I Kings 1

¹Now king David had become elderly, and he had many days in his lifetime. And though he was covered with clothes, he was not warmed.

²Therefore, his servants said to him: “Let us seek, for our lord the king, a young virgin. And let her stand before the king, and warm him, and sleep in his bosom, and provide warmth for our lord the king.”

³And so they sought a beautiful young woman in all the parts of Israel. And they found Abishag, a Shunammite, and they led her to the king.

⁴Now the girl was exceedingly beautiful. And she slept with the king, and she ministered to him. Yet truly, the king did not know her.

⁵Then Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying, “I shall reign!” And he appointed for himself chariots and horsemen, with fifty men who would run before him.

⁶Neither did his father chastise him at any time, saying, “Why have you done this?” Now he, too, was very beautiful, the second in birth, after Absalom.

⁷And he conferred with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar, the priest, who gave assistance to the side of Adonijah.

⁸Yet truly, Zadok, the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan, the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, and the mature men of the army of David were not with Adonijah.

⁹Then Adonijah, having immolated rams and calves and every kind of fat cattle beside the Stone of the Serpent, which was in the vicinity of the fountain Rogel, summoned all his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king.

¹⁰But he did not summon Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, and all the mature men, and Solomon, his brother.

¹¹And so Nathan said to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon: “Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has begun to reign, and that our lord David is ignorant of this?

¹²Now then, come, accept my counsel, and save your life and the life of your son Solomon.

¹³Go and enter to king David, and say to him: ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to me, your handmaid, saying: “Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he himself shall sit on my throne?” Then why does Adonijah reign?’

¹⁴And while you are still speaking with the king there, I will enter after you, and I will complete your words.”

¹⁵And so Bathsheba entered to the king in the bedroom. Now the king was very old, and Abishag, the Shunammite, was ministering to him.

¹⁶Bathsheba bowed herself, and she reverenced the king. And the king said to her, “What do you wish?”

¹⁷And responding, she said: “My lord, you swore to your handmaid, by the Lord your God: ‘your son Solomon will reign after me, and he himself shall sit upon my throne.’

¹⁸And now behold, Adonijah reigns, while you, my lord the king, are ignorant of it.

¹⁹He has slain oxen, and every kind of fattened cattle, and many rams. And he has summoned all the sons of the king, as well as Abiathar, the priest, and Joab, the leader of the military. But Solomon, your servant, he did not summon.

²⁰Truly now, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel look with favor upon you, that you may indicate to them who ought to sit upon your throne, my lord the king, after you.

²¹Otherwise, this will be: when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be as sinners.”

²²And while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan, the prophet, arrived.

²³And they announced to the king, saying, “Nathan, the prophet, is here.” And when he had entered in the sight of the king, and he had reverenced prone on the ground,

²⁴Nathan said: “My lord the king, did you say, ‘Let Adonijah reign after me, and let him sit upon my throne?’

²⁵For today, he descended, and he immolated oxen, and fattened cattle, and many rams. And he summoned all the sons of the king, and the leaders of the army, along with Abiathar, the priest. And they are eating and drinking before him, and saying, ‘As king Adonijah lives.’

²⁶But he did not summon me, your servant, and Zadok, the priest, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon, your lowly servant.

²⁷Could this word have gone out from my lord the king, and could you not have revealed it to me, your servant, as to who would be seated upon the throne of my lord the king after him?”

²⁸And king David responded, saying, “Summon to me Bathsheba.” And when she had entered before the king, and she had stood before him,

²⁹the king swore and said: “As the Lord lives, who has rescued my soul from all distress,

³⁰just as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel, saying: ‘Your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he himself shall sit upon my throne in my place,’ so shall I do this day.”

³¹And Bathsheba, having lowered her face to the ground, reverenced the king, saying, “May my lord David live forever.”

³²And king David said, “Summon to me Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada.” And when they had entered before the king,

³³he said to them: “Take with you the servants of your lord, and place my son Solomon upon my mule. And lead him to Gihon.

³⁴And let Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, anoint him in that place as the king over Israel. And you shall sound the trumpet, and you shall say, ‘As king Solomon lives.’

³⁵And you shall ascend after him, and he shall arrive and shall sit upon my throne. And he himself shall reign in my place. And I will command that he be the ruler over Israel and over Judah.”

³⁶And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, responded to the king, saying: “Amen. So says the Lord, the God of my lord the king.

