1Kings 1:53 - Prayer Tents



Share: Select All button

Previous ChapterNext ChapterReduce Font SizeIncrease Font Size
1Kings 1
International Standard Version Help

Adonijah’s Attempted Coup

1When David had grown very old, they covered him with blankets, but he could not keep warm,H4428H1732H2204H935H3117H3680H899H3179
2so his servants suggested to him, "Let's look for a young virgin woman to take care of you, your majesty. She will be of use to you if you have her lie down near you so that your majesty may keep warm."H5650H559H1245H113H4428H5291H1330H5975H6440H4428H5532H7901H2436H113H4428H2552
3So they conducted a search throughout the territory of Israel for a beautiful young woman, and Abishag the Shunnamite was located and brought to the king.H1245H3303H5291H1366H3478H4672H49H7767H935H4428
4The young woman was absolutely beautiful. She served the king and was very useful to him. The king was not sexually involved with her.H5291H3966H3303H5532H4428H8334H4428H3045
5Meanwhile, about this time Haggith's son Adonijah began to seek a reputation for himself and decided, "I'm going to be king!" So he prepared chariots, cavalry, and 50 soldiers to serve as a security detail to guard him.H138H1121H2294H4984H559H4427H6213H7393H6571H2572H376H7323H6440
6His father had never challenged him at any time during his life by asking him, "Why are you acting like this?" Adonijah was very handsome and had been born after Absalom.H1H6087H3117H559H6213H3966H2896H8389H3205H310H53
7He had the support of Zeruiah's son Joab and of Abiathar the priest, who followed Adonijah and assisted him,H1697H3097H1121H6870H54H3548H310H138H5826
8but Zadok the priest, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's personal elite forces would have nothing to do with Adonijah.H6659H3548H1141H1121H3077H5416H5030H8096H7472H1368H1732H138
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the Serpent Stone near Enrogel, inviting all of his relatives, the king's sons, and all of the men of Judah who worked for the king,H138H2076H6629H1241H4806H68H2120H681H5883H7121H251H4428H1121H582H3063H4428H5650
10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, David's personal elite forces, or his brother Solomon.H5416H5030H1141H1368H8010H251H7121

Nathan and Bathsheba Confer about Adonijah

11"Haven't you heard?" Nathan asked Solomon's mother Bathsheba. "Haggith's son Adonijah has become king and David, our true king, isn't aware of it?H5416H559H1339H517H8010H559H8085H138H1121H2294H4427H1732H113H3045
12If you listen to me, you'll save your life and the life of your son Solomon.H3212H3289H6098H4422H5315H5315H1121H8010
13Go right now to King David and ask him, 'Your majesty, you promised your servant that "Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and shall sit on my throne," didn't you?So why has Adonijah become king?'H3212H935H4428H1732H559H113H4428H7650H519H559H3588H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678H138H4427
14Then, while you are still talking to the king, I'll come in after you and verify your statement."H1696H4428H935H310H4390H1697
15So Bathsheba went to the king in his private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunnamite was attending to him.H1339H935H4428H2315H4428H3966H2204H49H7767H8334H4428
16Bathsheba knelt and bowed down to the king, and the king asked her, "What do you wish?"H1339H6915H7812H4428H4428H559
17"Your majesty," she replied, "you promised your servant in the name of the Lord your God, 'Your son Solomon will certainly become king after me and shall sit on my throne.'H559H113H7650H3068H430H519H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678
18Now look, Adonijah has become king, and your majesty is not aware of it.H138H4427H113H4428H3045
19Adonijah has sacrificed myriads of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and he has invited all of the king's sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon.H2076H7794H4806H6629H7230H7121H1121H4428H54H3548H3097H8269H6635H8010H5650H7121
20And as for you, your majesty, everyone in Israel is looking to you to tell them who will sit on your majesty's throne after you.H113H4428H5869H3478H5046H3427H3678H113H4428H310
21Otherwise, as soon as your majesty is laid to rest with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be branded as traitors."H113H4428H7901H1H1121H8010H2400
22While she was still talking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.H1696H4428H5416H5030H935
23They informed the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." When he had been ushered into the presence of the king, Nathan bowed low in front of the king with his face to the groundH5046H4428H559H5416H5030H935H6440H4428H7812H4428H639H776
24and asked, "Your majesty, didn't you say 'Adonijah shall be king after me and shall sit on my throne'?H5416H559H113H4428H559H138H4427H310H3427H3678
25Well now, he went down today and sacrificed lots of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep, and has invited all the king's sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a party together and saying, 'Long live King Adonijah!'H3381H3117H2076H7794H4806H6629H7230H7121H4428H1121H8269H6635H54H3548H398H8354H6440H559H2421H4428H138
26Of course, he never invited me, Zadok the priest, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, nor your servant Solomon.H5650H6659H3548H1141H1121H3077H5650H8010H7121
27Were you behind this, your majesty, without letting your servants know who would sit on your majesty's throne after him?"H1697H1961H113H4428H3045H5650H3427H3678H113H4428H310

