THE THIRD BOOK OF THE KING S. CHAP I. [SOLOMON IS ANOINTED KING. Now king David being very old; tho' they covered him with bed clothes, yet he was not warm. 2. Therefore his servants said to him, Let there be sought for my lord king a young virgin, to wait upon him, and nurse him, and lie in his bosom, that my lord king may be warm. 3. So they sought a fair damsel through all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunan.mitess, whom they brought to the king. 4. The damsel was very fair, and nursed the king, waiting on him; but he knew her not.] 5. Then Adonijah, Haggith's son, was elated with the thoughts of being king; and prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 6. For his father had never grieved him by saying, Why hast thou done so? he was also a very goodly man; and the next younger than Absalom. 7. He canferred also with Joab, Zeruiah's son, and with Abiathar the priest; who agreed to him. 8. But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, and Nathan the prophet, and Shemei, and his companions, and David's mighty men, were not with Adonijah. 9. Now Adonijah slew sheep, and oxen, and bullocks, at the stone of Zoheleth, by the well Rogel, and called all his brethren the king's sons, with all the chiefs of Judah the king's servants; 10. Except Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the other mighty men, and Solomon his brother. 11. Therefore Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah, Haggith's son, reigns, and David our lord knows it not? 12. Now, therefore, let me, I pray, advise thee, that thou mayest save thine own life, and thy son Solomon's. 13. Go to king David, and say, Didst not thou, my lord king, swear to thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, on my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign? 14. And whilst thou art speaking, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words. 15. Then Bath-sheba went in to the king in his chamber: where Abishag the Shunammitess, ministered to him in his old age. 16. Then she bowed, doing homage to him; who said, What wouldest thou have? 17. Then she said, My lord, thou swarest by the Eternal thy God to thine handmaid, say ing, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, on my throne; 18. But lo, Adomjah reigns, and now, my lord king, thou knowest it not. 19. And he hath slain oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep in abundance, and invited all the king's sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the chief captain of the host; only Solomon thy servant hath he not called. 20. And now my lord king, the eyes of all Israel are on thee, to tell them who shall sit on thy throne after thee. 21. Otherwise, when my lord king sleeps with his fathers, I and my son my son Solomon shall be counted obnoxious persons. 22. And lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. 23. So they said to the king, Behold, Nathan the prophet. Who coming in, bowed before the king. 24. And said, My lord king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, on my throne? 25. For he is gone down to En rogel to-day, and hath slain oxen, and fat cattle, and sheep in abundance, and invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, lo, they eat and drink in his presence, and say, Let king Adonijah live. 26. Excepting me, thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, and thy servant Solomon. 27. Is this done by my lord king, without shewing to thy şervant who sit on thy throne ter thee. 28. Then king David answered, Call me Bath sheba. So she came into the king's presence. 29. Then he sware, saying, As the Eternal liveth, that redeemed me from all distress, 30. Even as I sware to thee by the Eternal God of Israel, saying, As, suredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, on my throne; even so will I certainly do this day. 31. Then Bath-sheba bowed to the earth, reverencing the king, saying, Long live my lord king David. 32. Then he said, Call me Žadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, Jehoiada's son. So they came before the king. 33. And he said to them, Take with you your lord's servants, and cause Solomon my son ride on mine own mule, down to Gihon; 34. And let Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, anoint him there king over Israel; and blow a trumpet, saying, Let king Solomon live. 35. Then ye shall come hither with him, coming to sit on my throne, for he shall reign in my stead, as I appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah. 36. Then Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, answered the king, So let it be: May the Eternal God of my lord king say so. 37. As the Eternal hath been with my lord king, even so may he be with Solo mon, and make his throne more exalted than that of my lord king David. 38. So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride on king David's mule, to Gihon. 89. Then Zadok the priest, took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon; and they blew a trumpet; then all the people said, Let king Solomon live. 40. And they came with him, and played on flutes, and rejoiced so loudly that the earth rung with the sound. 41. Now Adonijah, and all his guests, heard it, as they had done eating; and Joab, hearing the trumpets sound, said, Why is such noise and tumult in the city? 42. But while he yet spake, lo Jonathan, Abiathar, the priest's son, came: and Adonijah said to him, Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings. 43. Then Jonathan answered, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king. 44. And sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, who have caused him to ride on the king's mule; 45. And Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, have anointed him king in Gihon; and they are come from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again; this is the noise that ye heard. 46. And Solomon also sits on the throne of the kingdom. 47. And, moreover, the king's servants came to congratulate our lord king David, saying, God make Solomon's name greater than thine, and his throne higher than thine. Then the king bowed himself on the bed. 48. And said thus also, Blessed be the Eternal God of Israel, who hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it. 49. Then Adonijah's guests were afraid, and every man rose up, and went his own way. 50. Adonijah feared Solomon, and arising, went and took hold of the altar's horns. 51. And it was told Solomon, that Adonijah fearing him, had so done, saying, Let king Solomon swear to me to-day, that he will not slay his servant. 52. Then Solomon said, If he shew himself a worthy man, not an hair of him shall fall to the earth: but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die. 53. So Solomon sent to bring him from the altar; and he came, and bowed to king Solomon; who said to him, Go to thine house. CHAP. II. DAVID'S DYING CHARGE TO SOLOMON. Now the time of David's death approaching, he charged Solomon his son, saying, 2. I go the way of all the earth; be thou valiant, and manly. 3. And keep the charge of the Eternal thy God, to walk in his ways, to observe his ordinances, commandments, rules, and testimonies, as it is written in the law by Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all thou doest, and wherever thou turnest. 4. That the Eternal may confirm the word he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me sincerely, with all their heart and soul, there shall not fail of thy race (said he) a man on the throne of Israel. 5. Moreover, thou knowest also what Joab, Zeruiah's son, did to me, and the two captains of the hosts of Israel, Abner, Ner's son, and Amasa, Jether's son, whom he slew, sheding the blood of war in peace, and stained with it his girdle about his loins, and his shoes on his feet. 6. Thou wilt do therefore, according to thy wisdom, and not let his hoary head come to the grave in peace. 7. But shew kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table; for they supported me when I fled before Absalom thy brother. |