Abishag Cares for David 1 UDB When King David was very old, even though his servants put many blankets on top of him at night, he was unable to keep warm. BSB BSB: Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm.
2 UDB So they said to him, "Your Majesty, allow us to search for a young virgin who can stay with you and take care of you. She can sleep close to you and make you warm." BSB BSB: So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.”
3 UDB The king gave them permission, so they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman. They found a woman named Abishag, from the town of Shunem, and brought her to the king. BSB BSB: Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.
4 UDB She was truly very beautiful. She took care of the king, but the king did not have sexual relations with her. BSB BSB: The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.
Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom 5 UDB After Absalom died, David's oldest son was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. He was a very handsome man. But David had never rebuked him about anything he did. After Absalom died, Adonijah thought that he would become king. So he started to boast, saying, "I will become king now." Then he provided for himself some chariots, men to drive them, horses to pull them, and fifty men to run as his bodyguards in front of those chariots wherever he went. BSB BSB: At that time Adonijah, David’s son by Haggith, began to exalt himself, saying, “I will be king!” And he acquired chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run ahead of him.
7 UDB One day he conferred with Joab, David's army commander, and Abiathar the priest, and they promised to help Adonijah. BSB BSB: So Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, who supported him.
8 UDB But other important people refused to help him. These included Zadok, who was also a priest; Benaiah, who had supervised David's bodyguards; Nathan the prophet; Shimei and Rei; and David's most capable soldiers. BSB BSB: But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s mighty men would not join Adonijah.
9 UDB One day, Adonijah went to the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel, which is near Jerusalem, to sacrifice some sheep and oxen and fattened cattle. He invited most of his brothers, King David's other sons, to come. He also invited all of the king's officials from Judah to come to the celebration. BSB BSB: And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened calves near the stone of Zoheleth, which is next to En-rogel. He invited all his royal brothers and all the men of Judah who were servants of the king.
10 UDB But he did not invite Nathan, Benaiah, or the king's most capable soldiers, or his younger brother Solomon. BSB BSB: But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or his brother Solomon.
Nathan and Bathsheba before David 11 UDB Nathan found out what they were doing, so he went to Solomon's mother Bathsheba and asked her, "Have you not heard that Haggith's son Adonijah is making himself king? And King David does not know about it! BSB BSB: Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king, and our lord David does not know it?
12 UDB So if you want to save yourself and your son Solomon from being killed, allow me to tell you what you should do. BSB BSB: Now please, come and let me advise you. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
13 UDB Go right away to King David. Say to him, 'Your Majesty, you solemnly promised me that my son Solomon would become the king after you die and that he would sit on your throne and rule. So why are people saying that Adonijah is now king?' BSB BSB: Go at once to King David and say, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to your maidservant, “Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’
14 UDB Then, Bathsheba, while you are still talking to the king, I will come in and tell him that what you are saying to him about Adonijah is true." BSB BSB: Then, while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”
15 UDB So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old, and Abishag was taking care of him. BSB BSB: So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. Since the king was very old, Abishag the Shunammite was serving him.
16 UDB Bathsheba bowed very low in front of the king, and the king asked her, "What do you want?" BSB BSB: And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?”
17 UDB She replied, "Your Majesty, you solemnly promised me, knowing that Yahweh our God was listening, that my son Solomon would become king after you die and that he would sit on your throne and rule. BSB BSB: “My lord,” she replied, “you yourself swore to your maidservant by the LORD your God: ‘Surely your son Solomon will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’
18 UDB But now, Adonijah has made himself king, and you do not know anything about it. BSB BSB: But now, behold, Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know it.
19 UDB He has sacrificed many oxen and fattened cattle and sheep, and he has invited all of your other sons to the celebration. He has also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of your army, but he did not invite your son Solomon. BSB BSB: And he has sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the other sons of the king, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not invited your servant Solomon.
20 UDB Your Majesty, all the people of Israel are expecting you to tell them who is the one who will become king after you are no longer with us. BSB BSB: And as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 UDB If you do not do that, what will happen is that after you die people will consider that my son Solomon and I are rebelling, and they will execute us because we did not help Adonijah to become king." BSB BSB: Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as criminals.”
22 UDB While she was still talking to the king, Nathan came to the palace. BSB BSB: And just then, while Bathsheba was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
23 UDB The king's servants told David, "Nathan the prophet has come." So Bathsheba left, and Nathan went into where the king was and knelt down with his face on the ground. BSB BSB: So the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And Nathan went in and bowed facedown before the king.
24 UDB Then Nathan said, "Your Majesty, have you declared that Adonijah will become king after you? BSB BSB: “My lord the king,” said Nathan, “did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne’?
25 UDB I say that because today he has gone down to En Rogel and has sacrificed many oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. And he has invited all of your other sons, Joab the army commander, and Abiathar the priest. They are all eating and drinking with him and saying, 'We hope that King Adonijah will live a long time!' BSB BSB: For today he has gone down and sacrificed an abundance of oxen, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they are eating and drinking before him, saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’
26 UDB But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon. BSB BSB: But me your servant he has not invited, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.
27 UDB Did you say that they should do this without telling your other officials who you want to become king after you are no longer the king?" BSB BSB: Has my lord the king let this happen without informing your servant who should sit on the throne after my lord the king?”