David Affirms Solomon as King

28"Call Bathsheba for me," King David replied. So she came in and stood in front of the king.H4428H1732H6030H559H7121H1339H935H4428H6440H5975H6440H4428
29"As the Lord lives," the king said with an oath, "who has redeemed me from all sorts of troubles,H4428H7650H559H3068H2416H6299H5315H6869
30I certainly did tell you in the name of the Lord God of Israel, 'Your son Solomon shall be king after me and shall sit on my throne in my place.' I'm certainly going to make this happen today!"H7650H3068H430H3478H559H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678H6213H3117
31"King David," Bathsheba said as she bowed low in front of the king with her face to the ground, "your majesty, may you live forever."H1339H6915H639H776H7812H4428H559H113H4428H1732H2421H5769
32"Get me Zadok the priest," King David said, "along with Nathan the prophet, and Jehoiada's son Benaiah." So they were ushered into the king's presenceH4428H1732H559H7121H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H935H6440H4428
33and David addressed them. "Take your lord's servants, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.H4428H559H3947H5650H113H8010H1121H7392H6506H3381H1521
34Have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Then sound a trumpet and declare 'Long live King Solomon!'H6659H3548H5416H5030H4886H4428H3478H8628H7782H559H2421H4428H8010
35After this, you are to follow him back here, and he is to come and sit on my throne and take my place as king, because I've appointed him to be commander-in-chief over Israel and Judah."H5927H310H935H3427H3678H4427H6680H5057H3478H3063
36"Amen!" replied Jehoiada's son Benaiah to the king. "May the Lord God of your majesty make this happen!H1141H1121H3077H6030H4428H559H543H3068H430H113H4428H559
37As the Lord has been with your majesty the king, so may he be with Solomon. May he make his throne greater than the throne of your majesty, King David."H3068H113H4428H8010H1431H3678H1431H3678H113H4428H1732

Solomon is Anointed King

38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went out and had Solomon ride the king's mule all the way to Gihon.H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H3381H8010H7392H4428H1732H6506H3212H1521
39Zadok the priest brought from his tent a horn filled with oil and anointed Solomon, a trumpet was sounded, and everybody yelled out, "Long live King Solomon!"H6659H3548H3947H7161H8081H168H4886H8010H8628H7782H5971H559H2421H4428H8010
40All the people followed after him, playing on wind pipes and so full of joy that the earth shook because of all the noise!H5971H5927H310H5971H2490H2485H8056H1419H8057H776H1234H6963
41Right about then, Adonijah and all of his guests were just finishing their meal when they heard all the noise. "Why is the city in such an uproar?" Joab asked as he heard the trumpet sounds.H138H7121H8085H3615H398H3097H8085H6963H7782H559H6963H7151H1993
42While he was still asking that question, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest arrived, so Adonijah told him, "Come on in, since you're a worthy man and are bringing us good news!"H1696H3129H1121H54H3548H935H138H559H935H2428H376H381H1319H2896H1319
43"No," Jonathan answered. "Our lord King David has installed Solomon as king.H3129H6030H559H138H61H113H4428H1732H8010H4427
44The king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Jehoiada's son Benaiah, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites along with Solomon, who is riding the king's personal mule.H4428H7971H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H7392H4428H6506
45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him in Gihon, and they just left from there rejoicing, and that's why the city is all in an uproar. That's the noise that you've been hearing! Solomon now sits on the royal throne.H6659H3548H5416H5030H4886H4428H1521H5927H8056H7151H1949H6963H8085
47In addition to all of this, the king's servants have come along to congratulate our lord King David. They've been telling David 'May your God make Solomon's reputation even more famous than yours, and may he make his throne greater than yours!' The king has himself bowed in worship on his own bedH4428H5650H935H1288H113H4428H1732H559H430H8034H8010H3190H8034H1431H3678H1431H3678H4428H7812H4904
48and said 'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who has provided someone to sit on my throne today. I've seen it with my own eyes!'"1H559H4428H1288H3068H430H3478H5414H3427H3678H3117H5869H7200
49Terrified, all of Adonijah's guests jumped up and ran away. 50Afraid of Solomon, Adonijah also jumped up and headed straight for the horns of the altar.49H7121H138H2729H6965H3212H376H1870
51"Hey look!" somebody informed Solomon. "Adonijah is terrified of King Solomon! He's gone out, grabbed hold of the horns of the altar, and now he's begging King Solomon, 'Swear to me that you won't put your servant to death with a sword!'"1H5046H8010H559H138H3372H4428H8010H270H7161H4196H559H4428H8010H7650H3117H4191H5650H2719
52"If he's done nothing wrong, not a hair of his head will be harmed," Solomon replied. "But if we find evil in him, he's a dead man."H8010H559H2428H1121H8185H5307H776H7451H4672H4191
53So King Solomon sent for him, and he was brought down from the altar. When he had arrived, he fell on his face in front of King Solomon, so Solomon told him, "Go home!"H4428H8010H7971H3381H4196H935H7812H4428H8010H8010H559H3212H1004


International Standard Version. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible: International Standard Version®. Copyright © 1996-forever by The ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission. More details.
Old Testament
  • 25. Lamentations (5)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 29. Joel (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 31. Obadiah (1)
  • 1
  • 34. Nahum (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 35. Habakkuk (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 36. Zephaniah (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 37. Haggai (2)
  • 1
  • 2

New Testament
  • 50. Philippians (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 51. Colossians (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 52. 1 Thessalonians (5)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 53. 2 Thessalonians (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 55. 2 Timothy (4)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 56. Titus (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 57. Philemon (1)
  • 1
  • 61. 2 Peter (3)
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 63. 2 John (1)
  • 1
  • 64. 3 John (1)
  • 1
  • 65. Jude (1)
  • 1
Please login to see history of your searches
Table of Contents
Hide Subtitles
Hide Footnotes
Spacing: 0 1 2 3
Verse Numbers Toggle
Strong Numbers Toggle
Info Language ArrowReturn to top