1 King David had grown old, and he was advanced in age. Though they covered him with blankets, he could not stay warm.

Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

2 So his servants said to him, "Let us search for a young virgin to attend to my lord the king. She will care for the king and lie beside him to keep him warm."

Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

3 They searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite. They brought her to the king.

So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 The young woman was very beautiful, and she cared for the king and served him, but the king had no intimate relations with her.

And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

5 Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, "I will become king." He acquired chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 His father had never rebuked him by asking, "Why have you done this?" Adonijah was also very handsome, and he was born after Absalom.

And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

7 Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest, and they supported him.

And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men did not side with Adonijah.

But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah who served the king.

And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:

10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.

But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

11 Then 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 about it?"

Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?

12 "Now go, please, let me advise you so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13 Go to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, did you not swear to your servant, saying, "Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne"? Then why has Adonijah become king?'

Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

14 While you are still speaking to the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words."

Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

15 So Bathsheba went to see the king in his chamber. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him.

And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.

16 Bathsheba bowed low and paid homage to the king. The king asked her, "What is it you want?"

And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

17 She said to him, "My lord, you yourself swore by the LORD your God to your servant, saying, 'Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.'

And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

18 But now Adonijah has made himself king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it.

And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:

19 He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance. He has invited all the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon.

And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

20 Now, 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.

And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21 Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as offenders.

Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.

And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

23 The king was informed, "Nathan the prophet is here." So Nathan came before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.

And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24 Then Nathan said, "My lord the king, have you declared that Adonijah will reign after you and sit on your throne?

And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

25 Today he has gone down and sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance. He has invited all the king's sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him, and they are saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

26 But me—your servant—and Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, he did not invite.

But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

27 Is this decision from my lord the king, without letting your servants know who is to sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"

Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 King David responded, "Call Bathsheba to me." So she came into the king's presence and stood before him.

Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.

29 The king swore an oath and said, "As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every trouble,

And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

30 I will carry out today what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying: 'Your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.'

Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

31 Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground to pay homage to the king and said, "May my lord King David live forever!"

Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

32 King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada to me." When they came before the king,

And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

33 the king said to them, "Take my servants with you, have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and escort him down to Gihon.

The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram's horn and declare, 'Long live King Solomon!'

And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

35 You are to go up with him, and he is to sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.'

Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it!

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.

37 Just as the LORD was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon and make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David."

As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon.

39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram's horn, and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"

And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

40 All the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such great joy that the ground shook from the sound.

And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard the sound as they finished their meal. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, "Why is there such a commotion in the city?"

And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

42 While he was still speaking, Jonathan, son of Abiathar the priest, arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are a worthy man, and surely you bring good news."

And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

43 Jonathan replied to Adonijah, "No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

44 The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites with him, and they have placed him on the king's mule.

And the king hath 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 caused him to ride upon the king's mule:

45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. They have gone up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the noise you heard.

And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

46 Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne.

And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

47 The king's servants have also come to bless our lord King David, saying, 'May your God make Solomon's name more famous than yours and his throne greater than yours!' And the king bowed on his bed in worship.

And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

48 And the king said, 'Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has allowed one of my descendants to sit on my throne today, and my own eyes have seen it.'"

And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

49 At this, all the guests who were with Adonijah were terrified; they got up and scattered, each going his own way.

And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.

50 But Adonijah, fearing Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

51 It was reported to Solomon, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death by the sword.'"

And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

52 Solomon replied, "If he proves himself to be a man of integrity, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die."

And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.

53 So King Solomon sent men, and they brought Adonijah down from the altar. He came and bowed to King Solomon, who said to him, "Go to your home."

So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.