³ So they searched for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel and found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.^(A)

¹⁸ Its territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,

⁴ And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.

² Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king.

Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son

⁸ One day Elisha was passing through Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to have a meal. So whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for a meal.^(A)

⁴ The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa.^(A)

²⁵ So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Look, there is the Shunammite woman;^(A)

¹⁷ He said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”^{(A) 18} Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king on your behalf.”

¹⁹ So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king rose to meet her and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne and had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right.^{(B) 20} Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”^{(C) 21} She said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”^{(D) 22} King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom as well! For he is my elder brother, and the priest Abiathar and Joab son of Zeruiah are on his side!”^{(E) 23} Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, “So may God do to me, and more also, for Adonijah has devised this scheme at the risk of his life!^{(F) 24} Now therefore as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of my father David and who has made me a house as he promised, today Adonijah shall be put to death.”^{(G) 25} So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck him down, and he died.