| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1When David had grown very old, they covered him with blankets, but he could not keep warm, | 1Now King David was old and getting on in years. Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm. |
| 2so his servants suggested to him, "Let's look for a young virgin woman to take care of you, your majesty. She will be of use to you if you have her lie down near you so that your majesty may keep warm." | 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." |
| 3So they conducted a search throughout the territory of Israel for a beautiful young woman, and Abishag the Shunammite was located and brought to the king. | 3They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. |
| 4The young woman was absolutely beautiful. She served the king and was very useful to him. The king was not sexually involved with her. | 4The girl was of unsurpassed beauty, and she became the king's caregiver. She served him, but he was not intimate with her. |
| 5Meanwhile, about this time Haggith's son Adonijah began to seek a reputation for himself and decided, "I'm going to be king!" So he prepared chariots, cavalry, and 50 soldiers to serve as a security detail to guard him. | 5Adonijah son of Haggith kept exalting himself, saying, "I will be king!" He prepared chariots, cavalry, and 50 men to run ahead of him. |
| 6His father had never challenged him at any time during his life by asking him, "Why are you acting like this?" Adonijah was very handsome and had been born after Absalom. | 6But his father had never once reprimanded him by saying, "Why do you act this way?" In addition, he was quite handsome and was born after Absalom. |
| 7He had the support of Zeruiah's son Joab and of Abiathar the priest, who followed Adonijah and assisted him, | 7He conspired with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. They supported Adonijah, |
| 8but Zadok the priest, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's personal elite forces would have nothing to do with Adonijah. | 8but Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's warriors did not side with Adonijah. |
| 9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the Serpent Stone near En-rogel, inviting all of his relatives, the king's sons, and all of the men of Judah who worked for the king, | 9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, 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, |
| 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, David's personal elite forces, or his brother Solomon. | 10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the warriors, or his brother Solomon. |
| 11"Haven't you heard?" Nathan asked Solomon's mother Bathsheba. "Haggith's son Adonijah has become king and David, our true king, isn't aware of it. | 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? |
| 12If you listen to me, you'll save your life and the life of your son Solomon. | 12Now please come and let me advise you. Save your life and the life of your son Solomon. |
| 13Go right now to King David and ask him, 'Your majesty, you promised your servant that "Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne," didn't you? So why has Adonijah become king?' | 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?' |
| 14Then, while you are still talking to the king, I'll come in after you and verify your statement." | 14At that moment, while you are still there speaking with the king, I'll come in after you and confirm your words." |
| 15So Bathsheba went to the king in his private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him. | 15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him. |
| 16Bathsheba knelt and bowed down to the king, and the king asked her, "What do you wish?" | 16Bathsheba bowed down and paid homage to the king, and he asked, "What do you want?" |
| 17"Your majesty," she replied, "you promised your servant in the name of the LORD your God, 'Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and will sit on my throne.' | 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.' |
| 18Now look, Adonijah has become king, and your majesty is not aware of it. | 18Now look, Adonijah has become king. And, my lord the king, you didn't know it. |
| 19Adonijah has sacrificed myriads of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. | 19He has lavishly sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He invited all the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he did not invite your servant Solomon. |
| 20And as for you, your majesty, everyone in Israel is looking to you to tell them who will sit on your majesty's throne after you. | 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. |
| 21Otherwise, as soon as your majesty is laid to rest with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be branded as traitors." | 21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals." |
| 22While she was still talking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. | 22At that moment, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived, |
| 23They informed the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." When he had been ushered into the presence of the king, Nathan bowed low in front of the king with his face to the ground | 23and it was announced to the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." He came into the king's presence and bowed to him with his face to the ground." |
| 24and asked, "Your majesty, did you say 'Adonijah will be king after me and will sit on my throne'? | 24My 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? |
| 25Well now, he went down today and sacrificed lots of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and has invited all the king's sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a party together and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!' | 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 Abiathar the priest. And look! They're eating and drinking in his presence, and they're saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!' |
| 26Of course, he never invited me, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, nor your servant Solomon. | 26But he did not invite me--me, your servant--or Zadok the priest or Benaiah son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. |
| 27Were you behind this, your majesty, without letting your servants know who would sit on your majesty's throne after him?" | 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." |
