| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. | 1King David was very old; even when they covered him with blankets, he could not get warm. |
| 2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” | 2His servants advised him, "A young virgin must be found for our master, the king, to take care of the king's needs and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you and keep our master, the king, warm." |
| 3So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. | 3So they looked through all Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. |
| 4The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not. | 4The young woman was very beautiful; she became the king's nurse and served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her. |
| 5Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. | 5Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith, was promoting himself, boasting, "I will be king!" He managed to acquire chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. |
| 6His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, “Why have you done thus and so?” He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom. | 6(Now his father had never corrected him by saying, "Why do you do such things?" He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.) |
| 7He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him. | 7He collaborated with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported him. |
| 8But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David’s mighty men were not with Adonijah. | 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's elite warriors did not ally themselves with Adonijah. |
| 9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent’s Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, | 9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, as well as all the men of Judah, the king's servants. |
| 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother. | 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, or his brother Solomon. |
| 11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it? | 11Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Has it been reported to you that Haggith's son Adonijah has become king behind our master David's back? |
| 12Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. | 12Now let me give you some advice as to how you can save your life and your son Solomon's life. |
| 13Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then is Adonijah king?’ | 13Visit King David and say to him, 'My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise your servant, "Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne"? So why has Adonijah become king?' |
| 14Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.” | 14While you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive and verify your report." |
| 15So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king). | 15So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters. (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) |
| 16Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king, and the king said, “What do you desire?” | 16Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before the king. The king said, "What do you want?" |
| 17She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ | 17She replied to him, "My master, you swore an oath to your servant by the LORD your God, 'Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne.' |
| 18And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it. | 18But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you, my master the king, are not even aware of it! |
| 19He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he has not invited. | 19He 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 your servant Solomon. |
| 20And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. | 20Now, my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. |
| 21Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.” | 21If a decision is not made, when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be considered state criminals." |
| 22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. | 22Just then, while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. |
| 23And they told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed before the king, with his face to the ground. | 23The king was told, "Nathan the prophet is here." Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor. |
| 24And Nathan said, “My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? | 24Nathan said, "My master, O king, did you announce, 'Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne'? |
| 25For he has gone down this day and has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ | 25For 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 moment they are having a feast in his presence, and they have declared, 'Long live King Adonijah!' |
| 26But me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not invited. | 26But he did not invite me--your servant--or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. |
| 27Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not told your servants who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” | 27Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants who should succeed my master the king on his throne?" |
| 28Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. | 28King David responded, "Summon Bathsheba!" She came and stood before the king. |
| 29And the king swore, saying, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity, | 29The king swore an oath: "As certainly as the LORD lives (he who has rescued me from every danger), |
| 30as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ even so will I do this day.” | 30I will keep 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.'" |
| 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground and paid homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!” | 31Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor and said, "May my master, King David, live forever!" |
| 32King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. | 32King David said, "Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." They came before the king, |
| 33And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. | 33and he told them, "Take your master's servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. |
| 34And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet there anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ | 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, 'Long live King Solomon!' |
| 35You shall then come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, for he shall be king in my place. And I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.” | 35Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah." |
| 36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say so. | 36Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded to the king: "So be it! May the LORD God of my master the king confirm it! |
| 37As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.” | 37As 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!" |
| 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule and brought him to Gihon. | 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, put Solomon on King David's mule, and led him to Gihon. |
| 39There Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!” | 39Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil from the tent and poured it on Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared, "Long live King Solomon!" |
| 40And all the people went up after him, playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth was split by their noise. | 40All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake. |
| 41Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, “What does this uproar in the city mean?” | 41Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, "Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?" |
| 42While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a worthy man and bring good news.” | 42As he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in, for an important man like you must be bringing good news." |
| 43Jonathan answered Adonijah, “No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king, | 43Jonathan replied to Adonijah: "No! Our master King David has made Solomon king. |
| 44and the king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites. And they had him ride on the king’s mule. | 44The 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. |
| 45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you have heard. | 45Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. |
| 46Solomon sits on the royal throne. | 46Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne. |
| 47Moreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king bowed himself on the bed. | 47The king's servants have even come to congratulate our master King David, saying, 'May your God make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!' Then the king leaned on the bed |
| 48And the king also said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it.’” | 48and said this: 'The LORD God of Israel is worthy of praise because today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.'" |
| 49Then all the guests of Adonijah trembled and rose, and each went his own way. | 49All of Adonijah's guests panicked; they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. |
| 50And Adonijah feared Solomon. So he arose and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. | 50Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. |
| 51Then it was told Solomon, “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, for behold, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’” | 51Solomon was told, "Look, Adonijah fears you; see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'May King Solomon solemnly promise me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'" |
| 52And Solomon said, “If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” | 52Solomon said, "If he is a loyal subject, not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor, he will die." |
| 53So King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.” | 53King Solomon sent men to bring him down from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, "Go home." |
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