1King David grew old. The years had caught up with him. Even though they piled blankets on him, he couldn't keep warm.H4428H1732H2204H935H3117H3680H899H3179 2So his servants said to him, "We're going to get a young virgin for our master the king to be at his side and look after him; she'll get in bed with you and arouse our master the king."H5650H559H1245H113H4428H5291H1330H5975H6440H4428H5532H7901H2436H113H4428H2552 3So they searched the country of Israel for the most ravishing girl they could find; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.H1245H3303H5291H1366H3478H4672H49H7767H935H4428 4The girl was stunningly beautiful; she stayed at his side and looked after the king, but the king did not have sex with her.H5291H3966H3303H5532H4428H8334H4428H3045 5At this time Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, puffed himself up saying, "I'm the next king!" He made quite a splash, with chariots and riders and fifty men to run ahead of him.H138H1121H2294H4984H559H4427H6213H7393H6571H2572H376H7323H6440 6His father had spoiled him rotten as a child, never once reprimanding him. Besides that, he was very good-looking and the next in line after Absalom.H1H6087H3117H559H6213H3966H2896H8389H3205H310H53 7Adonijah talked with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they threw their weight on his side.H1697H3097H1121H6870H54H3548H310H138H5826 8But neither the priest Zadok, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor Nathan the prophet, nor Shimei and Rei, nor David's personal bodyguards supported Adonijah.H6659H3548H1141H1121H3077H5416H5030H8096H7472H1368H1732H138 9Next Adonijah held a coronation feast, sacrificing sheep, cattle, and grain-fed heifers at the Stone of Zoheleth near the Rogel Spring. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and everyone in Judah who had position and influence—H138H2076H6629H1241H4806H68H2120H681H5883H7121H251H4428H1121H582H3063H4428H5650 10but he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the bodyguards, or his brother Solomon.H5416H5030H1141H1368H8010H251H7121 11Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Did you know that Adonijah, Haggith's son, has taken over as king, and our master David doesn't know a thing about it?H5416H559H1339H517H8010H559H8085H138H1121H2294H4427H1732H113H3045 12Quickly now, let me tell you how you can save both your own life and Solomon's.H3212H3289H6098H4422H5315H5315H1121H8010 13Go immediately to King David. Speak up: 'Didn't you, my master the king, promise me, "Your son Solomon will be king after me and sit on my throne"? So why is Adonijah now king?'H3212H935H4428H1732H559H113H4428H7650H519H559H3588H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678H138H4427 14While you're there talking with the king, I'll come in and corroborate your story."H1696H4428H935H310H4390H1697 15Bathsheba went at once to the king in his palace bedroom. He was so old! Abishag was at his side making him comfortable.H1339H935H4428H2315H4428H3966H2204H49H7767H8334H4428 16As Bathsheba bowed low, honoring the king, he said, "What do you want?"H1339H6915H7812H4428H4428H559 17"My master," she said, "you promised me in GOD's name, 'Your son Solomon will be king after me and sit on my throne.'H559H113H7650H3068H430H519H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678 18And now look what's happened—Adonijah has taken over as king, and my master the king doesn't even know it!H138H4427H113H4428H3045 19He has thrown a huge coronation feast—cattle and grain-fed heifers and sheep—inviting all the king's sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab head of the army. But your servant Solomon was not invited.H2076H7794H4806H6629H7230H7121H1121H4428H54H3548H3097H8269H6635H8010H5650H7121 20My master the king, every eye in Israel is watching you to see what you'll do—to see who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him.H113H4428H5869H3478H5046H3427H3678H113H4428H310 21If you fail to act, the moment you're buried my son Solomon and I are as good as dead."H113H4428H7901H1H1121H8010H2400 22Abruptly, while she was telling the king all this, Nathan the prophet came inH1696H4428H5416H5030H935 23and was announced: "Nathan the prophet is here." He came before the king, honoring him by bowing deeply, his face touching the ground.H5046H4428H559H5416H5030H935H6440H4428H7812H4428H639H776 24"My master the king," Nathan began, "did you say, 'Adonijah shall be king after me and sit on my throne'?H5416H559H113H4428H559H138H4427H310H3427H3678 25Because that's what's happening. He's thrown a huge coronation feast—cattle, grain-fed heifers, sheep—inviting all the king's sons, the army officers, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a grand time, eating and drinking and shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'H3381H3117H2076H7794H4806H6629H7230H7121H4428H1121H8269H6635H54H3548H398H8354H6440H559H2421H4428H138 26But I wasn't invited, nor was the priest Zadok, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.H5650H6659H3548H1141H1121H3077H5650H8010H7121 27Is this something that my master the king has done behind our backs, not telling your servants who you intended to be king after you?"H1697H1961H113H4428H3045H5650H3427H3678H113H4428H310 28King David took action: "Get Bathsheba back