David’s Last Days
1Now King David was old and advanced in age.1:1 2Sm 5:4; 1Kg 2:10–11; 1Ch 23:1 Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm.1:1 Ec 4:11
2So his servants said to him, “Let us1:2 Lit them search for a young virgin for my lord the king.1:2 Est 2:2 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.”
Adonijah’s Bid for Power
5Adonijah son of Haggith1:5 2Sm 3:4 kept exalting himself, saying, “I will be king!” He prepared chariots, cavalry, and fifty men to run ahead of him.1:5 Heralds announcing his procession1:5 2Sm 15:1
6But his father had never once infuriated1:6 1Sm 3:13 him by asking, “Why did you do that?” 1:6 2Sm 13:21 In addition, he was quite handsome1:6 2Sm 14:25 and was born after Absalom.1:6 2Sm 3:3–4
7He conspired1:7 Lit His words were with Joab son of Zeruiah1:7 1Ch 11:6 and with the priest Abiathar.1:7 1Sm 22:20–23; 2Sm 20:25 They supported1:7 1Kg 2:22 Adonijah,
8but the priest Zadok,1:8 2Sm 20:25; 1Ch 16:39–40 Benaiah son of Jehoiada,1:8 2Sm 8:18 the prophet Nathan,1:8 2Sm 7:2; 2:1–25 Shimei,1:8 1Kg 4:18 Rei, and David’s royal guard1:8 Lit David’s warriors1:8 2Sm 23:8–39 did not side with Adonijah.
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, goats, cattle, and fattened cattle near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel.1:9 Jos 15:7; 18:16; 2Sm 17:17 He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king,1:9 2Sm 15:11–12
Nathan’s and Bathsheba’s Appeals
11Then Nathan1:11 2Sm 12:1,25; 1Kg 1:8,10 said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother,1:11 2Sm 12:24 “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king1:11 2Sm 15:10; 1Kg 1:25; 2:15 and our lord David does not know it?1:11 2Sm 3:26; 1Kg 1:18; 2:32
12Now please come and let me advise you.1:12 Pr 15:22 Save your life and the life of your son Solomon.1:12 1Kg 15:29; 2Kg 10:11
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?1:13 1Kg 1:17,30; 1Ch 22:9–13 So why has Adonijah become king?’
14At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I’ll come in after you and confirm your words.”1:14 1Kg 1:22–27
15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him.1:15 1Kg 1:1–4
16Bathsheba knelt low and paid homage to the king, and he asked, “What do you want?”
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.’
18Now look, Adonijah has become king. And,1:18 Some Hb mss, LXX, Vg, Syr; other Hb mss read And now my lord the king, you didn’t know it.
19He has lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon.
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.
22At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived,1:22 1Kg 1:14
23and it was announced to the king, “The prophet Nathan is here.” He came into the king’s presence and paid homage to him with his face to the ground.
24“My 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 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 the priest Abiathar. And look! They’re eating and drinking in his presence, and they’re saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
26But he did not invite me — me, your servant — or the priest Zadok or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon.
27I’m certain my lord the king would not have let this happen without letting your servant1:27 Some Hb mss, LXX; alt Hb tradition reads servants know who will sit on my lord the king’s throne after him.”
Solomon Confirmed King
28King David responded by saying, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.
29The king swore an oath and said, “As the Lord lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty,1:29 2Sm 4:9
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,1:30 1Kg 1:13 that is exactly what I will do this very day.”1:30 1Kg 1:33–35
32King David then said, “Call in the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me.”1:32 1Kg 1:8,10,26 So they came into the king’s presence.
33The king said to them, “Take my servants1:33 2Sm 20:6 with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule,1:33 2Sm 18:9; Est 6:8; Zch 9:9; Jn 12:14–15 and take him down to Gihon.1:33 2Ch 32:30; 33:14
38Then the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites1:38 2Sm 8:18 went down, had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon.
Adonijah Hears of Solomon’s Coronation
41Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him1:41 1Kg 1:5,7–10 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?” 1:41 2Kg 11:12–13
42He was still speaking when Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest,1:42 2Sm 15:27,36 suddenly arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are an important man, and you must be bringing good news.”1:42 2Sm 18:26–27
43“Unfortunately not,” Jonathan answered him. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44And with Solomon, the king has sent the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king’s mule.
45The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king in Gihon.1:43–45 1Kg 1:33–35 They have gone up from there rejoicing. The town has been in an uproar; that’s the noise you heard.
49Then all of Adonijah’s guests got up trembling and went their separate ways.
50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.1:50 Ex 21:12–14; 1Kg 2:28
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 first1:51 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Vg read today swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”
52Then Solomon said, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground,1:52 1Sm 14:45; 2Sm 14:11; Ac 27:34 but if evil is found in him, he dies.”1:52 1Kg 2:23–25
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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