David’s Dying Instructions to Solomon

2 As the time approached for David to die,^(A) he ordered his son Solomon, ² “As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth.^(B) Be strong and be a man,^{(C) 3} and keep your obligation to the Lord your God to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees. This is written in the law of Moses, so that you will have success in everything you do^(D) and wherever you turn, ⁴ and so that the Lord will fulfill his promise that he made to me: ‘If your sons take care to walk faithfully before me with all their heart and all their soul,^(E) you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’^(F)

⁵ “You also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me^(G) and what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner^(H) and Amasa son of Jether.^(I) He murdered them in a time of peace to avenge blood shed in war. He spilled that blood on his own waistband and on the sandals of his feet.^{[a] 6} Act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head descend to Sheol in peace.

⁷ “Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite and let them be among those who eat at your table^(J) because they supported me when I fled from your brother Absalom.^(K)

⁸ “Keep an eye on Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim who is with you. He uttered malicious curses against me the day I went to Mahanaim.^(L) But he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, and I swore to him by the Lord, ‘I will never kill you with the sword.’^{(M) 9} So don’t let him go unpunished, for you are a wise man. You know how to deal with him to bring his gray head down to Sheol with blood.”

¹⁰ Then David rested with his ancestors^(N) and was buried in the city of David.^{(O) 11} The length of time David reigned over Israel was forty years: he reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.^{(P) 12} Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingship was firmly established.^(Q)

Adonijah’s Foolish Request

¹³ Now Adonijah son of Haggith^(R) came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come peacefully?”

“Peacefully,” he replied,^{(S) 14} and then asked, “May I talk with you?” ^[b]

“Go ahead,” she answered.

¹⁵ “You know the kingship was mine,”^(T) he said. “All Israel expected me to be king, but then the kingship was turned over to my brother,^(U) for the Lord gave it to him.^{(V) 16} So now I have just one request of you; don’t turn me down.”^[c]

She said to him, “Go on.”

¹⁷ He replied, “Please speak to King Solomon since he won’t turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite^(W) as a wife.”

¹⁸ “Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”

¹⁹ So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, sat down on his throne, and had a throne placed for the king’s mother.^(X) So she sat down at his right hand.^(Y)

²⁰ Then she said, “I have just one small request of you. Don’t turn me down.”

“Go ahead and ask, mother,” the king replied, “for I won’t turn you down.”

²¹ So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.”

²² King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my elder brother,^(Z) you might as well ask the kingship for him,^(AA) for the priest Abiathar, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.”^{[d](AB) 23} Then King Solomon took an oath by the Lord: “May God punish me and do so severely^(AC) if Adonijah has not made this request at the cost of his life. ²⁴ And now, as the Lord lives—the one who established me, seated me on the throne of my father David, and made me a dynasty as he promised^(AD)—I swear Adonijah will be put to death today!” ²⁵ Then King Solomon dispatched Benaiah son of Jehoiada,^(AE) who struck down Adonijah, and he died.

Abiathar’s Banishment

²⁶ The king said to the priest Abiathar,^(AF) “Go to your fields in Anathoth.^(AG) Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death today, since you carried the ark of the Lord God in the presence of my father David^(AH) and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”^{(AI) 27} So Solomon banished Abiathar from being the Lord’s priest, and it fulfilled the Lord’s prophecy he had spoken at Shiloh against Eli’s family.^(AJ)

Joab’s Execution

²⁸ The news reached Joab. Since he had supported Adonijah^(AK) but not Absalom,^(AL) Joab fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar.^(AM)

²⁹ It was reported to King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and is now beside the altar.”

Then Solomon sent^[e] Benaiah son of Jehoiada^(AN) and told him, “Go and strike him down!” ^(AO)

³⁰ So Benaiah went to the tabernacle and said to Joab, “This is what the king says: ‘Come out!’” ^(AP)

But Joab said, “No, for I will die here.”

So Benaiah took a message back to the king, “This is what Joab said, and this is how he answered me.”

