1 ARST When David realized that he would soon die, he instructed his son Solomon in what he should do. Here is what he told him: BSB BSB: As the time drew near for David to die, he charged his son Solomon,
2 ARST “I will soon die. You must be bold and courageous. BSB BSB: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and prove yourself a man.
3 ARST You must do what Yahweh our God has required. You must behave as he wants you to behave. You must obey everything that he has directed and instructed us to do, which Moses wrote in the Instruction. That way, wherever you go and whatever you do, you will do well. BSB BSB: And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn,
4 ARST { Also, you must obey Yahweh} so that he will do what he promised to do. He declared that one of my relatives would always be ruling over the Israelite people as long as my descendants behave properly by being completely faithful to him. BSB BSB: and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’
5 ARST Further, you remember how Joab, Zeruiah’ s son, acted against me by murdering two of the leaders over the Israelite army. I mean Abner, Ner’ s son, and Amasa, Jether’ s son. Further, when there was no battle, he killed people as if there was a battle. He is responsible for killing those people. BSB BSB: Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
6 ARST You must make sure that he does not become old and die peacefully. Do that in whatever way you think is best. BSB BSB: So act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.
7 ARST In contrast, you must be kind to the children of Barzillai, who was from the region of Gilead. Provide them with food and drink.{ You should do that} because{, along with Barzillai,} they helped me by giving me food and drink when I was running away from your{ older} brother Absalom. BSB BSB: But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, because they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
8 ARST Next, Gera’ s son Shimei, who is from the tribe of Benjamin and who used to live in the town of Bahurim, is staying here. When I was traveling to the town of Mahanaim, he asked God to harm me very much. Later, when he visited me near the Jordan River, I had Yahweh guarantee it when I solemnly promised that I would not have someone execute him. BSB BSB: Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’
9 ARST But now, be sure that you punish him. You must make sure that he dies violently, even though he is old. You are a wise person, so you can decide how to do that.” BSB BSB: Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You know what you ought to do to him to bring his gray head down to Sheol in blood.”
10 ARST Sometime later, David died. People buried him in David’ s city{, which is part of the city of Jerusalem}. BSB BSB: Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.
11 ARST In all, David had been king of the Israelite people for 40 years. He ruled for seven years from the city of Hebron, and he ruled for 33 years from the city of Jerusalem. BSB BSB: The length of David’s reign over Israel was forty years—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
12 ARST Solomon ruled as the next king after King David, his father. Everyone acknowledged and obeyed him. BSB BSB: So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.
13 ARST One day, Adonijah, Haggith’ s son, visited Solomon’ s mother Bathsheba. She asked him,“Are you acting peacefully as you visit me?” He replied,“Yes, I am.” BSB BSB: Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied.
14 ARST Then Adonijah said,“I want to discuss something with you.” Bathsheba replied,“Tell{ me about it}.” BSB BSB: Then he said, “I have something to tell you.” “Say it,” she answered.
15 ARST So Adonijah said,“You remember that I almost became the next king. In fact, most of the Israelite people wanted me to be the next king. However, Yahweh decided that my{ younger} brother{ Solomon} would be the next king instead of me, and that is what happened. BSB BSB: “You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD.
16 ARST At this time, I am asking you to do one thing for me. Please do not refuse to do it.” She replied,“Ask{ me}.” BSB BSB: So now I have just one request of you; do not deny me.” “State your request,” she told him.
17 ARST He said,“{ I ask you to do this} because King Solomon will not refuse to do what you ask. So, please ask King Solomon to allow me to marry Abishag, who is from the town of Shunem.” BSB BSB: Adonijah replied, “Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”
18 ARST Bathsheba replied,“Very well, I will talk with King Solomon about what you have asked for.” BSB BSB: “Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will speak to the king for you.”
19 ARST So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to talk with him about what Adonijah asked for.{ When she arrived,} King Solomon got up{ from his throne} to welcome her and knelt before her to honor her. Then he sat back down on his throne. He had his attendants bring in a second throne for his mother{, Bathsheba,} and she sat down on it at his right side. BSB BSB: So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, and sat down on his throne. Then the king had a throne brought for his mother, who sat down at his right hand.
20 ARST Then Bathsheba said,“I am asking you to do one unimportant thing. Please do not refuse to do it.” King Solomon replied,“Mother, I will not refuse to do it. Please ask{ me}.” BSB BSB: “I have just one small request of you,” she said. “Do not deny me.” “Make your request, my mother,” the king replied, “for I will not deny you.”
21 ARST So Bathsheba said,“Please allow your{ older} brother Adonijah to marry Abishag, who is from the town of Shunem.” BSB BSB: So Bathsheba said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”
22 ARST King Solomon replied,“You should not ask me to allow Adonijah to marry Abishag, who is from the town of Shunem. Because he is my older brother, that is like asking me to make him king. He, Abiathar the priest, and Joab who is Zeruiah’ s son would rule{ instead of me}.” BSB BSB: King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23 ARST Then King Solomon had Yahweh authorize it when he solemnly promised,“Adonijah risked dying when he asked{ to marry Abishag}. May God punish me very severely if that is not true. BSB BSB: Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.
24 ARST Yahweh has made me the next king after David, my father. Further, he has caused everyone to acknowledge and obey me. As he promised{ David}, he has made sure that my descendants will be the kings over the Israelite people. As surely as he lives,{ I promise solemnly} that I will have someone execute Adonijah this very day!” BSB BSB: And now, as surely as the LORD lives—the One who established me, who set me on the throne of my father David, and who founded for me a dynasty as He promised—surely Adonijah shall be put to death today!”
