1King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm.H4428H1732H2204H935H3117H3680H899H31792So his advisers told him, "Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm."H5650H559H1245H113H4428H5291H1330H5975H6440H4428H5532H7901H2436H113H4428H25523So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king.H1245H3303H5291H1366H3478H4672H49H7767H935H44284The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her.H5291H3966H3303H5532H4428H8334H4428H30455About that time David's son Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began boasting, "I will make myself king." So he provided himself with chariots and charioteers and recruited fifty men to run in front of him.H138H1121H2294H4984H559H4427H6213H7393H6571H2572H376H7323H64406Now his father, King David, had never disciplined him at any time, even by asking, "Why are you doing that?" Adonijah had been born next after Absalom, and he was very handsome.H1H6087H3117H559H6213H3966H2896H8389H3205H310H537Adonijah took Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest into his confidence, and they agreed to help him become king.H1697H3097H1121H6870H54H3548H310H138H58268But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's personal bodyguard refused to support Adonijah.H6659H3548H1141H1121H3077H5416H5030H8096H7472H1368H1732H1389Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah.H138H2076H6629H1241H4806H68H2120H681H5883H7121H251H4428H1121H582H3063H4428H565010But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king's bodyguard or his brother Solomon.H5416H5030H1141H1368H8010H251H712111Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, "Haven't you heard that Haggith's son, Adonijah, has made himself king, and our lord David doesn't even know about it?H5416H559H1339H517H8010H559H8085H138H1121H2294H4427H1732H113H304512If you want to save your own life and the life of your son Solomon, follow my advice.H3212H3289H6098H4422H5315H5315H1121H801013Go at once to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, didn't you make a vow and say to me, "Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne"? Why then has Adonijah become king?'H3212H935H4428H1732H559H113H4428H7650H519H559H3588H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678H138H442714And while you are still talking with him, I will come and confirm everything you have said."H1696H4428H935H310H4390H169715So Bathsheba went into the king's bedroom. (He was very old now, and Abishag was taking care of him.)H1339H935H4428H2315H4428H3966H2204H49H7767H8334H442816Bathsheba bowed down before the king. "What can I do for you?" he asked her.H1339H6915H7812H4428H4428H55917She replied, "My lord, you made a vow before the LORD your God when you said to me, 'Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.'H559H113H7650H3068H430H519H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H367818But instead, Adonijah has made himself king, and my lord the king does not even know about it.H138H4427H113H4428H304519He has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons to attend the celebration. He also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab, the commander of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.H2076H7794H4806H6629H7230H7121H1121H4428H54H3548H3097H8269H6635H8010H5650H712120And now, my lord the king, all Israel is waiting for you to announce who will become king after you.H113H4428H5869H3478H5046H3427H3678H113H4428H31021If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died."H113H4428H7901H1H1121H8010H240022While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.H1696H4428H5416H5030H93523The king's officials told him, "Nathan the prophet is here to see you." Nathan went in and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.H5046H4428H559H5416H5030H935H6440H4428H7812H4428H639H77624Nathan asked, "My lord the king, have you decided that Adonijah will be the next king and that he will sit on your throne?H5416H559H113H4428H559H138H4427H310H3427H367825Today he has sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and he has invited all the king's sons to attend the celebration. He also invited the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. They are feasting and drinking with him and shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'H3381H3117H2076H7794H4806H6629H7230H7121H4428H1121H8269H6635H54H3548H398H8354H6440H559H2421H4428H13826But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or your servant Solomon.H5650H6659H3548H1141H1121H3077H5650H8010H712127Has my lord the king really done this without letting any of his officials know who should be the next king?"H1697H1961H113H4428H3045H5650H3427H3678H113H4428H31028King David responded, "Call Bathsheba!" So she came back in and stood before the king.H4428H1732H6030H559H7121H1339H935H4428H6440H5975H6440H442829And the king repeated his vow: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every danger,H4428H7650H559H3068H2416H6299H5315H686930your son Solomon