³¹ The king said to him, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him in order to remove from me and from my father’s family the blood that Joab shed without just cause.^{(AQ) 32} The Lord will bring back his own blood on his head because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, without my father David’s knowledge. With his sword, Joab murdered Abner^(AR) son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa^(AS) son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. ³³ The responsibility for their deaths will come back to Joab and to his descendants^[f] forever, but for David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne, there will be peace from the Lord forever.”^(AT)

³⁴ Benaiah son of Jehoiada^(AU) went up, struck down Joab, and put him to death. He was buried at his house in the wilderness.^{(AV) 35} Then the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army,^(AW) and he appointed the priest Zadok in Abiathar’s place.

Shimei’s Banishment and Execution

³⁶ Then the king summoned Shimei^(AX) and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but don’t leave there and go anywhere else. ³⁷ On the day you do leave and cross the Kidron Valley,^(AY) know for sure that you will certainly die. Your blood will be on your own head.”^(AZ)

³⁸ Shimei said to the king, “The sentence is fair; your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.

³⁹ But then, at the end of three years, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish^(BA) son of Maacah, king of Gath.^(BB) Shimei was informed, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.” ⁴⁰ So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath to search for his slaves. He went and brought them back from Gath.

⁴¹ It was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. ⁴² So the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Didn’t I make you swear by the Lord and warn you, saying, ‘On the day you leave and go anywhere else, know for sure that you will certainly die’? And you said to me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will obey.’ ⁴³ So why have you not kept the Lord’s oath and the command that I gave you?” ⁴⁴ The king also said, “You yourself know all the evil that you did to my father David.^(BC) Therefore, the Lord has brought back your evil on your head, ⁴⁵ but King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain established before the Lord forever.”^(BD)

⁴⁶ Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in Solomon’s hand.^(BE)

Contributions for Building the Temple

29 Then King David said to all the assembly, “My son Solomon—God has chosen him alone—is young and inexperienced. The task is great^(A) because the building will not be built for a human but for the Lord God.^{(B) 2} So to the best of my ability I’ve made provision for the house of my God:^(C) gold for the gold articles, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron, and wood for the wood, as well as onyx, stones for mounting,^[a] antimony,^[b](D) stones of various colors, all kinds of precious stones, and a great quantity of marble. ³ Moreover, because of my delight in the house of my God, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the house of my God over and above all that I’ve provided for the holy house: ⁴ 100 tons^[c](E) of gold (gold of Ophir^(F)) and 250 tons^[d] of refined silver for overlaying the walls of the buildings, ⁵ the gold for the gold work and the silver for the silver, for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now who will volunteer to consecrate himself to the Lord today?”

⁶ Then the leaders of the households, the leaders of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds,^(G) and the officials in charge of the king’s work^(H) gave willingly. ⁷ For the service of God’s house they gave 185 tons^[e] of gold and 10,000 gold coins,^[f](I) 375 tons^[g] of silver, 675 tons^[h] of bronze, and 4,000 tons^[i] of iron. ⁸ Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the Lord’s house under the care of Jehiel^(J) the Gershonite. ⁹ Then the people rejoiced because of their leaders’ willingness to give, for they had given to the Lord wholeheartedly.^(K) King David also rejoiced greatly.

David’s Prayer

¹⁰ Then David blessed the Lord in the sight of all the assembly. David said,

May you be blessed, Lord God of our father Israel, from eternity to eternity. ¹¹ Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to you. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom, and you are exalted as head over all.^{(L) 12} Riches and honor come from you, and you are the ruler of everything.^(M) Power and might are in your hand, and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all.^{(N) 13} Now therefore, our God, we give you thanks and praise your glorious name.

¹⁴ But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? For everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your own hand.^{[j] 15} For we are aliens and temporary residents in your presence as were all our ancestors.^(O) Our days on earth are like a shadow, without hope.^{(P) 16} Lord our God, all this wealth that we’ve provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand; everything belongs to you. ¹⁷ I know, my God, that you test the heart^(Q) and that you are pleased with what is right.^(R) I have willingly given all these things with an upright heart, and now I have seen your people who are present^[k] here giving joyfully and^[l] willingly to you. ¹⁸ Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our ancestors, keep this desire forever in the thoughts of the hearts of your people, and confirm their hearts toward you. ¹⁹ Give my son Solomon an undivided heart to keep and to carry out all your commands, your decrees, and your statutes,^(S) and to build the building for which I have made provision.^(T)

²⁰ Then David said to the whole assembly, “Blessed be the Lord your God.” So the whole assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors.^(U) They knelt low and paid homage to the Lord and the king.^(V)

²¹ The following day they offered sacrifices to the Lord and burnt offerings to the Lord: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, along with their drink offerings, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel.^{(W) 22} They ate and drank with great joy in the Lord’s presence that day.