25 ARST Then King Solomon told Benaiah, Jehoiada’ s son{, to kill Adonijah}. So, Benaiah killed Adonijah. BSB BSB: So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.
26 ARST Then Solomon told Abiathar the priest,“You deserve to die. However, you were in charge of our Lord Yahweh’ s sacred chest when my father David was king. Further, you suffered with him all the things that he suffered. So, I will not have someone execute you right now. Instead, I command you to return to your land by the town of Anathoth{ and stay there}.” BSB BSB: Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though you deserve to die, I will not put you to death at this time, since you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and you suffered through all that my father suffered.”
27 ARST So Solomon forced Abiathar to stop serving Yahweh as a priest. Because of that, what Yahweh had said at the town of Shiloh about the descendants of Eli{, Abiathar’ s ancestor,} came true. BSB BSB: So Solomon banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.
28 ARST Now Joab had not supported Absalom as king, but he had supported Adonijah as king. So, when he heard{ what Solomon had done to Adonijah and Abiathar}, he ran to Yahweh’ s sacred tent. He held onto the projections of the altar{ because he thought that no one would kill him there}. BSB BSB: When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
29 ARST Someone informed King Solomon,“Joab has run to Yahweh’ s sacred tent. He is standing near the altar.” So, Solomon told Benaiah, Jehoiada’ s son,“Go{ to where Joab is} and kill him.” BSB BSB: It was reported to King Solomon: “Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and is now beside the altar.” So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, “Go, strike him down!”
30 ARST So Benaiah walked to Yahweh’ s sacred tent. He told Joab,“The king commands you to come out.” Joab replied,“I prefer to die here. I will not come out.” After that, Benaiah returned to King Solomon and told him what Joab had said to him. BSB BSB: And Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But Joab replied, “No, I will die here.” So Benaiah relayed the message to the king, saying, “This is how Joab answered me.”
31 ARST King Solomon replied,“Do what he has requested. Kill him and bury his body. That way, I and the rest of my father’ s family will no longer be guilty for what Joab did when he killed people who did not deserve to die. BSB BSB: And the king replied, “Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed.
32 ARST Also,{ that way} Yahweh will punish Joab for murdering people. King David, my father, did not approve of this, but Joab murdered two men who did what was right more than he did. I mean Abner, Ner’ s son, who was the leader of the Israelite soldiers, and Amasa, Jether’ s son, who was the leader of the Judean soldiers. BSB BSB: The LORD will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head, for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army.
33 ARST So, because Joab murdered those two men, God will punish him and his descendants forever. In contrast, Yahweh will forever act peacefully with David, his family, his descendants, and the kings who will rule after him.” BSB BSB: Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab and his descendants forever; but for David, his descendants, his house, and his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD forever.”
34 ARST So Benaiah, Jehoiada’ s son, walked{ to where Joab was} and killed him. Then people buried Joab near his home in the desolate area{ of Judah}. BSB BSB: So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, struck down Joab, and killed him. He was buried at his own home in the wilderness.
35 ARST Then King Solomon appointed Benaiah, Jehoiada’ s son, to be the leader of the soldiers instead of Joab. King Solomon also appointed Zadok to be the priest instead of Abiathar. BSB BSB: And the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army, and he appointed Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.
36 ARST After that, King Solomon had a messenger summon Shimei.{ When Shimei arrived,} King Solomon told him,“You must live in the city of Jerusalem. You must not leave the city to go anywhere else. BSB BSB: Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.
37 ARST Here is what I want you to understand: Suppose that one day you cross the Kidron Valley to leave{ the city of Jerusalem}. Then, I will have someone execute you. You will be responsible for it when you die.” BSB BSB: On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”
38 ARST Shimei replied,“Your Majesty, I agree to that. I will do what you have said.” So, Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time{ and did not leave}. BSB BSB: “The sentence is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has spoken.” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
39 ARST Then, three years later, two of Shimei’ s servants ran away. They went to the king of the city of Gath, Achish, who was Maacah’ s son. Some people informed Shimei that his servants were in the city of Gath. BSB BSB: After three years, however, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
40 ARST he put a saddle on his donkey and got on the donkey and went to Gath. He found his slaves staying with King Achish and brought them back home. BSB BSB: So Shimei saddled his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves, and he brought them back from Gath.
41 ARST But someone told King Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned. BSB BSB: When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,
42 ARST So the king sent a soldier to summon Shimei and said to him,“I told you to solemnly promise, knowing that Yahweh was listening, that you must not leave Jerusalem. I told you,‘Be sure that if you ever leave Jerusalem, you will be executed.’ And you replied to me,‘What you have said is good; I will do what you have said.’ BSB BSB: the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, ‘On the day you leave and go elsewhere, know for sure that you will die’? And you told me, ‘The sentence is fair; I will comply.’
43 ARST So why did you not do what you solemnly promised to Yahweh? Why did you disobey what I commanded you?” BSB BSB: So why have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the command that I gave you?”
44 ARST The king also said to Shimei,“You know in your inner being all the evil things that you did to my father David. So Yahweh will now punish you for the evil things that you did. BSB BSB: The king also said, “You know in your heart all the evil that you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD will bring your evil back upon your head.
45 ARST But Yahweh will bless me, and he will enable David’ s descendants to rule forever.” BSB BSB: But King Solomon will be blessed and David’s throne will remain secure before the LORD forever.”
46 ARST Then the king gave a command to Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He went out and put Shimei to death. So Solomon obtained complete control of the kingdom. BSB BSB: Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was firmly established in the hand of Solomon.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.