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Now the days of Dovid drew near that he should die; and he charged Sh’lomo Bno, saying,

I go the derech kol ha’aretz; be thou chazak therefore, and show thyself a man;

And be shomer over the mishmeret (requirement, charge) of Hashem Eloheicha, to walk in His derakhim, to be shomer over His chukkot (decrees), and His mitzvot, and His mishpatim (ordinances), and His edot (testimonies), as it is written in the Torat Moshe, so that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and wherever thou turnest;

So that Hashem may uphold His Davar (Word, Promise) which He spoke concerning me, saying, If thy banim are shomer over their derech, to walk before Me in emes with all their lev and with all their nefesh, there shall not yikaret l’cha (be cut off of you, fail thee) Ish on the Kisse Yisroel.

Moreover thou knowest also what Yoav Ben Tzeruyah did to me, and what he did to the two sarim of the Tzivos Yisroel (Armies of Yisroel), unto Avner Ben Ner, and unto Amasa Ben Yeter, whom he killed, and the shefach dahm of war in shalom (peacetime), and put the dahm of milchamah (war) upon his khagorah (sword belt) that was about his loins, and on his na’alayim (sandals) that were on his raglayim.

Do therefore according to thy chochmah, and let not his gray head go down to Sheol in shalom.

But show chesed unto the Bnei Barzillai the Gileadi, and let them be of those that eat at thy shulchan; for so they stood by me when I fled from before Avshalom achicha.

And, hinei, thou hast with thee Shime’i Ben Gera the Binyamini of Bachurim, which cursed me with a kelalah (curse) nimretzet (grievous, strong) on the day when I went to Machanayim; but he came down to meet me at Yarden, and I swore a shevu’ah to him by Hashem, saying, I will not put thee to death with the cherev.

Now therefore hold him not guiltless; for thou art an ish chacham, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his gray head bring thou down with dahm to She’ol.

10 So Dovid slept with his avot, and was buried in Ir Dovid.

11 And the yamim that Dovid reigned as Melech over Yisroel were arba’im shanah; sheva shanim reigned he in Chevron, and shloshim v’shalosh shanim reigned he in Yerushalayim.

12 Then sat Sh’lomo upon the Kisse Dovid Aviv; and Malchuso was firmly established.

13 And Adoniyah Ben Chaggit came to Bat-Sheva Em Sh’lomo. And she said, Comest thou in shalom? And he said, Shalom.

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

15 And he said, Thou hast da’as that the meluchah (kingdom, monarchy) was mine, and that kol Yisroel set their faces on me, that I should reign as Melech; howbeit the meluchah has veered, and is become my brother’s; for it was his from Hashem.

16 And now I ask thee one she’elah: refuse me not. And she said unto him, Say on.

17 And he said, Speak, now, unto Sh’lomo HaMelech, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Avishag HaShunammit as isha.

18 And Bat-Sheva said, Tov; I will speak for thee unto HaMelech.

19 Bat-Sheva therefore went unto HaMelech Sh’lomo, to speak unto him for Adoniyah. And HaMelech rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his kisse, and caused a kisse to be set for Em HaMelech; and she sat on his yamin (right hand).

20 Then she said, I desire one small she’elah of thee; now, say me not nay. And HaMelech said unto her, Ask on, immi: for I will not say thee nay.

21 And she said, Let Avishag HaShunammit be given to Adoniyah thy brother as isha.

22 And HaMelech Sh’lomo answered and said unto immo, And why dost thou request Avishag HaShunammite for Adoniyah? Ask for him the meluchah also; for he is achi hagadol; even for him, for Evyatar HaKohen, and for Yoav Ben Tzeruyah.

23 Then HaMelech Sh’lomo swore a shevu’a by Hashem, saying, Elohim do so to me, and more also, if Adoniyah have not spoken this davar against his own nefesh.