³⁷In the same way that the Lord has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon. And may he make his throne more sublime than the throne of my lord, king David.”

³⁸Then Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, descended, with Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites. And they placed Solomon on the mule of king David, and they led him to Gihon.

³⁹And Zadok, the priest, took the horn of oil from the tabernacle, and he anointed Solomon. And they sounded the trumpet. And all the people said, “As king Solomon lives.”

⁴⁰And the entire multitude ascended after him. And the people were playing on pipes, and rejoicing with great joy. And the earth resounded before the noise of them.

⁴¹Then Adonijah, and all who had been summoned by him, heard it. And now the feast had ended. Then, too, Joab, hearing the voice of the trumpet, said, “What is the meaning of this clamor from the tumultuous city?”

⁴²While he was still speaking, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest, arrived. And Adonijah said to him, “Enter, for you are a valiant man, and you report good news.”

⁴³And Jonathan answered Adonijah: “By no means. For our lord king David has appointed Solomon as king.

⁴⁴And he has sent with him Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites. And they have placed him on the mule of the king.

⁴⁵And Zadok, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, have anointed him king, at Gihon. And they are ascending from there, rejoicing, and so the city resounds. This is the noise that you have heard.

⁴⁶But also, Solomon sits upon the throne of the kingdom.

⁴⁷And the servants of the king, entering, have blessed our lord king David, saying: ‘May God amplify the name of Solomon above your name, and may he magnify his throne above your throne.’ And the king reverenced from his bed.

⁴⁸And he said: ‘Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has bestowed someone to sit upon my throne, while my eyes may see it.’ ”

⁴⁹Therefore, all those who had been summoned by Adonijah were terrified. And they all rose up, and each one went his own way.

⁵⁰Then Adonijah, fearing Solomon, rose up and went away. And he took hold of the horn of the altar.

⁵¹And they reported to Solomon, saying: “Behold, Adonijah, fearing king Solomon, has taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: ‘May king Solomon swear to me this day that he will not put to death his servant with the sword.’ ”

⁵²And Solomon said: “If he is a good man, not so much as one hair of his head shall fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he shall die.”

⁵³Therefore, king Solomon sent and brought him from the altar. And entering, he reverenced king Solomon. And Solomon said to him, “Go to your own house.”

I Kings 1

¹Now king David was old, and advanced in years: and when he was covered with clothes he was not warm.

²His servants therefore, said to him: Let us seek for our Lord the king, a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom and warm our lord the king.

³So they sought a beautiful young woman, in all the coasts of Israel and they found Abisag, a Sunamitess, and brought her to the king.

⁴And the damsel was exceedingly beautiful, and she slept with the king, and served him, but the king did not know her.

⁵And Adonias, the son of Haggith, exalted himself, saying: I will be king. And he made himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

⁶Neither did his father rebuke him at any time, saying: Why hast thou done this? And he also was very beautiful, the next in birth after Absalom.

⁷And he conferred with Joab, the son of Sarvia, and with Abiathar, the priest, who furthered Adonias's side.

⁸But Sadoc, the priest, and Banaias, the son of Joiada, and Nathan, the prophet, and Semei, and Rei, and the strength of David's army, was not with Adonias.

⁹And Adonias having slain rams and calves, and all fat cattle, by the stone of Zoheleth, which was near the fountain Rogel, invited all his brethren, the king's sons, and all the men of Juda, the king's servants:

¹⁰But Nathan, the prophet, and Banaias, and all the valiant men, and Solomon, his brother, he invited not.

¹¹And Nathan said to Bethsabee, the mother of Solomon: Hast thou not heard that Adonias, the son of Haggith, reigneth, and our lord David knoweth it not?

¹²Now then, come, take my counsel, and save thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

¹³Go, and get thee in to king David, and say to him: Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear to me, thy handmaid, saying: Solomon, thy son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne? why then doth Adonias reign?

¹⁴And while thou art yet speaking there with the king, I will come in after thee, and will fill up thy words.

¹⁵So Bethsabee went in to the king into the chamber. Now the king was very old, and Abisag, the Sunamitess, ministered to him.

¹⁶Bethsabee bowed herself, and worshipped the king. And the king said to her: What is thy will?

¹⁷She answered, and said: My lord, thou didst swear to thy handmaid, by the Lord thy God, saying: Solomon, thy son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.

