| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. | 1Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. |
| 2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” | 2So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.” |
| 3So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. | 3Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. |
| 4The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her. | 4The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her. |
| 5Then 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. | 5At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him. |
| 6(And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) | 6(His father had never once reprimanded him by saying, “Why do you act this way?” Adonijah was also very handsome, born next after Absalom.) |
| 7Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed and helped Adonijah. | 7So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him. |
| 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David were not with Adonijah. | 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah. |
| 9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. | 9And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king. |
| 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his brother. | 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon. |
| 11So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? | 11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it? |
| 12Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. | 12Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. |
| 13Go immediately to King David and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your maidservant, saying, “Assuredly your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ | 13Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ |
| 14Then, while you are still talking there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.” | 14Then, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.” |
| 15So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) | 15So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him. |
| 16And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?” | 16And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?” |
| 17Then she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your maidservant, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’ | 17“My lord,” she replied, “you yourself swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God: ‘Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ |
| 18So now, look! Adonijah has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know about it. | 18But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, did not know it. |
| 19He has sacrificed oxen and 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. | 19And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon. |
| 20And as for you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. | 20And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. |
| 21Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.” | 21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as criminals.” |
| 22And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. | 22And just then, while Bathsheba was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. |
| 23So they told the king, saying, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” And when he came in before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. | 23So the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And Nathan went in and bowed facedown before the king. |
| 24And Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne’? | 24“My lord the king,” said Nathan, “did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’? |
| 25For he has gone down today, and has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and they say, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ | 25For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ |
| 26But he has not invited me—me your servant—nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. | 26But me your servant he did not invite, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. |
| 27Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?” | 27Has my lord the king let this happen without informing your servant who should sit on the throne after my lord the king?” |
| 28Then King David answered and said, “Call Bathsheba to me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before the king. | 28Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. |
| 29And the king took an oath and said, “As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, | 29And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, |
| 30just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, ‘Assuredly Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ so I certainly will do this day.” | 30I will carry out this very day exactly what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel: Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.” |
| 31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and paid homage to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever!” | 31Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!” |
| 32And King David said, “Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. | 32Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. |
| 33The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. | 33“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. |
| 34There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ | 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ |
| 35Then you shall come up after him, and he shall come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.” | 35Then you shall go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. For I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.” |
| 36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen! May the LORD God of my lord the king say so too. | 36“Amen,” replied Benaiah son of Jehoiada. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare 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.” | 37Just as the LORD was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon and make his throne even greater than that of my lord King David.” |
| 38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and took him to Gihon. | 38Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, went down and set Solomon on King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon. |
| 39Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, “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!” |
| 40And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound. | 40All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound. |
| 41Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn, he said, “Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?” | 41Now Adonijah and all his guests were finishing their feast when they heard the sound of the ram’s horn. “Why is the city in such a loud uproar?” asked Joab. |
| 42While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest. And Adonijah said to him, “Come in, for you are a prominent man, and bring good news.” | 42As he was speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” said Adonijah, “for you are a man of valor. You must be bringing good news.” |
| 43Then Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “No! Our lord King David has made Solomon king. | 43“Not at all,” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. |
| 44The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites; and they have made him ride on the king’s mule. | 44And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, and they have set him on the king’s mule. |
| 45So 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. | 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear. |
| 46Also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom. | 46Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. |
| 47And moreover the king’s servants have gone to bless our lord King David, saying, ‘May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ Then the king bowed himself on the bed. | 47The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than your own name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king has bowed in worship on his bed, |
| 48Also the king said thus, ‘Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has given one to sit on my throne this day, while my eyes see it!’ ” | 48saying, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’ ” |
| 49So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid, and arose, and each one went his way. | 49At this, all the guests of Adonijah arose in terror and scattered. |
| 50Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and took hold of the horns of the altar. | 50But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar. |
| 51And it was told Solomon, saying, “Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’ ” | 51It was reported to Solomon: “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me not to put his servant to the sword.’ ” |
| 52Then Solomon said, “If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.” | 52And Solomon replied, “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 will die.” |
| 53So King Solomon sent them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, “Go to your house.” | 53So King Solomon summoned Adonijah down from the altar, and he came and bowed down before King Solomon, who said to him, “Go to your home.” |
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