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- When King David was old and well advanced in years, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him.
- So his servants said to him, "Let us look for a young virgin to attend the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm."
- Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
- The girl was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no intimate relations with her.
- Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, "I will be king." So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him.
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- Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
- 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.
- So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
- And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
- 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.
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- (His father had never interfered with him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)
- Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support.
- But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David's special guard did not join Adonijah.
- Adonijah then 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 were royal officials,
- but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.
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- 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.
- And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
- 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.
- 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:
- But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.
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- Then Nathan asked Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king without our lord David's knowing it?
- Now then, let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
- Go in to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, did you not swear to me your servant: "Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?'
- While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and confirm what you have said."
- So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him.
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- 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?
- 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.
- 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?
- Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.
- And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
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- Bathsheba bowed low and knelt before the king. "What is it you want?" the king asked.
- She said to him, "My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the LORD your God: 'Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.'
- But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it.
- He has sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, 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.
- My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
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- And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
- 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.
- And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:
- 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.
- 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.
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- Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals."
- While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
- And they told the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." So he went before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.
- Nathan said, "Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne?
- Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. 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 saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'
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- 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.
- And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.
- 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.
- And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
- 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.
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- But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite.
- Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"
- Then King David said, "Call in Bathsheba." So she came into the king's presence and stood before him.
- The king then took an oath: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble,
- I will surely carry out today what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place."
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- But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
- 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?
- Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
- And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,
- 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.
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- Then Bathsheba bowed low with her face to the ground and, kneeling before the king, said, "May my lord King David live forever!"
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- 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.
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