CHAPTER XV.

I. KINGS, i., ii. I. CHRONICLES, xxix.

A PALACE INTRIGUE.

David Grown Infirm—Adonijah Heir-Presumptive-Rival PartiesAdonijah Claims the Throne-Nathan and Bathsheba-They Persuade David-Solomon Crowned-David Bequeathes Vengeance— Adonijah's Suit-His Execution-Abiathar Deposed-Joab before the Altar-Murder of Joab-Shimei Entrapped-Vengeance on Shimei.

Now King David was old and stricken in years; and 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. Now his father had not rebuked him all his life, saying: Why hast thou done this or that? Moreover he was a very goodly man; and he was born after Absalom. And he conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest; and they helped Adonijah. But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and David's heroes, were not with Adonijah. And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside the Fuller's Fountain; and he called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants. But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the heroes, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

Then Nathan spake to Bathsheba the mother of Solo

THEY PERSUADE DAVID.

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mon, saying: Hast thou not heard that Adonijah, Haggith's son, doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not? Now therefore come, let me give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon. Go unto King David, and say to him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Wherefore then doth Adonijah reign? Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words. So Bath-sheba went unto the king into the chamber. Now the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite-a young damsel and exceeding fair, whom they had brought unto the king to stand before him and to cherish him in his old age-ministered unto the king. And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said: What wouldest thou? And she said to him: My lord, thou swarest by Jehovah thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and thou, my lord the king, knoweth it not. And he sacrificeth 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. And 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. Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. And they told the king, saying: Be

hold, Nathan the prophet. And he came in before the king, and bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground. And Nathan said: My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? For he is gone down this day, and hath sacrificed 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 eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah. But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called. Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed unto thy servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

Then king David answered and said: Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king. And the king sware, and said: As Jehovah liveth, who hath redeemed me out of all adversity, as I sware unto thee by Jehovah, the God of Israel, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; verily so will I do this day. Then 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. And King David said: Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king. And the king said to 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 Gibeon. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel; and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

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Then 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. And Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said: Amen; Jehovah, the God of my lord the king, bring it to pass. As 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.

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah 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 Gibeon. And Zadok the priest took the horn of oil out of the Tent, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet;

And

and all the people said: God save king Solomon. all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth quaked with the sound of them. And 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? While he yet spake, behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said: Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings. And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah: Verily our lord King David hath made Solomon king. And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule; and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gibeon; and they are come up thence

rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard. Moreover Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom. And 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. Moreover thus said the king: Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who hath given this day from my seed one to sit on my throne, mine eyes seeing it.

Then all the guests of Adonijah were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way. And Adonijah feared because of Solomon; and he arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar. And it was told Solomon, saying: Behold, Adonijah feareth King Solomon; and, lo, he hath laid hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let King Solomon swear unto me this day that he will not slay his servant with the sword. And Solomon said: If he shall shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die. And King Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance to King Solomon. And Solomon said to him Go unto thine own house.

Then 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 Jehovah thy 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 thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself; that Jehovah may establish his word which he spake con