1 Kings 2:1-21 ▼

1 Then the dayes of Dauid drewe neere that he should die, and hee charged Salomon his sonne, saying,

2 I go the way of all the earth: be strong therefore, and shew thy selfe a man,

3 And take heede to the charge of the Lord thy God, to walke in his wayes, and keepe his statutes, and his commaundements, and his iudgements, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and in euery thing whereunto thou turnest thee,

4 That the Lorde may confirme his worde which hee spake vnto me, saying, If thy sonnes take heede to their way, that they walke before me in trueth, with all their hearts, and with all their soules, thou shalt not (sayd he) want one of thy posteritie vpon the throne of Israel.

5 Thou knowest also what Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captaines of the hostes of Israel, vnto Abner the sonne of Ner, and vnto Amasa the sonne of Iether: whome he slewe, and shed blood of battell in peace, and put the blood of warre vpon his girdle that was about his loynes, and in his shooes that were on his feete.

6 Doe therefore according to thy wisdome, and let thou not his hoare head go downe to the graue in peace.

7 But shew kindnes vnto the sonnes of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among them that eate at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.

8 And beholde, with thee is Shimei the sonne of Gera, the sonne of Iemini, of Bahurim, which cursed mee with an horrible curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but hee came downe to meete me at Iorden, & I sware to him by the Lorde, saying, I will not slay thee with the sword.

9 But thou shalt not count him innocent: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to doe vnto him: therefore thou shalt cause his hoare head to goe downe to the graue with blood.

10 So Dauid slept with his fathers, and was buried in the citie of Dauid.

11 And the dayes which Dauid reigned vpon Israel, were fourtie yeeres: seuen yeeres reigned he in Hebron, and thirtie & three yeeres reigned he in Ierusalem.

12 Then sate Salomon vpon the throne of Dauid his father, and his kingdome was stablished mightily.

13 And Adonijah the sonne of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Salomon: and she saide, Commest thou peaceably? And hee said, Yea.

14 He said moreouer, I haue a sute vnto thee; she sayd, Say on.

15 Then he said, Thou knowest that the kingdome was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reigne: howbeit the kingdome is turned away, and is my brothers: for it came to him by the Lord.

16 Nowe therefore I aske thee one request, refuse me not; she said vnto him, Say on.

17 And he sayd, Speake, I pray thee, vnto Salomon ye King, (for he will not say thee nay) that he giue me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

18 And Bath-sheba sayd, Well, I will speake for thee vnto the King.

19 Bath-sheba therefore went vnto King Salomon, to speake vnto him for Adonijah: and the King rose to meete her, and bowed himselfe vnto her, and sate downe on his throne: and he caused a seate to be set for the Kings mother, and she sate at his right hand.

20 Then she sayd, I desire a small request of thee, say me not nay. Then the King sayde vnto her, Aske on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

21 She sayd then, Let Abishag the Shunammite be giuen to Adonijah thy brother to wife.