¹⁸And behold, now Adonias reigneth, and thou, my lord the king, knowest nothing of it.

¹⁹He hath killed oxen, and all fat cattle, and many rams, and invited all the king's sons, and Abiathar, the priest, and Joab, the general of the army: but Solomon, thy servant, he invited not.

²⁰And now, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldst tell them, who shall sit on thy throne, my lord the king, after thee.

²¹Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king sleepeth with his fathers, that I, and my son, Solomon, shall be accounted offenders.

²²As she was yet speaking with the king, Nathan, the prophet, came.

²³And they told the king, saying: Nathan, the prophet, is here. And when he was come in before the king, and had worshipped, bowing down to the ground,

²⁴Nathan said: My lord, O king, hast thou said: Let Adonias reign after me, and let him sit upon my throne?

²⁵Because he is gone down to day, and hath killed oxen, and fatlings, and many rams, and invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest: and they are eating and drinking before him, and saying: God save king Adonias:

²⁶But me, thy servant, and Sadoc, the priest, and Banaias, the son of Joiada, and Solomon, thy servant, he hath not invited.

²⁷Is this word come out from my lord the king, and hast thou not told me, thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

²⁸And king David answered, and said: Call to me Bethsabee. And when she was come in to the king, and stood before him,

²⁹The king swore, and said: As the Lord liveth, who hath delivered my soul out of all distress,

³⁰Even as I swore to thee, by the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: Solomon thy son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.

³¹And Bethsabee, bowing with her face to the earth, worshipped the king, saying: May my lord David live for ever.

³²King David also said: Call me Sadoc, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, and Banaias, the son of Joiada. And when they were come in before the king,

³³He said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord, and set my son Solomon upon my mule: and bring him to Gihon:

³⁴And let Sadoc, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, anoint him there king over Israel: and you shall sound the trumpet, and shall say: God save king Solomon.

³⁵And you shall come up after him, and he shall come, and shall sit upon my throne, and he shall reign in my stead: and I will appoint him to be ruler over Israel, and over Juda.

³⁶And Banaias, the son of Joiada, answered the king, saying: Amen: so say the Lord, the God of my lord the king.

³⁷As the Lord hath been with my lord the king, so be he with Solomon, and make his throne higher than the throne of my lord king David.

³⁸So Sadoc, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, went down, and Banaias, the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and Phelethi: and they set Solomon upon the mule of king David, and brought him to Gihon.

³⁹And Sadoc, the priest, took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon: and they sounded the trumpet, and all the people said: God save king Solomon.

⁴⁰And all the multitude went up after him, and the people played with pipes, and rejoiced with a great joy, and the earth rang with the noise of their cry.

⁴¹And Adonias, and all that were invited by him, heard it, and now the feast was at an end. Joab also, hearing the sound of the trumpet, said: What meaneth this noise of the city in an uproar?

⁴²While he yet spoke, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar, the priest, came: and Adonias said to him: Come in, because thou art a valiant man, and bringest good news.

⁴³And Jonathan answered Adonias: Not so: for our lord, king David, hath appointed Solomon king;

⁴⁴And hath sent with him Sadoc, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, and Banaias, the son of Joiada, and the Cerethi, and the Phelethi, and they have set him upon the king's mule:

⁴⁵And Sadoc, the priest, and Nathan, the prophet, have anointed him king, in Gihon: and they are gone up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again: this is the noise that you have heard.

⁴⁶Moreover, Solomon sitteth upon the throne of the kingdom.

⁴⁷And the king's servants going in, have blessed our lord king David, saying: May God make the name of Solomon greater than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king adored in his bed:

⁴⁸And he said: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who hath given this day one to sit on my throne, my eyes seeing it.

⁴⁹Then all the guests of Adonias were afraid, and they all arose, and every man went his way.

⁵⁰And Adonias fearing Solomon, arose and went, and took hold of the horn of the altar.

⁵¹And they told Solomon, saying: Behold Adonias fearing king Solomon, hath taken hold of the horn of the altar, saying: Let king Solomon swear to me this day, that he will not kill his servant with the sword.

⁵²And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much as one hair of his head fall to the ground: but if evil be found in him, he shall die.

⁵³Then king Solomon sent, and brought him out from the altar: and going in, he worshipped king Solomon: and Solomon said to him: Go to thy house.