24 Now therefore, Hashem Chai (as Hashem liveth), which hath established me, and set me on the Kisse Dovid Avi, and who hath made me a Bayit ([Davidic] Dynasty), as He promised, Adoniyah shall be executed this day.

25 And HaMelech Sh’lomo sent by the yad Benayah Ben Yehoyada; and he struck him that he died.

26 And unto Evyatar (Abiathar) HaKohen said HaMelech, Get thee to Anatot, unto thine own sadot; for ish mavet atah (You are a man deserving of death); but I will not this day put thee to death, because thou borest the Aron Adonoi Hashem before Dovid Avi, and because thou hast shared hardship in all wherein Avi endured hardship [See 2Ti 4:5 OJBC].

27 So Sh’lomo thrust out Evyatar (Abiathar) from being Kohen unto Hashem; in order to fulfill the Devar Hashem, which He had spoken at Shiloh concerning the Bais Eli [See 1Sm 2:30-35].

28 Then news came to Yoav; for Yoav had inclined after Adoniyah, though he turned not to take sides with Avshalom. And Yoav fled unto the Ohel Hashem, and caught hold the karnot HaMizbe’ach.

29 And it was told Melech Sh’lomo that Yoav was fled unto the Ohel Hashem; and, hinei, he is beside the Mizbe’ach. Then Sh’lomo sent Benayah Ben Yehoyada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

30 And Benayah came to the Ohel Hashem, and said unto him, Thus saith HaMelech, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benayah brought HaMelech word again, saying, Thus said Yoav, and thus he answered me.

31 And HaMelech said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away from me the demei chinnam (innocent blood), the shefach dahm of Yoav, even from against the Bais Avi.

32 And Hashem shall return his dahm upon his own rosh, who fell upon two anashim more tzadikim and tovim than he, and killed them with the cherev, Dovid Avi not knowing thereof: Avner Ben Ner, Sar Tzava Yisroel, and Amasa Ben Yeter, Sar Tzava Yehudah.

33 Let their dahm therefore turn back upon the rosh Yoav, and upon the rosh of his zera l’olam; but upon Dovid, and upon his Zera, and upon his Bais, and upon his Kisse, let there be shalom ad olam from Hashem.

34 So Benayah Ben Yehoyada went up, and fell upon him, and executed him; and he was buried in his bais (house, i.e., in court or garden of his house) in the midbar.

35 And in his place HaMelech put Benayah Ben Yehoyada in charge of the Tzava (Army); and Tzadok HaKohen did HaMelech put in the place of Evyatar.

36 And HaMelech sent and summoned Shime’i, and said unto him, Build thee a bayit in Yerushalayim, and dwell there, and go not go out from there anywhere.

37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the Kidron Valley, thou shalt know for certain that mot tamut (thou shalt surely die); thy dahm shall be upon thine own rosh.

38 And Shime’i said unto HaMelech, Tov HaDavar (good is the word); just as adoni HaMelech hath said, so will thy eved do. And Shime’i dwelt in Yerushalayim yamim rabbim.

39 And it came to pass at the end of shalosh shanim, that two of the avadim of Shime’i ran away unto Achish Ben Maachah Melech Gat. And they told Shime’i, saying, Hinei, thy avadim are in Gat.

40 And Shime’i arose, and saddled his chamor, and went to Gat to Achish to search for his avadim; and Shime’i went, and brought back his avadim from Gat.

41 And it was told Sh’lomo that Shime’i had gone from Yerushalayim to Gat, and had returned.

42 And HaMelech sent and summoned Shime’i, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear a shevu’ah by Hashem, and adjured thee [i.e., under oath], saying, Know for a certain, on the yom thou goest out, and walkest abroad any place whatever [outside Yerushalayim] that mot tamut (thou shalt surely die)? And thou saidst unto me, Tov HaDavar Sha’ma’ti (The good word I will hear, I will obey).

