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news.” | 42He was still speaking when Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, suddenly arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are an excellent man, and you must be bringing good news."" |
| 43Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. | 43Unfortunately not," Jonathan answered him. "Our lord King David has made Solomon king. |
| 44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. | 44And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king's mule. |
| 45So Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. | 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. They have gone from there rejoicing. The town has been in an uproar; that's the noise you heard. |
| 46Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. | 46Solomon has even taken his seat on the royal throne." |
| 47And moreover the king’s servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ Then the king bowed himself on the bed. | 47The king's servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon more well known than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.' Then the king bowed in worship on his bed. |
| 48Also the king said thus, ‘Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!’ ” | 48And the king went on to say this: 'May the LORD God of Israel be praised! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and I am a witness.'" |
| 49So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way. | 49Then all of Adonijah's guests got up trembling and went their separate ways. |
| 50Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. | 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar. |
| 51And it was told Solomon, saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ” | 51It was reported to Solomon: "Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon first swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'" |
| 52Then Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” | 52Then Solomon said, "If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, he dies." |
| 53So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.” | 53So King Solomon sent for him, and they took him down from the altar. He came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, "Go to your home." |
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