Kings III

KINGS III.

(1 KINGS)

1

1 And king David was old and advanced in days, and they covered him with clothes, and he was not warmed.

2 And his servants said, Let them seek for the king a young virgin, and she shall wait on the king, and cherish him, and lie with him, and my lord the king shall be warmed.

3 So they sought for a fair damsel out of all the coasts of Israel; and they found Abisag the Somanite, and they brought her to the king.

4 And the damsel was extremely beautiful, and she cherished the king, and ministered to him, but the king knew her not.

5 And Adonias the son of Aggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king; and he *prepared for himself chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

6 And his father never at any time checked him, saying, Why hast thou done thus? and he was also very handsome in appearance, and his mother bore him after Abessalom.

7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Saruia, and with Abiathar the priest, and they †followed after Adonias.

8 But Sadoc the priest, and Banæas the son of Jodae, and Nathan the prophet, and Semei, and Resi, and the ‡mighty men of David, did not follow Adonias.

9 And Adonias sacrificed sheep and calves and lambs by the §stone of Zoelethi, which was near **Rogel: and he called all his brethren, and all the adult men of Juda, servants of the king.

10 But Nathan the prophet, and Banæas, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he did not call.

11 And Nathan spoke to Bersabee the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonias the son of Aggith ††reigns, and our lord David ‡‡knows it not?

12 And now come, let me, I pray, give thee counsel, and thou shalt rescue thy life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

13 Haste, and go in to king David, and thou shalt speak to him, saying, Hast not thou, my lord, O king, sworn to thine handmaid, saying, Thy son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then does Adonias reign?

14 And behold, while thou art still speaking there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and will §§confirm thy words.

15 So Bersabee went in to the king into the chamber: and the king was very old, and Abisag the Somanite was ministering to the king.

16 And Bersabee bowed, and did obeisance to the king; and the king said, What is thy request?

17 And she said, My lord, thou didst swear by the Lord thy God to thine handmaid, saying, Thy son Solomon shall reign after me, and shall sit upon my throne.

18 And now, behold, Adonias reigns, and thou, my lord, O king, knowest it not.

19 And he has sacrificed calves and lambs and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander-in-chief of the host; but Solomon thy servant he has not called.

20 And thou, my lord, O king,—the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, to tell them who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him.

21 And it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and Solomon my son shall be offenders.

22 And behold, while she was yet talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came. And it was reported to the king,

23 Behold, Nathan the prophet is here: and he came in to the king's presence, and did obeisance to the king with his face to the ground.

24 And Nathan said, My lord, O king, didst thou say, Adonias shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

25 For he has gone down to-day, and has sacrificed calves and lambs and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and the chiefs of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they said, Long live king Adonias.

26 But he has not invited me thy servant, and Sadoc the priest, and Banæas the son of Jodae, and Solomon thy servant.

27 ***Has this matter happened by the authority of my lord the king, and hast thou not made known to thy servant who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him?

28 And king David answered and said, Call me Bersabee: and she came in before the king, and stood before him.

29 And the king swore, and said, As the Lord lives who redeemed my soul out of all affliction,

30 as I swore to thee by the Lord God of Israel, saying, Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead, so will I do this day.

31 And Bersabee bowed with her face to the ground, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

32 And king David said, Call me Sadoc the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Banæas the son of Jodae: and they came in before the king.

33 And the king said to them, Take the servants of your lord with you, and mount my son Solomon upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gion.

34 And there let Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him to be king over Israel, and do ye sound the trumpet, and ye shall say, Let king Solomon live.

35 And he shall sit upon my throne, and reign in my stead: and I have given charge that he should be for a prince over Israel and Juda.

36 And Banæas the son of Jodae answered the king and said, So let it be: may the Lord God of my lord the king confirm it.

37 As the Lord was with my lord the king, so let him be with Solomon, and let him †††exalt his throne beyond the throne of my lord king David.