1 Kings 1:11-27

Modern English Version

¹¹ Therefore Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns and David our lord does not know it? ¹² Now please come and let me give you some advice, so that you may save your own life as well as that of your son Solomon. ¹³ Go to King David and say to him, ‘Did not you, my lord, O king, swear to your handmaid, saying: Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign?’ ¹⁴ Then while you are still there talking with the king, I will come in and confirm your words.”

¹⁵ So Bathsheba went to the king’s chamber. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite ministered to him. ¹⁶ Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself before the king.

And the king said, “What do you want?”

¹⁷ And she said to him, “My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your handmaid, saying: Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. ¹⁸ But Adonijah reigns, and now, my lord, O king, you are unaware. ¹⁹ He has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance and has invited all the sons of the king and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. ²⁰ And you, my lord, O king, all the eyes of Israel are upon you that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹ Otherwise it shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, I and my son Solomon shall be considered offenders.”

²² While she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in. ²³ The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here,” and when he entered the king’s presence, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

²⁴ Nathan said, “My lord, O king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne’? ²⁵ For he has gone down this day and has slain oxen, fat cattle, and sheep in abundance and has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the guard, and Abiathar the priest, and they eat and drink with him, saying, ‘God save King Adonijah!’ ²⁶ But he has not invited me, your servant, or Zadok the priest or Benaiah the son of Jehoiada or your servant Solomon. ²⁷ Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you have not let your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”