| NET Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1King David was very old; even when they covered him with blankets, he could not get warm. | 1King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep 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." | 2So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.” |
| 3So they looked through all Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. | 3So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. |
| 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. | 4The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her. Adonijah Claims the Throne |
| 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. | 5About that time David’s son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, “I will make myself king.” So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him. |
| 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.) | 6Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, “Why are you doing that?” Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome. |
| 7He collaborated with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported him. | 7Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king. |
| 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's elite warriors did not ally themselves with Adonijah. | 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah. |
| 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. | 9Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah. |
| 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, or his brother Solomon. | 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king’s bodyguard or his brother Solomon. |
| 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? | 11Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and asked her, “Haven’t you heard that Haggith’s son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn’t even know about it? |
| 12Now let me give you some advice as to how you can save your life and your son Solomon's life. | 12If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice. |
| 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?' | 13Go at once to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, didn’t you make a vow and say to me, “Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ |
| 14While you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive and verify your report." | 14And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said.” |
| 15So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters. (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) | 15So Bathsheba went into the king’s bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.) |
| 16Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before the king. The king said, "What do you want?" | 16Bathsheba bowed down before the king. “What can I do for you?” he asked her. |
| 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.' | 17She replied, “My lord, you made a vow before the LORD your God when you said to me, ‘Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.’ |
| 18But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you, my master the king, are not even aware of it! | 18But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it. |
| 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. | 19He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. |
| 20Now, my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. | 20And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you. |
| 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." | 21If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died.” |
| 22Just then, while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. | 22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. |
| 23The king was told, "Nathan the prophet is here." Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor. | 23The king’s officials told him, “Nathan the prophet is here to see you.” Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground. |
| 24Nathan said, "My master, O king, did you announce, 'Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne'? | 24Nathan asked, “My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne? |
| 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!' | 25Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king’s sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ |
| 26But he did not invite me--your servant--or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. | 26But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon. |
| 27Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants who should succeed my master the king on his throne?" | 27Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?” David Makes Solomon King |
| 28King David responded, "Summon Bathsheba!" She came and stood before the king. | 28King David responded, “Call Bathsheba!” So she came back in and stood before the king. |
| 29The king swore an oath: "As certainly as the LORD lives (he who has rescued me from every danger), | 29And the king repeated his vow: “As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every danger, |
| 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.'" | 30your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the LORD, the God of Israel.” |
| 31Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor and said, "May my master, King David, live forever!" | 31Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground before the king and exclaimed, “May my lord King David live forever!” |
| 32King David said, "Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." They came before the king, | 32Then King David ordered, “Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came into the king’s presence, |
| 33and he told them, "Take your master's servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. | 33the king said to them, “Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule. |
| 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, 'Long live King Solomon!' | 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram’s horn and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ |
| 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." | 35Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” |
| 36Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded to the king: "So be it! May the LORD God of my master the king confirm it! | 36“Amen!” Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, decree that it happen. |
| 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!" | 37And may the LORD be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon’s reign even greater than yours!” |
| 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. | 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king’s bodyguard took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David’s own mule. |
| 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!" | 39There Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram’s horn and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” |
| 40All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake. | 40And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound. |
| 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?" | 41Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram’s horn, he asked, “What’s going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?” |
| 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." | 42And while he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” Adonijah said to him, “for you are a good man. You must have good news.” |
| 43Jonathan replied to Adonijah: "No! Our master King David has made Solomon king. | 43“Not at all!” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king! |
| 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. | 44The king sent him down to Gihon Spring with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, protected by the king’s bodyguard. They had him ride on the king’s own mule, |
| 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. | 45and Zadok and Nathan have anointed him at Gihon Spring as the new king. They have just returned, and the whole city is celebrating and rejoicing. That’s what all the noise is about. |
| 46Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne. | 46What’s more, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne as king. |
| 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 | 47And all the royal officials have gone to King David and congratulated him, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon’s reign be even greater than yours!’ Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed, |
| 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.'" | 48and he said, ‘Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.’” |
| 49All of Adonijah's guests panicked; they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. | 49Then all of Adonijah’s guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly scattered. |
| 50Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. | 50Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and grabbed on to the horns of the altar. |
| 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.'" | 51Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar in fear, and that he was pleading, “Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!” |
| 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." | 52Solomon replied, “If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die.” |
| 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." | 53So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed respectfully before King Solomon, who dismissed him, saying, “Go on home.” |
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