will be the next king and will sit on my throne this very day, just as I vowed to you before the LORD, the God of Israel."H7650H3068H430H3478H559H8010H1121H4427H310H3427H3678H6213H311731Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground before the king and exclaimed, "May my lord King David live forever!"H1339H6915H639H776H7812H4428H559H113H4428H1732H2421H576932Then King David ordered, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When they came into the king's presence,H4428H1732H559H7121H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H935H6440H442833the king said to them, "Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule.H4428H559H3947H5650H113H8010H1121H7392H6506H3381H152134There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram's horn and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'H6659H3548H5416H5030H4886H4428H3478H8628H7782H559H2421H4428H801035Then escort him back here, and he will sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah."H5927H310H935H3427H3678H4427H6680H5057H3478H306336"Amen!" Benaiah son of Jehoiada replied. "May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, decree that it happen.H1141H1121H3077H6030H4428H559H543H3068H430H113H4428H55937And may the LORD be with Solomon as he has been with you, my lord the king, and may he make Solomon's reign even greater than yours!"H3068H113H4428H8010H1431H3678H1431H3678H113H4428H173238So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's bodyguard took Solomon down to Gihon Spring, with Solomon riding on King David's own mule.H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H3381H8010H7392H4428H1732H6506H3212H152139There Zadok the priest took the flask of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon with the oil. Then they sounded the ram's horn and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"H6659H3548H3947H7161H8081H168H4886H8010H8628H7782H5971H559H2421H4428H801040And all the people followed Solomon into Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.H5971H5927H310H5971H2490H2485H8056H1419H8057H776H1234H696341Adonijah and his guests heard the celebrating and shouting just as they were finishing their banquet. When Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn, he asked, "What's going on? Why is the city in such an uproar?"H138H7121H8085H3615H398H3097H8085H6963H7782H559H6963H7151H199342And while he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. "Come in," Adonijah said to him, "for you are a good man. You must have good news."H1696H3129H1121H54H3548H935H138H559H935H2428H376H381H1319H2896H131943"Not at all!" Jonathan replied. "Our lord King David has just declared Solomon king!H3129H6030H559H138H61H113H4428H1732H8010H442744The king sent him down to Gihon Spring with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, protected by the king's bodyguard. They had him ride on the king's own mule,H4428H7971H6659H3548H5416H5030H1141H1121H3077H3774H6432H7392H4428H650645and Zadok and Nathan have anointed him at Gihon Spring as the new king. They have just returned, and the whole city is celebrating and rejoicing. That's what all the noise is about.H6659H3548H5416H5030H4886H4428H1521H5927H8056H7151H1949H6963H808546What's more, Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne as king.H8010H3427H3678H441047And all the royal officials have gone to King David and congratulated him, saying, 'May your God make Solomon's fame even greater than your own, and may Solomon's reign be even greater than yours!' Then the king bowed his head in worship as he lay in his bed,H4428H5650H935H1288H113H4428H1732H559H430H8034H8010H3190H8034H1431H3678H1431H3678H4428H7812H490448and he said, 'Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has chosen a successor to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.'"H559H4428H1288H3068H430H3478H5414H3427H3678H3117H5869H720049Then all of Adonijah's guests jumped up in panic from the banquet table and quickly scattered.H7121H138H2729H6965H3212H376H187050Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he rushed to the sacred tent and grabbed onto the horns of the altar.H138H3372H6440H8010H6965H3212H2388H7161H419651Word soon reached Solomon that Adonijah had seized the horns of the altar in fear, and that he was pleading, "Let King Solomon swear today that he will not kill me!"H5046H8010H559H138H3372H4428H8010H270H7161H4196H559H4428H8010H7650H3117H4191H5650H271952Solomon replied, "If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die."H8010H559H2428H1121H8185H5307H776H7451H4672H419153So King Solomon summoned Adonijah, and they brought him down from the altar. He came and bowed respectfully before King Solomon, who dismissed him, saying, "Go on home."H4428H8010H7971H3381H4196H935H7812H4428H8010H8010H559H3212H1004
Dublin, OH
near the spring of En-rogel, where he sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves. He invited all his brothers—the other sons of King David—and all the royal officials of Judah.H138
