1 Kings 2 Parallel Bible

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	SLT Smith's Literal Translation	ESV English Standard Version	NIV New International Version
1	And the days of David will draw near to die; and he will command Solomon his son, saying,	When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying,	When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
2	I go in the way of all the earth: and be thou strong, and be for a man;	“I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man,	“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man,
3	And watch the watches of Jehovah thy God, to go in his ways, to watch his laws, his commands and his judgments, and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses, so that thou shalt consider all that thou shalt do and all Where thou shalt turn there:	and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,	and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go
4	So that Jehovah shall raise up his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons shall watch their way to go before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, saying, There shall not be cut off to thee a man from the throne of Israel.	that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’	and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
5	And also thou knewest what Joab on of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two chiefs of the armies of Israel, to Abner son of Ner, and to Amasa son of Jether; and he will kill them and put the bloods of war in peace, and give the bloods of war upon his girdle which was upon his loins, and in his shoe upon his feet.	“Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet.	“Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
6	And do according to thy wisdom, and thou wilt not bring down his gray hairs in peace to hades.	Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.	Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
7	And to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite thou shalt do mercy, and they shall be of those eating at thy table: for so they came near to me in my fleeing from the face of Absalom thy brother.	But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother.	“But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
8	And behold, with thee Shimei, son of Gera, a Benjamite, of Bahurim; and he cursed me a strong curse in the day I went to the two camps and he came down to my meeting at Jordan, and I will swear to him by Jehovah, saying, If I shall kill thee with the sword.	And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’	“And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’
9	And now thou shalt not let him go unpunished; for thou a wise man, and thou knowest what thou wilt do to him; and bring down his gray hairs with blood to hades.	Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”	But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”
10	And David will lie down with his fathers, and be buried in the city of David.	Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.	Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.
11	And the days that David reigned over Israel, forty years: in Hebron he reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty and three years.	And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.	He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.
12	And Solomon will sit upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom will be protected greatly.	So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.	So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
13	And Adonijah son of Haggith, will come to Bath-sheba, Solomon's mother: and she will say, Thy coming peace? And he will say, Peace.	Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, “Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.”	Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?” He answered, “Yes, peacefully.”
14	And he will say, A word to me for thee. And she will say, Speak.	Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.”	Then he added, “I have something to say to you.” “You may say it,” she replied.
15	And he will say, Thou knewest that to me was the kingdom, and upon me all Israel set their faces for king: and the kingdom will turn about and be for my brother, for from Jehovah it was to him.	He said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the LORD.	“As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the LORD.
16	And now I ask one asking from thee, thou wilt not turn away my face. And she will say to him, Speak.	And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.”	Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.” “You may make it,” she said.
17	And he will say, Speak now to Solomon the king, for he will not turn away thy face, and he will give to me Abishag the Shunamite for wife.	And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”	So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”
18	And Bathsheba will say, Well I will speak for thee to the king.	Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.”	“Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”
19	And Bathsheba will go to king Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king will rise up to her meeting, and worship to her, and he sat upon his throne, and a throne will be set for the king's mother; and she will sit at his right hand.	So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right.	When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.
20	And she will say, One small asking I ask from thee; thou wilt not turn away my face. And the king will say to her, Ask, my mother, for I will not turn away thy face.	Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”	“I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.” The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”
21	And she will say, Give Abishag the Shunamite to Adonijah thy brother for wife.	She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.”	So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”
22	And king Solomon will answer, and say to his mother, And wherefore didst thou ask Abishag the Shunamite for Adonijah? And ask for him the kingdom, for he my brother, the great above me; and for him Abiathar the priest, and Joab son of Zeruiah.	King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.”	King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother—yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23	And king Solomon will swear by Jehovah, saying, Thus will God do to me, and thus will he add, for Adonijah spoke this word against his soul.	Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, “God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life!	Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request!
24	And now Jehovah lives who prepared me, and he will set me upon the throne of David my father, and who made for me a house as he spake, for this day Adonijah shall die.	Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.”	And now, as surely as the LORD lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised—Adonijah shall be put to death today!”
25	And king Solomon will send by the hand of Benaiah, son of Jehoida, and he will strike upon him and he will die.	So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.	So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.
