1:1 King David was very old; 1 even when they covered him with blankets, 2 he could not get warm. 1:2 His servants advised 3 him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king, 4 to take care of the king’s needs 5 and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you 6 and keep our master, the king, warm.” 7 1:3 So they looked through all Israel 8 for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 1:4 The young woman was very beautiful; she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her. 9
1:5 Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith, 10 was promoting himself, 11 boasting, 12 “I will be king!” He managed to acquire 13 chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 14 1:6 (Now his father had never corrected 15 him 16 by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom. 17 ) 1:7 He collaborated 18 with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported 19 him. 20 1:8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors 21 did not ally themselves 22 with Adonijah. 1:9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, 23 as well as all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 1:10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, 24 or his brother Solomon.
1:11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you 25 that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back? 26 1:12 Now 27 let me give you some advice as to how 28 you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 1:13 Visit 29 King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise 30 your servant, “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 1:14 While 31 you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive 32 and verify your report.” 33
1:15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters. 34 (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 1:16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before 35 the king. The king said, “What do you want?” 1:17 She replied to him, “My master, you swore an oath to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne.’ 1:18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you, 36 my master the king, are not even aware of it! 37 1:19 He has sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. 1:20 Now, 38 my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. 39 1:21 If a decision is not made, 40 when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, 41 my son Solomon and I 42 will be considered state criminals.” 43
1:22 Just then, 44 while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 1:23 The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor. 45 1:24 Nathan said, “My master, O king, did you announce, ‘Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne’? 1:25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this moment 46 they are having a feast 47 in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 48 1:26 But he did not invite me – your servant – or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. 1:27 Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants 49 who should succeed my master the king on his throne?” 50
1:28 King David responded, 51 “Summon Bathsheba!” 52 She came and stood before the king. 53 1:29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued me 54 from every danger), 1:30 I will keep 55 today the oath I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: ‘Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.’” 1:31 Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor 56 and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”
1:32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, 57 and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 1:33 and he 58 told them, “Take your master’s 59 servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. 60 1:34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint 61 him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 1:35 Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed 62 that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 1:36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded 63 to the king: “So be it! 64 May the Lord God of my master the king confirm it! 65 1:37 As the Lord is with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make him an even greater king than my master King David!” 66
1:38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites 67 went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. 1:39 Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil 68 from the tent and poured it on 69 Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared, “Long live King Solomon!” 1:40 All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake. 70
1:41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating. 71 When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?” 72 1:42 As he was still speaking, Jonathan 73 son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for 74 an important man like you must be bringing good news.” 75 1:43 Jonathan replied 76 to Adonijah: “No! 77 Our master 78 King David has made Solomon king. 1:44 The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king’s mule. 1:45 Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed 79 him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. 1:46 Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne. 80 1:47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulate 81 our master 82 King David, saying, ‘May your God 83 make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’ 84 Then the king leaned 85 on the bed 1:48 and said 86 this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because 87 today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’” 88
1:49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked; 89 they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. 1:50 Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 90 1:51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you; 91 see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise 92 me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’” 1:52 Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject, 93 not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor, 94 he will die.” 1:53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down 95 from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.” 96
2:1 When David was close to death, 97 he told 98 Solomon his son: 2:2 “I am about to die. 99 Be strong and become a man! 2:3 Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you 100 by following his instructions 101 and obeying 102 his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish, 103 2:4 and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me, 104 ‘If your descendants watch their step 105 and live faithfully in my presence 106 with all their heart and being, 107 then,’ he promised, 108 ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’ 109
2:5 “You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me – how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. 110 During peacetime he struck them down like he would in battle; 111 when he shed their blood as if in battle, he stained his own belt and the sandals on his feet. 112 2:6 Do to him what you think is appropriate, 113 but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death. 114
2:7 “Treat fairly 115 the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs, 116 because they helped me 117 when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.
2:8 “Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, 118 who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim. 119 He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised 120 him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down 121 with the sword.’ 2:9 But now 122 don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him; 123 make sure he has a bloody death.” 124
2:10 Then David passed away 125 and was buried in the city of David. 126 2:11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem 127 thirty-three years.
2:12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority 128 was firmly solidified.
2:13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.” 129 2:14 He added, 130 “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 2:15 He said, “You know that the kingdom 131 was mine and all Israel considered me king. 132 But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his. 133 2:16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.” 134 She said, “Go ahead and ask.” 135 2:17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.” 136 2:18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine, 137 I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.”
