| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. | 1Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep 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." | 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.” |
| 3Then they searched throughout 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 girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. |
| 4The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her. | 4The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her. |
| 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. | 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(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.) | 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.) |
| 7Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support. | 7So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him. |
| 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David's special guard did not join Adonijah. | 8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah. |
| 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, | 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 or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon. | 10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon. |
| 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? | 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? |
| 12Now then, let me advise you how you can 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 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?' | 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?’ |
| 14While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said." | 14Then, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.” |
| 15So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him. | 15So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him. |
| 16Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king. "What is it you want?" the king asked. | 16And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?” |
| 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.' | 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.’ |
| 18But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, 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 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals." | 21Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as criminals.” |
| 22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. | 22And just then, while Bathsheba was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. |
| 23And the king was told, "Nathan the prophet is here." So he went before the king and bowed 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. |
| 24Nathan said, "Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne? | 24“My lord the king,” said Nathan, “did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’? |
| 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!' | 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 me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite. | 26But me your servant he did not invite, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. |
| 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?" | 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 said, "Call in Bathsheba." So she came into the king's presence and stood before him. | 28Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him. |
| 29The king then took an oath: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, | 29And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress, |
| 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." | 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 down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!" | 31Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!” |
| 32King David said, "Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When 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. |
| 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. | 33“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. |
| 34There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, '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 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." | 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 son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. | 36“Amen,” replied Benaiah son of Jehoiada. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. |
| 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!" | 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 son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David's mule, and they escorted 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. |
| 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!" | 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, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound. | 40All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound. |
| 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?" | 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. |
| 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." | 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.” |
| 43"Not at all!" Jonathan answered. "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 son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 46Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. | 46Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. |
| 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 | 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, |
| 48and said, 'Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.'" | 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.’ ” |
| 49At this, all Adonijah's guests rose in alarm and dispersed. | 49At this, all the guests of Adonijah arose in terror and scattered. |
| 50But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, 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. |
| 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.'" | 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.’ ” |
| 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." | 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.” |
| 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." | 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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