I Kings 1

¹And kyng Dauid wax eld, and hadde ful many daies of age; and whanne he was hilid with clothis, he was not maad hoot.

²Therfor hise seruauntis seiden to hym, Seke we to oure lord the kyng a yong wexynge virgyn; and stonde sche bifor the kyng, and nursche sche hym, and slepe in his bosum, and make hoot oure lord the kyng.

³Therfor thei souyten a yong wexyng virgyn, fair in alle the coostis of Israel; and thei founden Abisag of Sunam, and thei brouyten hir to the kyng.

⁴Forsothe the damysel was ful fair, and sche slepte with the kyng, and mynystride to hym; forsothe the king knew not hir fleischli.

⁵Sotheli Adonye, sone of Agith, was reisid, and seide, Y schal regne. And he made to hym a chare, and knyytis, and fifti men, that runnen bifor hym.

⁶Nether his fadir repreuyde hym ony tyme, and seide, Whi `didist thou this? Forsothe also he was ful fair, the secounde child aftir Absolon; and his word was with Joab,

⁷sone of Saruye, and with `Abiathar, preest, that helpiden the partis of Adonye.

⁸Sotheli Sadoch, the preest, and Banaie, sone of Joiada, and Nathan, the prophete, and Semey, and Cerethi, and Ferethi, and al the strengthe of the oost of Dauid, weren not with Adonye.

⁹Therfor whanne rammes weren offrid, and caluys, and alle fatte thingis, bisidis the stoon Zoelech, that was nyy the welle of Rogel, Adonye clepide alle hise britheren, sones of the kyng, and alle the men of Juda, seruauntis of the kyng.

¹⁰Sotheli `he clepide not Nathan, the profete, and Banaie, and alle stronge men, and Salomon, his brothir.

¹¹Therfor Nathan seide to Bersabee, modir of Salomon, Whether thou herdist, that Adonye, sone of Agith, regnede, and oure lord Dauid knoweth not this?

¹²Now therfor come thou, take thou counsel of me, and saue thi lijf, and of Salomon thi sone.

¹³Go thou, and entre to kyng Dauid, and seie thou to hym, Whether not thou, my lord the kyng, hast swore to me, thin handmaide, and seidist, that Salomon thi sone schal regne aftir me, and he schal sitte in my trone?

¹⁴Whi therfor regneth Adonye? And yit while thou schalt speke there with the kyng, Y schal come aftir thee, and `Y schal fille thi wordis.

¹⁵Therfor Bersabee entride to the kyng in the closet; forsothe the kyng was ful eeld, and Abisag of Sunam `mynystride to hym.

¹⁶Bersabee bowide hir silf, and worschipide the kyng; to whom the kyng seide, What wolt thou to thee?

¹⁷And sche answeride, and seide, My lord the kyng, thou hast swore to thin handmaide bi thi Lord God, Salomon thy sone schal regne aftir me, and he schal sitte in my trone;

¹⁸and lo! Adonye hath regnede now, `while thou, my lord the kyng, knowist not;

¹⁹he hath slayn oxis, and alle fatte thingis, and ful many rammes; and he clepide alle the sones of the king, also `Abiathar preest, and Joab, the prince of chyualri; but he clepide not Salomon, thi seruaunt.

²⁰Netheles, my lord the kyng, the iyen of al Israel biholden in to thee, that thou schewe to hem, who owith to sitte in thi trone, my lord the kyng, aftir thee;

²¹and it schal be, whanne my lord the kyng hath slepte with hise fadris, Y and my sone Salomon schulen be synneris.

²²`While sche spak yit with the king, Nathan, the prophete, cam.

²³And thei telden to the kyng, and seiden, Nathan, the prophete, is present. And whanne he hadde entrid in the siyt of the kyng, and hadde worschipide hym lowli to erthe,

²⁴Nathan seide, My lord the kyng, seidist thou, Adonye regne aftir me, and sitte he on my trone?

²⁵For he cam doun to dai, and offride oxis, and fatte thingis, and ful many wetheris; and he clepide alle the sones of the kyng, also Abiathar, preest; and whanne thei eten, and drunken bifor hym, and seiden, Kyng Adonye lyue;

²⁶he clepide not me, thi seruaunt, and Sadoch, preest, and Banaie, sone of Joiada, and Salomon, thi sone.

²⁷Whether this word yede out fro my lord the kyng, and thou schewidist not to me, thi seruaunt, who schulde sitte on the trone of my lord the king after hym?