43 Why then hast thou not been shomer over the Shevuat Hashem, and the Mitzvah that I have charged thee with?

44 HaMelech said moreover to Shime’i, Thou knowest all the ra’ah which thine lev is privy to, that thou didst to Dovid Avi; therefore Hashem shall return thy ra’ah upon thine own rosh;

45 And HaMelech Sh’lomo baruch, and the Kisse Dovid shall be nakhon (secure) before Hashem ad olam.

46 So HaMelech commanded Benayah Ben Yehoyada, who went and fell upon him, that he died. The mamlachah was established in the yad Sh’lomo.

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

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

And 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:

That 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.

Moreover 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.

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

But 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.

And, 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.

Now 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.

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

11 And 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.

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

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

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

15 And 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.

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

17 And 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.

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

19 Bathsheba 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.

20 Then 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.

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

22 And 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.

23 Then 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.

24 Now 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.

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

26 And 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.

27 So 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.

28 Then 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.

29 And 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.

30 And 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.

31 And 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.

32 And 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.

33 Their 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.

34 So 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.

35 And 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.

36 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.

37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

38 And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

39 And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

40 And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.

42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

44 The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;

45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.

46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

David’s Instructions to Solomon

Now (A)the days of David drew near that he should die, and he [a]charged Solomon his son, saying: (B)“I go the way of all the earth; (C)be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may (D)prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; that the Lord may (E)fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, (F)‘If your sons take heed to their way, to (G)walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, (H)‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah (I)did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to (J)Abner the son of Ner and (K)Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. Therefore do (L)according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.

“But show kindness to the sons of (M)Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who (N)eat at your table, for so (O)they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.

“And see, you have with you (P)Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But (Q)he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and (R)I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ Now therefore, (S)do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but (T)bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

Death of David(U)

10 So (V)David [b]rested with his fathers, and was buried in (W)the City of David. 11 The period that David (X)reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. 12 (Y)Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was (Z)firmly established.

Solomon Executes Adonijah

13 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, (AA)“Do you come peaceably?”

And he said, “Peaceably.” 14 Moreover he said, “I have something to say to you.”

And she said, “Say it.”

15 Then he said, “You know that the kingdom was (AB)mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother’s; for (AC)it was his from the Lord. 16 Now I ask one petition of you; do not [c]deny me.”

And she said to him, “Say it.”

17 Then he said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me (AD)Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”

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

19 Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and (AE)bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king’s mother; (AF)so she sat at his right hand. 20 Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you; do not [d]refuse me.”

And the king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”

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

22 And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also—for he is my (AG)older brother—for him, and for (AH)Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, (AI)“May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life! 24 Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a [e]house for me, as He (AJ)promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!”

25 So King Solomon sent by the hand of (AK)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him down, and he died.

Abiathar Exiled, Joab Executed

26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to (AL)Anathoth, to your own fields, for [f]you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, (AM)because you carried the ark of the Lord God before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted.” 27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, that he might (AN)fulfill the word of the Lord which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.

28 Then news came to Joab, for Joab (AO)had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and (AP)took hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And King Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the Lord; there he is, by the altar.” Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, (AQ)strike him down.” 30 So Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the Lord, and said to him, “Thus says the king, (AR)‘Come out!’ ”

And he said, “No, but I will die here.” And Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.”

31 Then the king said to him, (AS)“Do as he has said, and strike him down and bury him, (AT)that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed. 32 So the Lord (AU)will return his [g]blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous (AV)and better than he, and killed them with the sword—(AW)Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and (AX)Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah—though my father David did not know it. 33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab and (AY)upon the head of his descendants forever. (AZ)But upon David and his descendants, upon his house and his throne, there shall be peace forever from the Lord.”

34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king put (BA)Zadok the priest in the place of (BB)Abiathar.

Shimei Executed

36 Then the king sent and called for (BC)Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere. 37 For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross (BD)the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die; (BE)your [h]blood shall be on your own head.”

