Abishag Cares for David
Now King David was old, advanced in days; and they covered him with garments, but he could not get warm.
And his servants said to him: “Let them seek for my lord the king a young woman, a virgin, and let her stand before the king and be his attendant; and let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm.”
And they sought a beautiful young woman through all the territory of Israel; and they found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
And the young woman was exceedingly beautiful; and she became the king’s attendant and served him — but the king did not know her.
Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom
Now Adonijah the son of Haggith was exalting himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he got himself a chariot and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
And his father had never pained him in his days by saying, “Why have you done so?” And he too was very good in form; and she had borne him after Absalom.
And his words were with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave help, following Adonijah.
But 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.
And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king.
But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother he did not invite.
Nathan and Bathsheba before David
And Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother: “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king — and our lord David does not know?
Now then, come, let me counsel you with counsel, please, and save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
Go, and come to King David, and say to him: ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne? So why has Adonijah become king?’
Look — while you are still speaking there with the king, I myself will come in after you and confirm your words.”
And Bathsheba came to the king, into the inner room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.
And Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself to the king. And the king said, “What is it for you?”
And she said to him: “My lord, you yourself swore by the LORD your God to your servant: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
And now, look — Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know it.
And he has sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army — but Solomon your servant he has not invited.
And you, my lord the king — the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
Otherwise it will be, when my lord the king lies down with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.”
And look — while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in.
And they told the king, saying, “Look — Nathan the prophet.” And he came before the king, and prostrated himself to the king with his face to the ground.
And Nathan said: “My lord the king, have you yourself said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne’?
For he has gone down today and sacrificed oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, 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!’
But me — me your servant — and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant, he did not invite.
If this thing has come about from my lord the king, then you have not made known to your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.”
David Renews His Oath to Bathsheba
And King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” And she came before the king and stood before the king.
And the king swore and said: “As the LORD lives, who has ransomed my life from all distress —
surely as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place’ — surely so I will do this day.”
And Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth and prostrated herself to the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
Solomon Anointed King
And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” And they came before the king.
And the king said to them: “Take with you the servants of your lord, and mount Solomon my son on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.
And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel; and blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
Then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne — and he shall be king in my place; and him I have appointed to be leader over Israel and over Judah.”
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said: “Amen! So may the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say.
As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon; and may he make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.”
And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down, and they mounted Solomon on King David’s mule and led him to Gihon.
And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon; and they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”
And all the people came up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy — and the earth split open at their sound.
Adonijah Learns of Solomon’s Kingship
And Adonijah heard it, and all the invited guests who were with him, just as they finished eating; and Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, “Why is the sound of the city in an uproar?”
While he was still speaking — look, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a man of valor, and you bring good news.”
And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah: “No — our lord King David has made Solomon king.
And 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 mounted him on the king’s mule.
And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have come up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you heard.
And moreover, Solomon has sat down on the throne of the kingship.
And moreover, the servants of the king have come to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king prostrated himself on the bed.
And moreover, thus said the king: ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has given today one to sit on my throne, with my own eyes seeing it.’”
And all the invited guests who belonged to Adonijah trembled and rose, and each went his own way.
And Adonijah was afraid before Solomon; and he rose and went, and took hold of the horns of the altar.
And it was told to Solomon, saying: “Look — Adonijah fears King Solomon; and look, he has grasped the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me this day that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”
And Solomon said, “If he proves to be a son of valor, not one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he shall die.”
And King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar; and he came and prostrated himself to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.”