The Enthronement of Solomon

Then, for a second time,^(X) they made David’s son Solomon king; they anointed him^[m] as the Lord’s ruler,^(Y) and Zadok as the priest. ²³ Solomon sat on the Lord’s throne as king in place of his father David. He prospered, and all Israel obeyed him.^{(Z) 24} All the leaders and the mighty men, and all of King David’s sons as well, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. ²⁵ The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel^(AA) and bestowed on him such royal majesty as had not been bestowed on any king over Israel before him.^(AB)

A Summary of David’s Life

²⁶ David son of Jesse was king over all Israel.^{(AC) 27} The length of his reign over Israel was forty years; he reigned in Hebron for seven years and in Jerusalem for thirty-three.^{(AD) 28} He died at a good old age,^(AE) full of days,^(AF) riches, and honor, and his son Solomon became king in his place. ²⁹ As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, note that they are written in the Events of the Seer Samuel,^(AG) the Events of the Prophet Nathan,^(AH) and the Events of the Seer Gad,^{(AI) 30} along with all his reign, his might, and the incidents that affected him and Israel and all the kingdoms of the surrounding lands.

An Illustration from Marriage

7 Since I am speaking to those who know the law, brothers and sisters,^(A) don’t you know that the law rules over someone as long as he lives? ² For example, a married woman is legally bound to her husband while he lives.^(B) But if her husband dies, she is released from the law regarding the husband. ³ So then, if she is married to another man while her husband is living, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law. Then, if she is married to another man, she is not an adulteress.

⁴ Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you also were put to death^(C) in relation to the law^(D) through the body of Christ^(E) so that you may belong to another. You belong to him who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. ⁵ For when we were in the flesh,^(F) the sinful passions aroused through the law were working in us^[a](G) to bear fruit for death. ⁶ But now we have been released from the law, since we have died to what held us, so that we may serve in the newness of the Spirit^(H) and not in the old letter of the law.

Sin’s Use of the Law

⁷ What should we say then?^(I) Is the law sin? Absolutely not!^(J) But I would not have known sin if it were not for the law.^(K) For example, I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, Do not covet.^{[b](L) 8} And sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment,^(M) produced in me coveting of every kind. For apart from the law sin is dead.^{(N) 9} Once I was alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life again ¹⁰ and I died. The commandment that was meant for life^(O) resulted in death for me. ¹¹ For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me,^(P) and through it killed me. ¹² So then, the law is holy,^(Q) and the commandment is holy and just and good. ¹³ Therefore, did what is good become death to me? Absolutely not!^(R) But sin, in order to be recognized as sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that through the commandment, sin might become sinful beyond measure.

The Problem of Sin in Us

¹⁴ For we know that the law is spiritual,^(S) but I am of the flesh,^[c] sold^(T) as a slave under sin.^{(U) 15} For I do not understand what I am doing,^(V) because I do not practice what I want to do,^(W) but I do what I hate. ¹⁶ Now if I do what I do not want to do, I agree with the law that it is good. ¹⁷ So now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is sin living in me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh.^(X) For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. ¹⁹ For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do. ²⁰ Now if I do what I do not want, I am no longer the one that does it, but it is the sin that lives in me. ²¹ So I discover this law:^[d](Y) When I want to do what is good,^[e] evil is present with me. ²² For in my inner self^[f] I delight in God’s law,^{(Z) 23} but I see a different law in the parts of my body,^[g](AA) waging war against the law of my mind and taking me prisoner to the law of sin in the parts of my body. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?^{(AB) 25} Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!^(AC) So then, with my mind I myself am serving the law of God, but with my flesh, the law of sin.