| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1King David was very old; even when they covered him with blankets, he could not get warm. | 1When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. |
| 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 attendants said to him, "Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm." |
| 3So they looked through all Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. | 3Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, 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 woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her. |
| 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. | 5Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, "I will be king." So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead 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.) | 6(His father had never rebuked him by asking, "Why do you behave as you do?" He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.) |
| 7He collaborated with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported him. | 7Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support. |
| 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 and Rei and David's special guard did not join 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 then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, 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 special guard 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 asked Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? |
| 12Now let me give you some advice as to how you can save your life and your son Solomon's life. | 12Now then, let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. |
| 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 in to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, did you not swear to me your servant: "Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he 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." | 14While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what 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 to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him. |
| 16Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before the king. The king said, "What do you want?" | 16Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king. "What is it you want?" the king asked. |
| 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 said to him, "My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the LORD your God: 'Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he 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 now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not 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 great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, 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 Solomon your servant. |
| 20Now, my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne. | 20My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. |
| 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." | 21Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals." |
| 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. | 23And the king was told, "Nathan the prophet is here." So he went before the king and bowed 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 said, "Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, 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 gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king's sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and saying, '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 me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite. |
| 27Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants who should succeed my master the king on his throne?" | 27Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?" |
| 28King David responded, "Summon Bathsheba!" She came and stood before the king. | 28Then King David said, "Call in Bathsheba." So she came into the king's presence and stood before him. |
| 29The king swore an oath: "As certainly as the LORD lives (he who has rescued me from every danger), | 29The king then took an oath: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, |
| 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.'" | 30I will surely carry out this very day what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place." |
| 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, prostrating herself before the king, and said, "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, | 32King David said, "Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When they came before the king, |
| 33and he told them, "Take your master's servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. | 33he said to them: "Take your lord's servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take him down to Gihon. |
| 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 have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet 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 you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him 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! | 36Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. |
| 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!" | 37As the LORD was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon to make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!" |
| 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, the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David's mule, and they escorted him to Gihon. |
| 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!" | 39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet 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 went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground 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 all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, "What's the meaning of all the noise in the city?" |
| 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." | 42Even as he was speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news." |
| 43Jonathan replied to Adonijah: "No! Our master King David has made Solomon king. | 43"Not at all!" Jonathan answered. "Our lord King David has made 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 has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king's 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 the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds with it. That's the noise you hear. |
| 46Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne. | 46Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. |
| 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 | 47Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, 'May your God make Solomon's name more famous than yours and his throne greater than yours!' And the king bowed in worship on 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 said, 'Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.'" |
| 49All of Adonijah's guests panicked; they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. | 49At this, all Adonijah's guests rose in alarm and dispersed. |
| 50Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. | 50But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of 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.'" | 51Then Solomon was told, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, 'Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.'" |
| 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 shows himself to be worthy, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, 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." | 53Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, "Go to your home." |
|