David Renews His Oath to Bathsheba 28 UDB Then King David said, "Tell Bathsheba to come in here again." So someone went and told her, and she came in and stood in front of the king. BSB BSB: Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba for me.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.
29 UDB Then the king said, "Yahweh has rescued me from all of my troubles. I promised you, with Yahweh the God whom we Israelites worship listening, that your son Solomon would be king after I am no longer the king. Today, as surely as Yahweh lives, I solemnly declare that I will do what I promised." BSB BSB: And the king swore an oath, saying, “As surely as the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from all distress,
31 UDB Bathsheba knelt down with her face on the ground and said, "Your Majesty, I hope you will live forever!" BSB BSB: Bathsheba bowed facedown in homage to the king and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
Solomon Anointed King (1 Chronicles 29:21–25)
32 UDB Then King David said to a servant, "Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah." So a servant went and summoned them. When they came in, BSB BSB: Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king.
33 UDB he said to them, "Put my son Solomon on my mule. Take him with my officials down to the spring at Gihon. BSB BSB: “Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.
34 UDB There, you two, Zadok and Nathan, must anoint him with olive oil to appoint him to be the king of Israel. Then you two must blow trumpets, and all the people there must shout, 'We hope that King Solomon will live for many years!' BSB BSB: There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’
35 UDB Then follow him back here, and he will come and sit on my throne. He will then become king instead of me. I have appointed him to be the ruler of all the people of Israel and Judah." BSB BSB: Then you shall go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. For I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36 UDB Benaiah replied, "We will do that! We hope that Yahweh, who is your God and our God, will cause it to happen! BSB BSB: “Amen,” replied Benaiah son of Jehoiada. “May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so declare it.
37 UDB King David, Yahweh has helped you. We hope that he will also help Solomon and enable him to become an even greater king than you have been." BSB BSB: Just as the LORD was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon and make his throne even greater than that of my lord King David.”
39 UDB There Zadok took the container of olive oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then two of them blew trumpets, and all the people shouted, "We hope that King Solomon will live for many years!" BSB BSB: Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the ram’s horn, and all the people proclaimed, “Long live King Solomon!”
40 UDB Then all the people followed him back up to the city, shouting joyfully and playing flutes. They shouted very loudly, so that the ground shook. BSB BSB: All the people followed him, playing flutes and rejoicing with such a great joy that the earth was split by the sound.
Adonijah Learns of Solomon’s Kingship 41 UDB When Adonijah and all his guests were finishing eating at their celebration, they heard the noise. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpets, he asked, "What is the meaning of all that noise in the city?" BSB BSB: Now Adonijah and all his guests were finishing their feast when they heard the sound of the ram’s horn. “Why is the city in such a loud uproar?” asked Joab.
42 UDB While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in! You are a man whom we can trust, so you must be bringing us good news!" BSB BSB: As he was speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” said Adonijah, “for you are a man of valor. You must be bringing good news.”
43 UDB Jonathan replied, "No, I do not have good news! His Majesty, King David, has made Solomon to be the king! BSB BSB: “Not at all,” Jonathan replied. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king.
44 UDB He sent Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and his own groups of bodyguards to go with Solomon. They put Solomon on King David's mule. BSB BSB: And with Solomon, the king has sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, along with the Cherethites and Pelethites, and they have set him on the king’s mule.
45 UDB They went down to the spring at Gihon, and there Zadok and Nathan have anointed him to become the king. Now they have returned from there to the city, shouting joyfully. That is why there is that great noise that you are hearing. BSB BSB: Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there with rejoicing that rings out in the city. That is the noise you hear.
46 UDB So Solomon is now our king. BSB BSB: Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne.
47 UDB Furthermore, the palace officials came to His Majesty, King David, to tell him that they approved of what he had done. They said, 'We wish that God will make Solomon even more famous than you have been and enable him to be an even better king than you have been.' When they said that, the king, lying on his bed, bowed his head to worship Yahweh. BSB BSB: The king’s servants have also gone to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make the name of Solomon more famous than your own name, and may He make his throne greater than your throne.’ And the king has bowed in worship on his bed,
48 UDB Then he said, 'I praise Yahweh, the God whom we Israelites worship, because he has allowed one of my sons to become the king today and has permitted me to see it happen.'" BSB BSB: saying, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel! Today He has provided one to sit on my throne, and my eyes have seen it.’”
49 UDB Then all of Adonijah's guests trembled, so they all immediately got up and left and scattered. BSB BSB: At this, all the guests of Adonijah arose in terror and scattered.
51 UDB But someone told Solomon, "See, Adonijah is afraid of you, so he has gone to the sacred tent and is holding onto the altar. He is saying, 'Before I leave, I want King Solomon to solemnly promise that he will not command that I be executed.'" BSB BSB: It was reported to Solomon: “Behold, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first swear to me not to put his servant to the sword.’”
52 UDB Solomon replied, "If he proves that he is loyal to me, I will not harm him at all. But if he does anything that is wrong, he will be executed." BSB BSB: And Solomon replied, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die.”
53 UDB So King Solomon sent some men to Adonijah, and they brought him back from the altar. He came to Solomon and bowed down in front of him. Then Solomon said to him, "Go home." BSB BSB: So King Solomon summoned Adonijah down from the altar, and he came and bowed down before King Solomon, who said to him, “Go to your home.”
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.