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 advised³ him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king,⁴ to take care of the king’s needs⁵ and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you⁶ and keep our master, the king, warm.”⁷ 1:3 So they looked through all Israel⁸ 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 sex with her.⁹

1:5 Now Adonijah son of Haggith¹⁰ was promoting himself,¹¹ boasting,¹² “I will be king!” He managed to acquire¹³ chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.¹⁴ 1:6 (Now his father had never corrected¹⁵ him¹⁶ by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.¹⁷) 1:7 He collaborated¹⁸ with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported¹⁹ him. 1:8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors²⁰ did not ally²¹ 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,²² 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,²³ and Solomon his brother.

1:11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you²⁴ that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king behind our master David’s back?²⁵ 1:12 Now²⁶ let me give you some advice as to how²⁷ you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 1:13 Visit²⁸ King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise²⁹ your servant, “Surely Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 1:14 While³⁰ you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive³¹ and verify your report.”³²

1:15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters.³³ (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 1:16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before³⁴ 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 that Solomon your son would be king after you and that he would sit on your throne. 1:18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king! And now,³⁵ my master, O king, it has happened behind your back!³⁶ 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 Solomon your servant. 1:20 Now,³⁷ my master, O king, all Israel is anxiously watching to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne.³⁸ 1:21 If a decision is not made,³⁹ when my master the king is buried with his ancestors,⁴⁰ I and my son Solomon will be considered state criminals.”⁴¹

1:22 Just then,⁴² while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 1:23 David was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor. 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 moment⁴³ they are having a feast⁴⁴ in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’⁴⁵ 1:26 But he did not invite me, your servant, or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or Solomon your servant. 1:27 Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants⁴⁶ who should succeed my master the king on his throne?”⁴⁷

1:28 King David responded,⁴⁸ “Summon Bathsheba!”⁴⁹ She came and stood before the king.⁵⁰ 1:29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the LORD lives (he who has rescued me⁵¹ from every danger),1:30 I will keep⁵² 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 floor⁵³ and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”

1:32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet,⁵⁴ and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 1:33 and he⁵⁵ told them, “Take your master’s⁵⁶ servants with you, put Solomon my son on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon.⁵⁷ 1:34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will designate⁵⁸ 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 decreed⁵⁹ that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 1:36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded⁶⁰ to the king: “So be it!⁶¹ May the LORD God of my master the king confirm it!⁶² 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!”⁶³

1:38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites⁶⁴ went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. 1:39 Zadok the priest took a horn filled with oil⁶⁵ from the tent and poured it on⁶⁶ 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.⁶⁷

1:41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating.⁶⁸ When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?”⁶⁹ 1:42 As he was still speaking, ⁷⁰Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for⁷¹ an important man like you must be bringing good news.”⁷² 1:43 Jonathan replied⁷³ to Adonijah: “No!⁷⁴ Our master⁷⁵ 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 designated⁷⁶ him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in a commotion. That is the sound you hear. 1:46 Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne.⁷⁷ 1:47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulate our master⁷⁸ King David, saying, ‘May your God⁷⁹ make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’⁸⁰ Then the king leaned⁸¹ on the bed 1:48 and said⁸² this, ‘The LORD God of Israel is worthy of praise because⁸³ today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’”⁸⁴

1:49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked⁸⁵; they got up and went their separate ways. 1:50 Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.⁸⁶ 1:51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you; look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise⁸⁷ me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’” 1:52 Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject,⁸⁸ not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor,⁸⁹ he will die.” 1:53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down⁹⁰ from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.”⁹¹