Solomon

24And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her, and later she had a son. They named him Solomon. The Lord loved the boy.

25And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

The Lord sent a message through Nathan the prophet. Nathan gave the boy another name, Jedidiah. That name means "loved by the Lord."

5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

Then Adonijah decided he would make himself king. He was David's son, and his mother was Haggith. He got chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

6And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

His father had never once corrected him or asked, "Why are you doing this?" Adonijah was very handsome. He was born right after his brother Absalom.

7And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

Adonijah talked with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest. Both men agreed to help him.

8But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

But some men would not join Adonijah. They were Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, a man who told people what God said. Shimei, Rei, and David's best soldiers also stayed away.

9And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants:

Adonijah killed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves for a feast. He did this by the stone of Zoheleth, near a spring called En-rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the king's officials from Judah.

10But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, or Benaiah, or the best soldiers, or his brother Solomon.

11Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?

So Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. He said, "Have you heard? Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has made himself king. And our lord David does not even know.

12Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

Please let me tell you what to do. This way you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

13Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

Go in to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, did you not promise me this? You said Solomon my son would be king after you and would sit on your throne. So why is Adonijah acting as king?'

14Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

While you are still talking with the king, I will come in too. I will tell him that everything you said is true."

15And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.

So Bathsheba went in to see the king in his bedroom. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was taking care of him.

16And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

Bathsheba bowed low to show honor to the king. The king asked her, "What do you want?"

17And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

She said, "My lord, you made a promise to me before the LORD your God. You said that my son Solomon would be king after you. You said he would sit on your throne.

18And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:

But now Adonijah is acting as king. And you, my lord the king, do not even know it.

19And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

He has killed many oxen, fattened calves, and sheep for a feast. He invited all your other sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the leader of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.

20And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

My lord the king, everyone in Israel is watching you. They are waiting for you to say who will sit on your throne after you.

21Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

If you do not, something bad will happen. When you die and rest with your ancestors, people will treat my son Solomon and me as criminals."

22And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

While she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.

23And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

The king was told, "Nathan the prophet is here." Nathan came in and bowed with his face to the ground.

24And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

Nathan said, "My lord the king, did you say that Adonijah would be king after you? Did you say he would sit on your throne?

25For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

Today he went out and killed many oxen, fattened calves, and sheep for a feast. He invited all the king's sons, the army leaders, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him. They are shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

26But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

But he did not invite me, your servant. He did not invite Zadok the priest, or Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon.

27Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

Did my lord the king order this? If so, you did not tell your servants who should sit on your throne after you."

28Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.

Then King David said, "Call Bathsheba back in." So she came in and stood before the king.

29And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

The king made a solemn promise. He said, "The LORD lives, and He has saved me from every trouble.

30Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

I promised you before the LORD, the God of Israel, that Solomon your son would be king after me. I said he would sit on my throne in my place. Today I will do exactly that."

31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground to honor the king. She said, "May my lord King David live forever!"

32And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." So they came in to the king.

33The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

The king said to them, "Take my servants with you. Put my son Solomon on my own mule. Then take him down to the spring called Gihon.

34And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet must pour oil on him to make him king over Israel. Then blow the ram's horn and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'

35Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

Then come back up here with him. He will sit on my throne and rule in my place. I have chosen him to be the ruler over Israel and Judah."

36And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Yes, let it be so. May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say the same thing.

37As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

The LORD has been with you, my lord the king. May He be with Solomon too. May He make Solomon's rule even greater than yours."

38So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.

So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went down to Gihon. The king's special guards, the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went too. They put Solomon on King David's mule and led him there.

39And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

Zadok the priest took the horn full of oil from the holy tent. He poured it on Solomon to make him king. They blew the ram's horn, and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"

40And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

All the people followed him up from the spring. They played flutes and were so happy that the ground seemed to shake with the noise.

41And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

Adonijah and all his guests heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the ram's horn, he asked, "Why is the city making all that noise?"

42And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

While he was still speaking, Jonathan arrived. He was the son of Abiathar the priest. Adonijah said, "Come in. You are a good man, so you must bring good news."

43And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

Jonathan answered, "No. Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

44And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule:

The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada with him. The Cherethites and the Pelethites went too. They put Solomon on the king's own mule.

45And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet poured oil on him at Gihon to make him king. They came back up cheering, and the whole city is ringing with the sound. That is the noise you heard.

46And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

And Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne.

47And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

The king's servants also came to bless our lord King David. They said, 'May your God make Solomon's name even greater than yours. May He make his throne greater than your throne.' And the king bowed low on his bed to worship.

48And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

The king also said, 'Praise the LORD, the God of Israel! Today He has given someone to sit on my throne, and my own eyes have seen it.'"

49And all the guests that were with Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.