²⁸And kyng Dauid answeride, and seide, Clepe ye Bersabee to me. And whanne sche hadde entrid bifor the kyng, and hadde stonde bifor hym, the kyng swoor,

²⁹and seide, The Lord lyueth, that delyueryde my lijf fro al angwisch;

³⁰for as Y swore to thee bi the Lord God of Israel, and seide, Salomon, thi sone, schal regne after me, and he schal sitte on my trone for me, so Y schal do to dai.

³¹And Bersabee, with the cheer cast doun in to erthe, worschipide the kyng, and seide, My lord the kyng Dauid lyue with outen ende.

³²And kyng Dauid seide, Clepe ye Sadoch, the preest, to me, and Nathan, the prophete, and Banaie, sone of Joiada. And whanne thei hadden entrid bifor the kyng,

³³the kyng seide to hem, Take with you the seruauntis of youre lord, and putte ye my sone Salomon on my mule, and lede ye hym in to Gyon.

³⁴And Sadoch, the preest, and Nathan, the profete, anoynte hym in to kyng on Israel and Juda; and ye schulen synge with a clarioun, and ye schulen seie, Lyue kyng Salomon!

³⁵Ye schulen stie aftir hym, and ye schulen come to Jerusalem; and he schal sitte on my trone, and he schal regne for me; and Y schal comaunde to hym, that he be duyk on Israel and on Juda.

³⁶And Banaie, sone of Joiada, answeride to the kyng, and seide, Amen, `that is, so be it, ether verili, ether feithfuli; so speke the Lord God of my lord the kyng.

³⁷As the Lord was with my lord the kyng, so be he with Salomon, and make he the trone of Salomon heiyere than the trone of my lord the kyng Dauid.

³⁸Therfor Sadoch, the preest, yede doun, and Nathan, the prophete, and Banaie, sone of Joiada, and Cerethi, and Ferethi; and thei puttiden Salomon on the mule of Dauid, the kyng, and thei brouyten hym in to Gion.

³⁹And Sadoch, the preest, took an horn of oile of the tabernacle, and anoyntide Salomon; and thei sungen with a clarioun; and al the puple seide, Lyue kyng Salomon!

⁴⁰And al the multitude stiede after hym, and the puple of men syngynge with pipis, and `of men beynge glad with greet ioye, `stiede aftir hym; and the erthe sownede of the cry of hem.

⁴¹Forsothe Adonye herde, and alle that weren clepid of hym to feeste; and thanne the feeste was endid. But also Joab seide, whanne the vois of trumpe was herd, What wole it to it silf the cry of the citee makynge noise?

⁴²Yit the while he spak, Jonathan, sone of Abiathar, the preest, cam; to whom Adonye seide, Entre thou, for thou art a strong man, and tellynge goode thingis.

⁴³And Jonathan answeride to Adonye, Nay; for oure lord the kyng Dauid hath ordeyned Salomon kyng;

⁴⁴and Dauid sente with Salomon Sadoch, the preest, and Nathan, the prophete, and Banaie, sone of Joiada, and Cerethi, and Ferethi; and thei puttiden Salomon on the mule of the kyng.

⁴⁵And Sadoch, the preest, and Nathan, the prophete, anoyntiden hym kyng in Gion; and thei camen doun fro thennus beynge glad, and the citee sownede; this is the vois which ye herden.

⁴⁶But also Salomon sittith on the trone of rewme;

⁴⁷and the seruauntis of the kyng entriden, and blessiden oure lord the kyng Dauid, and seiden, God make large the name of Salomon aboue thi name, and magnyfye his trone aboue thi trone. And kyng Dauid worschipide in his bed;

⁴⁸and ferthermore he spak these thingis, Blessid be the Lord God of Israel, that yaf to dai a sittere in my trone, while myn iyen seen.

⁴⁹Therfor alle, that weren clepid of Adonye to feeste, weren aferd, and risiden, and ech man yede in to his weie.

⁵⁰Sotheli Adonye dredde Salomon, and roos, and yede in to the tabernacle of the Lord, and helde the horn of the auter.

⁵¹And thei telden to Salomon, and seiden, Lo! Adonye dredith the kyng Salomon, and holdith the horn of the auter, and seith, Kyng Salomon swere to me to dai, that he schal not sle his seruaunt bi swerd.

⁵²And Salomon seide, If he is a good man, sotheli not oon heer of hym schal falle in to erthe; but if yuel be foundun in hym, he schal die.

⁵³Therfor kyng Salomon sente, and ledde `hym out fro the auter; and he entride, and worschipide kyng Salomon; and Salomon seide to hym, Go in to thin hows.

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.