in here." She entered and stood before the king.H4428H1732H6030H559H7121H1339H935H4428H6440H5975H6440H4428 29The king solemnly promised, "As GOD lives, the God who delivered me from every kind of trouble,H4428H7650H559H3068H2416H6299H5315H6869 30I'll do exactly what I promised in GOD's name, the God of Israel: Your son Solomon will be king after me and take my place on the throne. And I'll make sure it happens this very day."H7650H3068H430H3478H559H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678H6213H3117 31Bathsheba bowed low, her face to the ground. Kneeling in reverence before the king she said, "Oh, may my master, King David, live forever!"H1339H6915H639H776H7812H4428H559H113H4428H1732H2421H5769 32King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." They came to the king.H4428H1732H559H7121H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H935H6440H4428 33Then he ordered, "Gather my servants, then mount my son Solomon on my royal mule and lead him in procession down to Gihon.H4428H559H3947H5650H113H8010H1121H7392H6506H3381H1521 34When you get there, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the ram's horn trumpet and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'H6659H3548H5416H5030H4886H4428H3478H8628H7782H559H2421H4428H8010 35You will then accompany him as he enters and takes his place on my throne, succeeding me as king. I have named him ruler over Israel and Judah."H5927H310H935H3427H3678H4427H6680H5057H3478H3063 36Benaiah son of Jehoiada backed the king: "Yes! And may GOD, the God of my master the king, confirm it!H1141H1121H3077H6030H4428H559H543H3068H430H113H4428H559 37Just as GOD has been with my master the king, may he also be with Solomon and make his rule even greater than that of my master King David!"H3068H113H4428H8010H1431H3678H1431H3678H113H4428H1732 38Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's personal bodyguard (the Kerethites and Pelethites) went down, mounted Solomon on King David's mule, and paraded with him to Gihon.H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H3381H8010H7392H4428H1732H6506H3212H1521 39Zadok the priest brought a flask of oil from the sanctuary and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram's horn trumpet and everyone shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"H6659H3548H3947H7161H8081H168H4886H8010H8628H7782H5971H559H2421H4428H8010 40Everyone joined the fanfare, the band playing and the people singing, the very earth reverberating to the sound.H5971H5927H310H5971H2490H2485H8056H1419H8057H776H1234H6963 41Adonijah and his retinue of guests were just finishing their "coronation" feast when they heard it. When Joab heard the blast of the ram's horn trumpet he said, "What's going on here? What's all this uproar?"H138H7121H8085H3615H398H3097H8085H6963H7782H559H6963H7151H1993 42Suddenly, in the midst of the questioning, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, showed up. Adonijah said, "Welcome! A brave and good man like you must have good news."H1696H3129H1121H54H3548H935H138H559H935H2428H376H381H1319H2896H1319 43But Jonathan answered, "Hardly! Our master King David has just made Solomon king!H3129H6030H559H138H61H113H4428H1732H8010H4427 44And the king has surrounded him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Kerethites and Pelethites; and they've mounted Solomon on the royal mule.H4428H7971H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H7392H4428H6506 45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon and the parade is headed up this way singing—a great fanfare! The city is rocking! That's what you're hearing.H6659H3548H5416H5030H4886H4428H1521H5927H8056H7151H1949H6963H8085 46Here's the crowning touch—Solomon is seated on the throne of the kingdom!H8010H3427H3678H4410 47And that's not all: The king's servants have come to give their blessing to our master King David saying, 'God make Solomon's name even more honored than yours, and make his rule greater than yours!' On his death bed the king worshiped GodH4428H5650H935H1288H113H4428H1732H559H430H8034H8010H3190H8034H1431H3678H1431H3678H4428H7812H4904 48and prayed, 'Blessed be GOD, Israel's God, who has provided a successor to my throne, and I've lived to see it!'"H559H4428H1288H3068H430H3478H5414H3427H3678H3117H5869H7200 49Panicked, Adonijah's guests got out of there, scattering every which way.H7121H138H2729H6965H3212H376H1870 50But Adonijah himself, afraid for his life because of Solomon, fled to the sanctuary and grabbed the horns of the Altar.H138H3372H6440H8010H6965H3212H2388H7161H4196 51Solomon was told, "Adonijah, fearful of King Solomon, has taken sanctuary and seized the horns of the Altar and is saying, 'I'm not leaving until King Solomon promises that he won't kill me.'"H5046H8010H559H138H3372H4428H8010H270H7161H4196H559H4428H8010H7650H3117H4191H5650H2719 52Solomon then said, "If he proves to be a man of honor, not a hair of his head will be hurt; but if there is evil in him, he'll die."H8010H559H2428H1121H8185H5307H776H7451H4672H4191 53Solomon summoned him and they brought him from the Altar. Adonijah came and bowed down, honoring the king. Solomon dismissed him, "Go home."H4428H8010H7971H3381H4196H935H7812H4428H8010H8010H559H3212H1004
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