I Kings Chapter 1

I Kings Chapter 1
1 Now when king David was old, and
stricken in years, they covered him with
clothes, but no heat came unto him.
2 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 cherish him: and let her lie in
thy bosom, that my lord the king may get
heat.
3 So they sought for a fair young maid
throughout all the coasts of Israel, and
found one Abishag a Shunammite, and
brought her to the king.
4 And the maid was exceeding fair, and
cherished the king, and ministered to
him, but the king knew her not.
5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith
exalted himself, saying, I will be king.
And he gat him chariots and horsemen,
and fifty men to run before him. 6 And
his father would not displease him from
his childhood, to say, Why hast thou
done so? And he was a very goodly man,
and his mother bear him next after
Absalom.
7 And he took counsel of Joab the son of
Zeruiah, and of Abiathar the priest: and
they helped forward Adonijah.
8 But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the
son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet,
and Shimei, and Rei, and the men of
might, which were with David, were not
with Adonijah.
9 Then Adonijah sacrificed sheep and
oxen, and fat cattle by the stone of
Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and
called all his brethren the king's sons,
and all the men of Judah the King's
servants,
10 But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah,
and the mighty men, and Solomon his
brother he called not.
11 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 therefore come, and I will now
give thee counsel, how to save thine own
life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
13 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 is then Adonijah king?
14 Behold, while thou yet talkest there
with the king, I also will come in after
thee, and confirm thy words.
15 So Bath-sheba went in unto the king
into the chamber, and the king was very
old, and Abishag the Shunammite
ministered unto the king.
16 And Bath-sheba bowed and made
obeisance unto the king. And the king
said, What is thy matter?
17 And she answered him, My lord, thou
swearest 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 And behold, now is Adonijah king,
and now, my lord, O king, thou knowest
it not.
19 And he hath offered many oxen, and
fat cattle, and sheep, 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
bidden.
20 And thou, my lord, O king, knowest
that the eyes of all Israel are on thee,
that thou shouldest tell them, who should
sit on the throne of my lord the king after
him.
21 For else when my lord the king shall
sleep with his fathers, I and my son
Solomon shall be reputed vile.
22 And lo, while she yet talked with the
king, Nathan also the prophet came in.
23 And they told the king, saying,
Behold, Nathan the prophet. And when
he was come in to the king, he made
obeisance before the king upon his face
to the ground.
24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king,
hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after
me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25 For he is gone down this day, and
hath slain many oxen, and fat cattle, and
sheep, 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 thy servant, and Zadok the
priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,
and thy servant Solomon hath he not
called.
27 Is this thing done by my lord the king,
and thou hast not showed it unto thy
servant, who should sit on the throne of
my lord the king after him?
28 Then king David answered, and said,
Call me Bath-sheba. And she came into
the king's presence, and stood before the
king.
29 And the king swear, saying, As the
Lord liveth, who hath redeemed my soul
out of all adversity,
30 That as I swear 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
place, so will I certainly do this day.
31 Then Bath-sheba bowed her face to
the earth, and did reverence unto the
king, and said, God save my lord king
David forever.
32 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 Then the king
said unto them, Take with you the
servants of your lord, and cause
Solomon my son to ride upon mine own
mule, and carry him down to Gihon.
34 And let Zadok the priest and Nathan
the prophet anoint him there king over
Israel, and blow ye the trumpet, and say,
God save king Solomon. 35 Then come
up after him, that he may come and sit
upon my throne: and he shall be king in
my stead: for I have appointed him to be
prince over Israel and over Judah.
36 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada
answered the king, and said, So be it,
and the Lord God of my lord the king
ratify it.
37 As the Lord hath been with my lord
the king, so be he with Solomon, and
exalt his throne above the throne of my
lord king David.
38 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 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 And all the people came up after him,
and the people piped with pipes, and
rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth
rang with the sound of them. 41 And
Adonijah and all the guests that were
with him, heard it: (and they had made
an end of eating) and when Joab heard
the sound of the trumpet, he said, What
meaneth this noise and uproar in the
city?
42 And as he yet spake, behold, Jonathan
the son of Abiathar the priest came: and
Adonijah said, Come in: for thou art a
worthy man, and bringest good tidings.
43 And Jonathan answered, and said to
Adonijah, Verily our lord king David
hath made Solomon king.
44 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 And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
prophet have anointed him king in
Gihon: and they are gone up from thence
with joy, and the city is moved: this is
the noise that ye have heard.
46 And Solomon also sitteth on the
throne of the kingdom.
47 And moreover the king's servants
came to bless our lord king David,
saying, God make the name of Solomon
more famous than thy name, and exalt his
throne above thy throne: therefore the
king worshiped upon the bed. 48 And
thus said the king also, Blessed be the
Lord God of Israel, who hath made one
to sit on my throne this day, even in my
sight.
49 Then all the guests that were with
Adonijah, were afraid, and rose up, and
went every man his way.
50 And Adonijah fearing the presence of
Solomon, arose and went, and took hold
on the horns of the altar.
51 And one told Solomon, saying,
Behold, Adonijah doth fear king
Solomon: for lo, he hath caught hold on
the horns of the altar, saying, Let king
Solomon swear unto me this day, that he
will not slay his servant with the sword.
52 Then Solomon said, If he will show
himself a worthy man, there shall not an
hair of him fall to the earth, but if
wickedness be found in him, he shall
die. 53 Then king Solomon sent, and they
brought him from the altar, and he came
and did obeisance unto king Solomon.
And Solomon said unto him, Go to thine
house.