| Christian Standard Bible | King James Bible |
| 1Now King David was old and advanced in age. Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm. | 1Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. |
| 2So his servants said to him: "Let us search for a young virgin for my lord the king. 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." | 2Wherefore 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. |
| 3They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. | 3So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. |
| 4The girl was of unsurpassed beauty, and she became the king's caregiver. She attended to him, but he was not intimate with her. | 4And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not. |
| 5Adonijah son of Haggith kept exalting himself, saying, "I will be king!" He prepared chariots, cavalry, and fifty men to run ahead of him. | 5Then 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. |
| 6But his father had never once infuriated him by asking, "Why did you do that?" In addition, he was quite handsome and was born after Absalom. | 6And 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. |
| 7He conspired with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar. They supported Adonijah, | 7And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him. |
| 8but the priest Zadok, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the prophet Nathan, Shimei, Rei, and David's royal guard did not side with Adonijah. | 8But 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. |
| 9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, goats, cattle, and fattened cattle near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king, | 9And 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: |
| 10but he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the royal guard, or his brother Solomon. | 10But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not. |
| 11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king and our lord David does not know it? | 11Wherefore 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? |
| 12Now please come and let me advise you. Save your life and the life of your son Solomon. | 12Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. |
| 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? So why has Adonijah become king?' | 13Go 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? |
| 14At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I'll come in after you and confirm your words." | 14Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words. |
| 15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him. | 15And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king. |
| 16Bathsheba knelt low and paid homage to the king, and he asked, "What do you want?" | 16And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou? |
| 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.' | 17And 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. |
| 18Now look, Adonijah has become king. And, my lord the king, you didn't know it. | 18And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not: |
| 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. | 19And 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. |
| 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. | 20And 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. |
| 21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals." | 21Otherwise 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. |
| 22At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived, | 22And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. |
| 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. | 23And 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"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'? | 24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon 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!' | 25For 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. |
| 26But he did not invite me--me, your servant--or the priest Zadok or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. | 26But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called. |
| 27I'm certain my lord the king would not have let this happen without letting your servant know who will sit on my lord the king's throne after him." | 27Is 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? |
| 28King David responded by saying, "Call in Bathsheba for me." So she came into the king's presence and stood before him. | 28Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. |
| 29The king swore an oath and said, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty, | 29And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress, |
| 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, that is exactly what I will do this very day." | 30Even 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. |
| 31Bathsheba knelt low with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!" | 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever. |
| 32King David then said, "Call in the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me." So they came into the king's presence. | 32And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. |
| 33The king said to them, "Take my servants with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. | 33The 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: |
| 34There, the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan are to anoint him as king over Israel. You are to blow the ram's horn and say, 'Long live King Solomon!' | 34And 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. |
| 35You are to come up after him, and he is to come in and sit on my throne. He is the one who is to become king in my place; he is the one I have commanded to be ruler over Israel and Judah." | 35Then 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"Amen," Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. "May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it. | 36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. |
| 37Just as the LORD was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David." | 37As 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. |
| 38Then the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down, had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and took him to Gihon. | 38So 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. |
| 39The priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram's horn, and all the people proclaimed, "Long live King Solomon!" | 39And 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. |
| 40All the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth split open from the sound. | 40And 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. |
| 41Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him 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?" | 41And 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? |
| 42He was still speaking when Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, suddenly arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are an important man, and you must be bringing good news." | 42And 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"Unfortunately not," Jonathan answered him. "Our lord King David has made Solomon king. | 43And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath 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. | 44And 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: |
| 45The priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king in Gihon. They have gone up from there rejoicing. The town has been in an uproar; that's the noise you heard. | 45And 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. |
| 46Solomon has even taken his seat on the royal throne. | 46And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom. |
| 47"The king's servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, 'May your God make the name of Solomon more well known than your name, and may he make his throne greater than your throne.' Then the king bowed in worship on his bed. | 47And 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. |
| 48And the king went on to say this: 'Blessed be the LORD God of Israel! Today he has provided one to sit on my throne, and I am a witness.'" | 48And 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. |
| 49Then all of Adonijah's guests got up trembling and went their separate ways. | 49And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way. |
| 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar. | 50And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. |
| 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 first swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'" | 51And 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. |
| 52Then Solomon said, "If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, he dies." | 52And 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. |
| 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." | 53So 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. |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. |
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