38 And Shimei said to the king, “The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do.” So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

39 Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to (BF)Achish the son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, “Look, your slaves are in Gath!” 40 So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath. 41 And Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back. 42 Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord, and warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’ 43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?” 44 The king said moreover to Shimei, “You know, as your heart acknowledges, (BG)all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord will (BH)return your wickedness on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, and (BI)the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.”

46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus the (BJ)kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 2:1 commanded
  2. 1 Kings 2:10 Died and joined his ancestors
  3. 1 Kings 2:16 Lit. turn away the face
  4. 1 Kings 2:20 Lit. turn away the face
  5. 1 Kings 2:24 Royal dynasty
  6. 1 Kings 2:26 Lit. you are a man of death
  7. 1 Kings 2:32 Or bloodshed
  8. 1 Kings 2:37 Or bloodshed

David's Instructions to Solomon

(A)When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, (B)“I am about to go the way of all the earth. (C)Be strong, and show yourself a man, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, (D)that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, that the Lord may (E)establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, (F)‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, (G)to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, (H)you shall not lack[a] a man on the throne of Israel.’

“Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah (I)did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, (J)Abner the son of Ner, (K)and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging[b] in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war[c] on the belt around his[d] waist and on the sandals on his feet. Act therefore (L)according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace. But deal loyally with the sons of (M)Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be (N)among those who eat at your table, (O)for with such loyalty[e] they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother. And there is also with you (P)Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day (Q)when I went to Mahanaim. (R)But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, (S)for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall (T)bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol.”

The Death of David

10 (U)Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in (V)the city of David. 11 And the time that David reigned over Israel was (W)forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. 12 (X)So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.

Solomon's Reign Established

13 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, (Y)“Do you come peacefully?” He said, “Peacefully.” 14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” She said, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that (Z)the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother's, (AA)for it was his from the Lord. 16 And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.” She said to him, “Speak.” 17 And he said, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me (AB)Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.” 18 Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak for you to the king.”

19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, (AC)and she sat on his right. 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.” 21 She said, “Let (AD)Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.” 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “And why do you ask (AE)Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, (AF)for he is my older brother, and on his side (AG)are Abiathar[f] the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah.” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, (AH)“God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life! 24 Now therefore (AI)as the Lord lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, (AJ)as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today.” 25 So King Solomon sent (AK)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.

26 And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to (AL)Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, (AM)because you carried the ark of the Lord God before David my father, (AN)and because you shared in all my father's affliction.” 27 (AO)So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, thus fulfilling (AP)the word of the Lord that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

28 When the news came to Joab—for Joab (AQ)had supported Adonijah although (AR)he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the (AS)horns of the altar. 29 And when it was told King Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and behold, he is beside the altar,” Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “The king commands, ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, I will die here.” Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, “Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.” 31 The king replied to him, (AT)“Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, (AU)and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. 32 The Lord will (AV)bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men (AW)more righteous and better than himself, (AX)Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and (AY)Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 (AZ)So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the Lord forevermore.” 34 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness. 35 (BA)The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put (BB)Zadok the priest (BC)in the place of Abiathar.

36 Then the king sent and summoned (BD)Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. 37 For on the day you go out and cross (BE)the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. (BF)Your blood shall be on your own head.” 38 And Shimei said to the king, “What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.

39 But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei's servants ran away to (BG)Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, “Behold, your servants are in Gath,” 40 Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, 42 the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die’? And you said to me, ‘What you say is good; I will obey.’ 43 Why then have you not kept your oath to the Lord and the commandment with which I commanded you?” 44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart (BH)all the harm that you did to David my father. So the Lord will (BI)bring back your harm on your own head. 45 But King Solomon shall be blessed, (BJ)and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord forever.” 46 Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died.

(BK)So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 2:4 Hebrew there shall not be cut off for you
  2. 1 Kings 2:5 Septuagint; Hebrew placing
  3. 1 Kings 2:5 Septuagint innocent blood
  4. 1 Kings 2:5 Septuagint my; twice in this verse
  5. 1 Kings 2:7 Or steadfast love
  6. 1 Kings 2:22 Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew and for him and for Abiathar