I Kings 1

¹Now when King Dauid was olde, and striken in yeeres, they couered him with clothes, but no heate came vnto him.

²Wherefore his seruants saide vnto him, Let there be sought for my lord ye King a yong virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him: and let her lie in thy bosome, that my lord the King may get heate.

³So they sought for a faire young maide thoroughout all the coastes of Israel, and founde one Abishag a Shunamite, and brought her to the king.

⁴And the maid was exceeding faire, and cherished the king, and ministred to him, but the King knew her not.

⁵Then Adoniiah the sonne of Haggith exalted himselfe, saying, I will be king. And he gate him charets and horsemen, and fiftie men to run before him.

⁶And his father would not displease him from his childehood, to say, Why hast thou done so? And hee was a very goodly man, and his mother bare him next after Absalom.

⁷And he tooke counsel of Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah, and of Abiathar the Priest: and they helped forward Adoniiah.

⁸But Zadok the Priest, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and Nathan the Prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the men of might, which were with Dauid, were not with Adoniiah.

⁹Then Adoniiah sacrificed sheepe and oxen, and fat cattel by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brethren the kings sonnes, and al the men of Iudah ye Kings seruants,

¹⁰But Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah, and the mightie men, and Salomon his brother hee called not.

¹¹Wherefore Nathan spake vnto Bath-sheba the mother of Salomon, saying, Hast thou not heard, that Adoniiah ye sonne of Haggith doeth reigne, and Dauid our lord knoweth it not?

¹²Now therefore come, and I will now giue thee counsell, howe to saue thine owne life, and the life of thy sonne Salomon.

¹³Go, and get thee in vnto King Dauid, and say vnto him, Didest not thou, my lorde, O King, sweare vnto thine handmaide, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my throne? why is then Adoniiah King?

¹⁴Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the King, I also will come in after thee, and confirme thy wordes.

¹⁵So Bath-sheba went in vnto the King into the chamber, and the King was verie olde, and Abishag the Shunammite ministred vnto ye King.

¹⁶And Bath-sheba bowed and made obeisance vnto the King. And the King saide, What is thy matter?

¹⁷And shee answered him, My lorde, thou swarest by the Lord thy God vnto thine handmaide, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and he shall sit vpon my throne.

¹⁸And beholde, nowe is Adoniiah king, and now, my lord, O King, thou knowest it not.

¹⁹And he hath offred many oxen, and fatte cattel, and sheepe, and hath called all the sonnes of the King, and Abiathar the Priest, and Ioab the captaine of the hoste: but Salomon thy seruant hath he not bidden.

²⁰And thou, my lorde, O King, knowest that the eyes of all Israel are on thee, that thou shouldest tell them, who shoulde sit on the throne of my lord the King after him.

²¹For els when my lord the King shall sleepe with his fathers, I and my sonne Salomon shalbe reputed vile.

²²And lo, while she yet talked with the King, Nathan also the Prophet came in.

²³And they tolde the King, saying, Beholde, Nathan the Prophet. And when he was come in to the King, hee made obeisance before the King vpon his face to the ground.

²⁴And Nathan saide, My lorde, O King, hast thou said, Adoniiah shall reigne after mee, and he shall sit vpon my throne?

²⁵For hee is gone downe this day, and hath slaine many oxen, and fat cattel, and sheepe, and hath called al the Kings sonnes, and the captaines of the hoste, and Abiathar the Priest: and behold, they eate and drinke before him, and say, God saue King Adoniiah.

²⁶But me thy seruant, and Zadok the Priest, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and thy seruant Salomon hath he not called.

²⁷Is this thing done by my lord the King, and thou hast not shewed it vnto thy seruant, who should sitte on the throne of my lorde the King after him?

²⁸Then King Dauid answered, and saide, Call me Bath-sheba. And shee came into ye Kings presence, and stoode before the King.

²⁹And the King sware, saying, As the Lord liueth, who hath redeemed my soule out of all aduersitie,

³⁰That as I sware vnto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Salomon thy sonne shall reigne after me, and hee shall sit vpon my throne in my place, so will I certainely doe this day.

³¹Then Bath-sheba bowed her face to the earth, and did reuerence vnto the King, and said, God saue my lord King Dauid for euer.