| 28"Call Bathsheba for me," King David replied. So she came in and stood in front of the king. | 28King David responded by saying, "Call in Bathsheba for me." So she came into the king's presence and stood before him. |
| 29"As the LORD lives," the king said with an oath, "who has redeemed me from all sorts of troubles, | 29The king swore an oath and said, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every difficulty, |
| 30I certainly did tell you in the name of the LORD God of Israel, 'Your son Solomon will be king after me and will sit on my throne in my place.' I'm certainly going to make this happen today!" | 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." |
| 31"King David," Bathsheba said as she bowed low in front of the king with her face to the ground, "your majesty, may you live forever." | 31Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, paying homage to the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!" |
| 32"Get me Zadok the priest," King David said, "along with Nathan the prophet, and Jehoiada's son Benaiah." So they were ushered into the king's presence | 32King David then said, "Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada for me." So they came into the king's presence. |
| 33and David addressed them. "Take your lord's servants, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. | 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. |
| 34Have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Then sound a trumpet and declare 'Long live King Solomon!' | 34There, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him as king over Israel. You are to blow the ram's horn and say, 'Long live King Solomon!' |
| 35After this, you are to follow him back here, and he is to come and sit on my throne and take my place as king, because I've appointed him to be Commander-in-Chief over Israel and Judah." | 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."" |
| 36"Amen!" replied Jehoiada's son Benaiah to the king. "May the LORD God of your majesty make this happen! | 36Amen," Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied to the king. "May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so affirm it. |
| 37As the LORD has been with your majesty the king, so may he be with Solomon. May he make his throne greater than the throne of your majesty, King David." | 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." |
| 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, the special forces and mercenaries went out and had Solomon ride the king's mule all the way to Gihon. | 38Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down, had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and took him to Gihon. |
| 39Zadok the priest brought from his tent a horn filled with oil and anointed Solomon, a trumpet was sounded, and everybody yelled out, "Long live King Solomon!" | 39Zadok the priest 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!" |
| 40All the people followed after him, playing on wind pipes and so full of joy that the earth shook because of all the noise! | 40All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth split open from the sound. |
| 41Right about then, Adonijah and all of his guests were just finishing their meal when they heard all the noise. "Why is the city in such an uproar?" Joab asked as he heard the trumpet sounds. | 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?" |
| 42While he was still asking that question, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest arrived, so Adonijah told him, "Come on in, since you're a worthy man and are bringing us good news!" | 42He was still speaking when Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, suddenly arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are an excellent man, and you must be bringing good news."" |
| 43"No," Jonathan answered. "Our lord King David has installed Solomon as king. | 43Unfortunately not," Jonathan answered him. "Our lord King David has made Solomon king. |
| 44The king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, the special forces and mercenaries, along with Solomon, who is riding the king's personal mule. | 44And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have had him ride on the king's mule. |
| 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him in Gihon, and they just left from there rejoicing, and that's why the city is all in an uproar. That's the noise that you've been hearing! | 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. They have gone from there rejoicing. The town has been in an uproar; that's the noise you heard. |
| 46Solomon now sits on the royal throne. | 46Solomon has even taken his seat on the royal throne." |
| 47In addition to all of this, the king's servants have come along to congratulate our lord King David. They've been telling David 'May your God make Solomon's reputation even more famous than yours, and may he make his throne greater than yours!' The king has himself bowed in worship on his own bed | 47The 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. |
| 48and said 'Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has provided someone to sit on my throne today. I've seen it with my own eyes!'" | 48And the king went on to say this: 'May the LORD God of Israel be praised! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and I am a witness.'" |
| 49Terrified, all of Adonijah's guests jumped up and ran away. | 49Then all of Adonijah's guests got up trembling and went their separate ways. |
| 50Afraid of Solomon, Adonijah also jumped up and headed straight for the horns of the altar. | 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar. |
| 51"Hey look!" somebody informed Solomon. "Adonijah is terrified of King Solomon! He's gone out, grabbed hold of the horns of the altar, and now he's begging King Solomon, 'Swear to me that you won't put your servant to death with a sword!'" | 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.'" |
| 52"If he's done nothing wrong, not a hair of his head will be harmed," Solomon replied. "But if we find evil in him, he's a dead man." | 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." |
| 53So King Solomon sent for him, and he was brought down from the altar. When he had arrived, he fell on his face in front of King Solomon, so Solomon told him, "Go home!" | 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." |
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