1 Kings 1

1Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

1King David was now very old, and although they covered him with blankets, he could not stay warm.

2Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

2So his servants said to him, 'Let us find a young virgin for the king. She can stay with the king and take care of him, lying close to him so that my lord the king can keep warm.'

3So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

3They searched throughout all the land of Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag from Shunem, and they brought her to the king.

4And the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.

4The young woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and served him, but the king was not intimate with her.

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.

5Then Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, began to boast, saying, 'I will be king.' He got chariots and horses for himself, along with 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 was also a very goodly man; and he was born after Absalom.

6His father had never corrected him or asked, 'Why are you acting this way?' Adonijah was also very handsome and was born after Absalom.

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

7He conspired with Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support.

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

8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s special guard did not join Adonijah.

9And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel; and he called all his brethren, the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants:

9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s other sons, and all the royal officials of Judah.

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

10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the special guard, or his brother Solomon.

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

11Then Nathan asked Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba, 'Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David does not know about it?

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.

12Now let me give you some advice so 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 thy handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

13Go at once to King David and say to him, "My lord the king, didn't you promise me, your servant, saying: Solomon your son will surely be king after me, and he will sit on my throne? Why then has Adonijah become king?"

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

14While you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in and confirm what you have said.'

15And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering unto the king.

15So Bathsheba went to see the king in his private room. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was taking care of him.

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

16Bathsheba bowed low to the ground before the king. 'What is it you want?' the king asked.

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

17She said to him, 'My lord, you swore to me by the Lord your God: "Solomon your son will surely be king after me, and he will sit on my throne."

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

18But now, look, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know it.

19and he hath slain oxen and fatlings 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.

19He has sacrificed a great number 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 did not invite your servant Solomon.

20And thou, my lord the 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.

20My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, waiting for you to announce who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

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

21Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king rests with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.'

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

22While she was still speaking 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.

23The servants told the king, 'Nathan the prophet is here.' When he came before the king, he 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?

24Nathan said, 'My lord the king, have you declared that Adonijah will be king after you and sit on your throne?

25For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fatlings 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 are eating and drinking before him, and say, Long live king Adonijah.

25Today he went down and sacrificed many cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and 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.

26But he did not invite me, your servant, or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon.

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

27Has my lord the king done this without telling your officials who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?'

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

28Then King David said, 'Call Bathsheba in.' So she came into the king's presence and stood before him.

29And the king sware, and said, As Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all adversity,

29The king then made a promise: 'As surely as the Lord lives, who has rescued me from every trouble,

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

30I will carry out today what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son will be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.'

31Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, honoring the king, and said, 'May my lord King David live forever!'

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

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

33And the king 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:

33he said to them: 'Take my officials with you and set my son Solomon on my own mule and lead him down to Gihon.

34and let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye the trumpet, and say, Long live king Solomon.

34There, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, "Long live King Solomon!"

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

35Then you are to come back up with him, and he is to sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah.'

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

36Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, 'Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, declare it so.

37As Jehovah 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.

37As the Lord was with my lord the king, may he be with Solomon to make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!'

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.

38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's bodyguards (the Cherethites and Pelethites) went down and put Solomon on King David’s mule and led him to Gihon.

39And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, Long live king Solomon.

39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet 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.

40All the people followed him, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly that the ground shook with the sound.

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?

41Adonijah and all his guests heard it just as they were finishing their feast. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, 'What is the meaning of all that noise coming from the city?'

42While he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings.

42While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, 'Come in! You are a good man and must be bringing good news.'

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

43'No!' Jonathan answered. '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;

44The king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's bodyguards with him, and they have put him 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.

45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. They have gone up from there cheering, and the city is in an uproar. That is the noise you heard.

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

46Furthermore, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne.

47And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy 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.

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 your throne!" And the king bowed in worship on his bed,

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

48saying, "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor sitting on my throne today."'

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

49At this, all Adonijah’s guests jumped up in a panic and scattered.

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

50But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar.

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

51Solomon 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 kill his servant with the sword."'

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

52Solomon replied, 'If he shows himself to be a worthy man, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.'

53So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance to king Solomon; and Solomon said unto him, Go to thy house.

53Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, 'Go to your home.'