26	And to Abiathar the priest the king said, Go to Anathoth upon thy field: for thou a man of death: and in this day will not kill thee, for thou didst lift up the ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou wert afflicted in all which my father was afflicted.	And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because you shared in all my father’s affliction.”	To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign LORD before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.”
27	And Solomon will drive out Abiathar from being priest to Jehovah, to complete the word of Jehovah which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.	So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, thus fulfilling the word of the LORD that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.	So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD, fulfilling the word the LORD had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.
28	And the report came even to Joab: (for Joab turned after Adonijah, and after Absalom he turned not;) and Joab will flee to the tent of Jehovah and will lay hold upon the horns of the altar.	When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and caught hold of the horns of the altar.	When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
29	And it will be announced to king Solomon that Joab fled to the tent of Jehovah; and behold, by the altar. And Solomon will send Benaiah son of Jehoida, saying, Go strike upon him.	And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.”	King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”
30	And Benaiah will go to the tent of Jehovah, and say to him, Thus said the king, Come forth. And he will say, Nay; for here will I die. And Benaiah will turn back the king word, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.	So Benaiah came to the tent of the LORD and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.”	So Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he answered, “No, I will die here.” Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”
31	And the king will say to him, Do as he said, and strike upon him, and bury him; and take away the bloods which Joab shed gratuitously, from me and from my father's house.	The king replied to him, “Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause.	Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.
32	And Jehovah turned back his blood upon his head, who struck upon two just men and good above him, and he will kill them with the sword, and my father David knew not, Abner son of Ner, chief of the army of Israel, and Amasa, son of Jether, chief of the army of Judah.	The LORD will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.	The LORD will repay him for the blood he shed, because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better men and more upright than he.
33	And their bloods shall turn back upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his seed forever: and to David and to his seed and to his house and to his throne shall be peace even forever, from Jehovah.	So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the LORD forevermore.”	May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the LORD’s peace forever.”
34	And Benaiah son of Jehoida will go up, and will strike upon him and will kill him: and he will be buried in his house in the desert.	Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.	So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country.
35	And the king will give Benaiah son of Jehoida instead of him over the army: and Zadok the priest, the king gave instead of Abiathar.	The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.	The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.
36	And the king will send and call for Shimei, and say to him, Build for thee a house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and thou shalt not go forth from thence, whither and whither.	Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever.	Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.
37	For being in the day of thy going forth, and thou didst pass the torrent Kidron, knowing, thou shalt know that dying, thou shalt die: thy blood shall be upon thy head.	For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head.”	The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”
38	And Shimei will say, Good the word: according to what my lord the king spake, thus will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.	And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.	Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.
39	And it will be from the end of three years, and two servants to Shimei, will flee to Achish, son of Maachah, king of Gath: and they will announce to Shimci, saying, Behold, thy servants in Gath.	But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,”	But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.”
40	And Shimei will rise and saddle his ass, and go to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei will go and bring his servants from Gath.	Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath.	At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.
41	And it will be announced to Solomon that Shimei went from Jerusalem to Gath, and he will turn back.	And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned,	When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,
42	And the king will send and call for Shimei, and say to him, Did not I cause thee to swear by Jehovah, and attest to thee, saying, In the day of thy going forth, and thou wentest whither and whither, knowing, thou shalt know that dying, thou shalt die? and thou wilt say to me, Good the word I heard.	the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’	the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’
43	And wherefore didst thou not watch the oath of Jehovah, and the command which I commanded upon thee?	Why then have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the commandment with which I commanded you?”	Why then did you not keep your oath to the LORD and obey the command I gave you?”
44	And the king will say to Shimei, Thou knewest all the evil which thy heart knew, which thou didst to David my father: and Jehovah turned back thy evil upon thy head.	The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the LORD will bring back your harm on your own head.	The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing.
45	And blessed be kind Solomon, and the throne of David shall be prepared before Jehovah, even forever.	But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever.”	But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure before the LORD forever.”
46	And the king will command Benaiah son of Jehoida, and he will go forth and will strike upon him, and he will die. And the kingdom was prepared in the hand of Solomon.	Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.	Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died. The kingdom was now established in Solomon’s hands.
	Read Smith's Literal Translation Public domain.	Read English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.	Read New International Version Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

1 Kings 2 Parallel Bible Translations