Then all of Adonijah's guests were afraid. They jumped up and hurried away, each man going home.

50And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

Adonijah was afraid of Solomon. He got up and ran to the altar and held on to its horns.

51And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Adonijah feareth king Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Solomon swear unto me today that he will not slay his servant with the sword.

Solomon was told, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon. He is holding on to the horns of the altar. He says, 'Let King Solomon promise me today that he will not kill me.'"

52And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.

Solomon said, "If he shows he is a good man, not one hair on his head will be harmed. But if he does wrong, he will die."

53So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto him, Go to thine house.

So King Solomon sent men to bring Adonijah down from the altar. Adonijah came and bowed low before King Solomon. Solomon said to him, "Go home."

1Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,

David was almost ready to die. He told his son Solomon what to do.

2I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

"I am going to die, the way everyone does. Be strong. Act like a man.

3And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

Do what the LORD your God tells you. Walk in his ways. Keep his rules, his commands, and his laws written in the law of Moses. Then things will go well for you wherever you go.

4That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

Then the LORD will keep the promise he made me. He said, 'If your children live carefully before me, with all their heart and soul, someone from your family will always sit on Israel's throne.'

5Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

"You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me. He killed two leaders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them in peacetime, as if there were a war. Their blood got on his belt and on his sandals.

6Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

So use your good sense. Do not let him die peacefully as an old man.

7But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

But be kind to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead. Let them eat at your table. They helped me when I ran away from your brother Absalom.

8And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

"Shimei son of Gera is near you. He is from the family of Benjamin, from the town of Bahurim. He said hard, hateful things about me the day I went to Mahanaim. Later he came to meet me at the Jordan River. I promised the LORD I would not kill him with a sword.

9Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.

But do not treat him as if he did nothing wrong. You are wise. You know what you should do to him. See that he dies, old as he is."

10So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

Then David died, like his family before him. He was buried in the City of David.

11And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

David was king of Israel for forty years. He ruled seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

12Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.

Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David. His kingdom was strong and safe.

13And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She asked, "Do you come in peace?" He said, "Yes, in peace."

14He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.

Then he said, "I have something to tell you." She said, "Go ahead."

15And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the LORD.

He said, "You know the kingdom was going to be mine. All Israel expected me to be king. But it went to my brother instead. The LORD gave it to him.

16And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.

Now I want to ask you for one thing. Please do not say no." She said, "Ask."

17And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

He said, "Please ask King Solomon for me. He will not say no to you. Ask him to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife."

18And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

Bathsheba said, "All right. I will speak to the king for you."

19Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.

So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak for Adonijah. The king stood up and bowed to her. Then he sat on his throne. He had a seat brought in for his mother. She sat down at his right side.

20Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

She said, "I have one small thing to ask. Please do not say no." The king said, "Ask, mother. I will not say no to you."

21And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.

She said, "Let Abishag from Shunem marry your brother Adonijah."

22And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

King Solomon answered his mother, "Why ask that for Adonijah? He is my older brother. You might as well ask me to give him the kingdom. And give it to Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah too!"

23Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

Then King Solomon made a promise before the LORD. He said, "May God punish me hard if Adonijah does not die for asking this.

24Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.

The LORD made me king. He put me on my father David's throne. He gave me a family line, just as he promised. As surely as he lives, Adonijah will die today."

25And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.

So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada. Benaiah struck Adonijah down, and he died.

26And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

The king said to Abiathar the priest, "Go home to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die. But I will not kill you now. You carried the ark, God's holy chest, for my father David. You went through every hard time he went through."

27So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

So Solomon took away Abiathar's job as priest for the LORD. This happened just as the LORD had said at Shiloh about the family of Eli.

28Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

The news reached Joab. Joab had joined Adonijah's side, though he had not joined Absalom's. So Joab ran to the LORD's tent and grabbed the horns of the altar.

29And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

King Solomon was told, "Joab has run to the LORD's tent. He is beside the altar." So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada and said, "Go, strike him down."

30And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

Benaiah went into the LORD's tent and said, "The king says, come out." Joab said, "No. I will die here." Benaiah went back and told the king what Joab had said.

31And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

The king said, "Do what he says. Strike him down and bury him. Joab killed men who had done nothing wrong. Take that guilt away from me and from my father's family.

32And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

The LORD will make Joab pay for the blood he spilled. He killed two men who were better than he was, and my father David did not know. They were Abner son of Ner, leader of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, leader of Judah's army.

33Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

The guilt for their deaths stays on Joab and his children forever. But David, his children, his house, and his throne will have peace from the LORD forever."

34So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck Joab down and killed him. Joab was buried at his own home out in the wild country.

35And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.

The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada in charge of the army in Joab's place. He made Zadok priest in Abiathar's place.