³²And King Dauid saide, Call mee Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada. And they came before the King.

³³Then the King said vnto them, Take with you the seruants of your lorde, and cause Salomon my sonne to ride vpon mine owne mule, and carie him downe to Gihon.

³⁴And let Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet anoint him there King ouer Israel, and blowe ye the trumpet, and say, God saue king Salomon.

³⁵Then come vp after him, that hee may come and sit vpon my throne: and hee shall bee King in my steade: for I haue appointed him to be prince ouer Israel and ouer Iudah.

³⁶Then Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada answered the King, and said, So be it, and the Lord God of my lord the King ratifie it.

³⁷As the Lord hath bene with my lorde the King, so be he with Salomon, and exalt his throne aboue the throne of my lorde king Dauid.

³⁸So Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites went downe and caused Salomon to ride vpon king Dauids mule, and brought him to Gihon.

³⁹And Zadok the Priest tooke an horne of oyle out of the Tabernacle, and anointed Salomon: and they blewe the trumpet, and all the people said, God saue king Salomon.

⁴⁰And all the people came vp after him, and the people piped with pipes, and reioyced with great ioye, so that the earth rang with the sound of them.

⁴¹And Adoniiah and all the ghestes that were with him, heard it: (and they had made an ende of eating) and when Ioab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, What meaneth this noise and vprore in the citie?

⁴²And as he yet spake, beholde, Ionathan the sonne of Abiathar the Priest came: and Adoniiah said, Come in: for thou art a worthie man, and bringest good tidings.

⁴³And Ionathan answered, and said to Adoniiah, Verely our lord King Dauid hath made Salomon King.

⁴⁴And the King hath sent with him Zadok the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they haue caused him to ride vpon the Kings mule.

⁴⁵And Zadok the Priest, and Nathan ye Prophet haue anointed him King in Gihon: and they are gone vp from thence with ioy, and the citie is moued: this is the noise that ye haue heard.

⁴⁶And Salomon also sitteth on the throne of the kingdome.

⁴⁷And moreouer the Kings seruantes came to blesse our lord King Dauid, saying, God make the name of Salomon more famous then thy name, and exalt his throne aboue thy throne: therefore the King worshipped vpon the bed.

⁴⁸And thus sayd the King also, Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel, who hath made one to sit on my throne this day, euen in my sight.

⁴⁹Then all the ghestes that were with Adonijah, were afraide, and rose vp, and went euery man his way.

⁵⁰And Adonijah fearing the presence of Salomon, arose and went, and tooke holde on the hornes of the altar.

⁵¹And one tolde Salomon, saying, Beholde, Adonijah doeth feare King Salomon: for lo, he hath caught holde on the hornes of the altar, saying, Let King Salomon sweare vnto me this day, that he will not slay his seruant with the sword.

⁵²Then Salomon sayd, If he will shewe him selfe a worthy man, there shall not an heare of him fall to the earth, but if wickednes be found in him, he shall dye.

⁵³Then King Salomon sent, and they brought him from the altar, and he came and did obeisance vnto King Salomon. And Salomon sayde vnto him, Go to thine house.

I Kings 1

¹Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

²Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

³So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

⁴And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

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

⁶And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

⁷And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

⁸But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

⁹And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En–rogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants:

¹⁰But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

¹¹Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath–sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?

¹²Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

¹³Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

¹⁴Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

¹⁵And Bath–sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.

¹⁶And Bath–sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

¹⁷And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

¹⁸And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:

¹⁹And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

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

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

²²And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

²³And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

²⁴And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

²⁵For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

²⁶But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

²⁷Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

²⁸Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath–sheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.

²⁹And the king sware, and said, As the Lord liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

³⁰Even as I sware unto thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

³¹Then Bath–sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

³²And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

³³The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

³⁴And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

³⁵Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

³⁶And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the Lord God of my lord the king say so too.

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

³⁸So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.

³⁹And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

⁴⁰And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

⁴¹And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

⁴²And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

⁴³And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

⁴⁴And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule:

⁴⁵And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

⁴⁶And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

⁴⁷And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

⁴⁸And also thus said the king, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

⁴⁹And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.

⁵⁰And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

⁵¹And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me to day that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

⁵²And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.

⁵³So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.