2:19 So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greet 138 her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother, 139 and she sat at his right hand. 2:20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor. 140 Please don’t refuse me.” 141 He said, 142 “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.” 2:21 She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 2:22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him? 143 Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
2:23 King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely, 144 if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life! 145 2:24 Now, as certainly as the Lord lives (he who made me secure, allowed me to sit on my father David’s throne, and established a dynasty 146 for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!” 2:25 King Solomon then sent 147 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah. 148
2:26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your property 149 in Anathoth. You deserve to die, 150 but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.” 151 2:27 Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, 152 fulfilling the decree of judgment the Lord made in Shiloh against the family of Eli. 153
2:28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported 154 Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he 155 ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. 156 2:29 When King Solomon heard 157 that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, 158 “Go, strike him down.” 2:30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply. 159 2:31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family 160 the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds. 161 2:32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed; 162 behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he 163 – Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 2:33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family, 164 and his dynasty.” 165 2:34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab; 166 he was buried at his home in the wilderness. 2:35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada to take his place at the head of 167 the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest to take Abiathar’s place. 168
2:36 Next the king summoned 169 Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem 170 and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere! 171 2:37 If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die! You will be responsible for your own death.” 172 2:38 Shimei said to the king, “My master the king’s proposal is acceptable. 173 Your servant will do as you say.” 174 So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. 175
2:39 Three years later two of Shimei’s servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your servants are in Gath.” 2:40 So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath. 2:41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had then returned, 2:42 the king summoned 176 Shimei and said to him, “You will recall 177 that I made you take an oath by the Lord, and I solemnly warned you, ‘If you ever leave and go anywhere, 178 know for sure that you will certainly die.’ You said to me, ‘The proposal is acceptable; I agree to it.’ 179 2:43 Why then have you broken the oath you made before the Lord and disobeyed the order I gave you?” 180 2:44 Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David. 181 The Lord will punish you for what you did. 182 2:45 But King Solomon will be empowered 183 and David’s dynasty 184 will endure permanently before the Lord.” 2:46 The king then gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada who went and executed Shimei. 185
So Solomon took firm control of the kingdom. 186
3:1 Solomon made an alliance by marriage with Pharaoh, king of Egypt; he married Pharaoh’s daughter. He brought her to the City of David 187 until he could finish building his residence and the temple of the Lord and the wall around Jerusalem. 188 3:2 Now the people were offering sacrifices at the high places, 189 because in those days a temple had not yet been built to honor the Lord. 190 3:3 Solomon demonstrated his loyalty to the Lord by following 191 the practices 192 of his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
3:4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for it had the most prominent of the high places. 193 Solomon would offer up 194 a thousand burnt sacrifices on the altar there. 3:5 One night in Gibeon the Lord appeared 195 to Solomon in a dream. God said, “Tell 196 me what I should give you.” 3:6 Solomon replied, “You demonstrated 197 great loyalty to your servant, my father David, as he served 198 you faithfully, properly, and sincerely. 199 You have maintained this great loyalty to this day by allowing his son to sit on his throne. 200 3:7 Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in my father David’s place, even though I am only a young man and am inexperienced. 201 3:8 Your servant stands 202 among your chosen people; 203 they are a great nation that is too numerous to count or number. 3:9 So give your servant a discerning mind 204 so he can make judicial decisions for 205 your people and distinguish right from wrong. 206 Otherwise 207 no one is able 208 to make judicial decisions for 209 this great nation of yours.” 210 3:10 The Lord 211 was pleased that Solomon made this request. 212 3:11 God said to him, “Because you asked for the ability to make wise judicial decisions, and not for long life, or riches, or vengeance on your enemies, 213 3:12 I 214 grant your request, 215 and give 216 you a wise and discerning mind 217 superior to that of anyone who has preceded or will succeed you. 218 3:13 Furthermore, I am giving 219 you what you did not request – riches and honor so that you will be the greatest king of your generation. 220 3:14 If you follow my instructions 221 by obeying 222 my rules and regulations, just as your father David did, 223 then I will grant you long life.” 224 3:15 Solomon then woke up and realized it was a dream. 225 He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant, offered up burnt sacrifices, presented peace offerings, 226 and held a feast for all his servants.
3:16 Then two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 3:17 One of the women said, “My master, this woman and I live in the same house. I had a baby while she was with me in the house. 3:18 Then three days after I had my baby, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one else in the house except the two of us. 227 3:19 This woman’s child suffocated 228 during the night when she rolled 229 on top of him. 3:20 She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your servant was sleeping. She put him in her arms, and put her dead son in my arms. 3:21 I got up in the morning to nurse my son, and there he was, 230 dead! But when I examined him carefully in the morning, I realized it was not my baby.” 231 3:22 The other woman said, “No! My son is alive; your son is dead!” But the first woman replied, “No, your son is dead; my son is alive.” Each presented her case before the king. 232
3:23 The king said, “One says, ‘My son is alive; your son is dead,’ while the other says, ‘No, your son is dead; my son is alive.’” 3:24 The king ordered, “Get me a sword!” So they placed a sword before the king. 3:25 The king then said, “Cut the living child in two, and give half to one and half to the other!” 3:26 The real mother 233 spoke up to the king, for her motherly instincts were aroused. 234 She said, “My master, give her the living child! Whatever you do, don’t kill him!” 235 But the other woman said, “Neither one of us will have him! Let them cut him in two!” 3:27 The king responded, “Give the first woman the living child; don’t kill him. She is the mother.” 3:28 When all Israel heard about the judicial decision which the king had rendered, they respected 236 the king, for they realized 237 that he possessed supernatural wisdom 238 to make judicial decisions.