| Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
| 1Now King David was old and advanced in age. Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm. | 1When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. |
| 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." | 2So his attendants said to him, "Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm." |
| 3They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. | 3Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman 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. | 4The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her. |
| 5Adonijah son of Haggith kept exalting himself, saying, "I will be king!" He prepared chariots, cavalry, and fifty men to run ahead of him. | 5Now 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. |
| 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. | 6(His father had never rebuked him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.) |
| 7He conspired with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar. They supported Adonijah, | 7Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support. |
| 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, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David's special guard did not join 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, | 9Adonijah 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 royal officials of Judah, |
| 10but he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the royal guard, or his brother Solomon. | 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon. |
| 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? | 11Then Nathan asked Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? |
| 12Now please come and let me advise you. Save your life and the life of your son Solomon. | 12Now then, let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your 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 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?' |
| 14At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I'll come in after you and confirm your words." | 14While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said." |
| 15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him. | 15So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him. |
| 16Bathsheba knelt low and paid homage to the king, and he asked, "What do you want?" | 16Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king. "What is it you want?" the king asked. |
| 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.' | 17She 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.' |
| 18Now look, Adonijah has become king. And, my lord the king, you didn't know it. | 18But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it. |
| 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. | 19He 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. |
| 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. | 20My 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. |
| 21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals." | 21Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals." |
| 22At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan arrived, | 22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. |
| 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 the king was told, "Nathan the prophet is here." So he went before the king and bowed 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'? | 24Nathan said, "Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your 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!' | 25Today 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!' |
| 26But he did not invite me--me, your servant--or the priest Zadok or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. | 26But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite. |
| 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 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?" |
| 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 said, "Call in Bathsheba." So she came into the king's presence and stood before him. |
| 29The king swore an oath and said, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty, | 29The king then took an oath: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, |
| 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." | 30I will surely carry out this very day 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." |
| 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 down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!" |
| 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. | 32King David said, "Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When 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. | 33he said to them: "Take your lord's servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take 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!' | 34There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, 'Long live 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 you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah." |
| 36"Amen," Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. "May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it. | 36Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. |
| 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 was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon to make his throne even 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, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David's mule, and they escorted 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!" | 39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, "Long live 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 went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound. |
| 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?" | 41Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, "What's the meaning of all the noise in the city?" |
| 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." | 42Even as he was speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news." |
| 43"Unfortunately not," Jonathan answered him. "Our lord King David has made Solomon king. | 43"Not at all!" Jonathan answered. "Our lord King David has 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. | 44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on 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 at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds with it. That's the noise you hear. |
| 46Solomon has even taken his seat on the royal throne. | 46Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. |
| 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. | 47Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate 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 in worship on his 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 said, 'Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.'" |
| 49Then all of Adonijah's guests got up trembling and went their separate ways. | 49At this, all Adonijah's guests rose in alarm and dispersed. |
| 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar. | 50But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of 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.'" | 51Then Solomon was told, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death 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." | 52Solomon replied, "If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will 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." | 53Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, "Go to your home." |
| The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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