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Adonijah Tries to Seize the Throne

King David was very old;[a] even when they covered him with blankets,[b] he could not get warm. His servants advised[c] him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king,[d] to take care of the king’s needs[e] and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you[f] and keep our master, the king, warm.”[g] So they looked through all Israel[h] for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful; she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king was not intimate with her.[i]

Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith,[j] was promoting himself,[k] boasting,[l] “I will be king!” He managed to acquire[m] chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.[n] (Now his father had never corrected[o] him[p] by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom.[q]) He collaborated[r] with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported[s] him.[t] But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors[u] did not ally themselves[v] with Adonijah. Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons,[w] as well as all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors,[x] or his brother Solomon.

11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you[y] that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back?[z] 12 Now[aa] let me give you some advice as to how[ab] you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 13 Visit[ac] King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise[ad] your servant, “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 14 While[ae] you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive[af] and verify your report.”[ag]

15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters.[ah] (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.) 16 Bathsheba bowed down on the floor before[ai] the king. The king said, “What do you want?” 17 She replied to him, “My master, you swore an oath to your servant by the Lord your God, ‘Solomon your son will be king after me and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you,[aj] my master the king, are not even aware of it![ak] 19 He has sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, the commander of the army, but he has not invited your servant Solomon. 20 Now,[al] my master, O king, all Israel is watching anxiously to see who is named to succeed my master the king on the throne.[am] 21 If a decision is not made,[an] when my master the king is buried with his ancestors,[ao] my son Solomon and I[ap] will be considered state criminals.”[aq]

22 Just then,[ar] while she was still speaking to the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 The king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” Nathan entered and bowed before the king with his face to the floor.[as] 24 Nathan said, “My master, O king, did you announce, ‘Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne’? 25 For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this moment[at] they are having a feast[au] in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’[av] 26 But he did not invite me—your servant—or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon. 27 Has my master the king authorized this without informing your servants[aw] who should succeed my master the king on his throne?”[ax]

David Picks Solomon as His Successor

28 King David responded,[ay] “Summon Bathsheba!”[az] She came and stood before the king.[ba] 29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued me[bb] from every danger), 30 I will keep[bc] today the oath I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: ‘Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.’” 31 Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor[bd] and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”

32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet,[be] and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 33 and he[bf] told them, “Take your master’s[bg] servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon.[bh] 34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint[bi] him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then follow him up as he comes and sits on my throne. He will be king in my place; I have decreed[bj] that he will be ruler over Israel and Judah.” 36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada responded[bk] to the king: “So be it![bl] May the Lord God of my master the king confirm it![bm] 37 As the Lord is with my master the king, so may he be with Solomon, and may he make him an even greater king than my master King David!”[bn]

38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites[bo] went down, put Solomon on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest took a horn filled with olive oil[bp] from the tent and poured it on[bq] Solomon; the trumpet was blown and all the people declared, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 All the people followed him up, playing flutes and celebrating so loudly they made the ground shake.[br]

41 Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating.[bs] When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?”[bt] 42 As he was still speaking, Jonathan[bu] son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for[bv] an important man like you must be bringing good news.”[bw] 43 Jonathan replied[bx] to Adonijah: “No![by] Our master[bz] King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites and they put him on the king’s mule. 45 Then Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed[ca] him king in Gihon. They went up from there rejoicing, and the city is in an uproar. That is the sound you hear. 46 Furthermore, Solomon has assumed the royal throne.[cb] 47 The king’s servants have even come to congratulate[cc] our master[cd] King David, saying, ‘May your God[ce] make Solomon more famous than you and make him an even greater king than you!’[cf] Then the king leaned[cg] on the bed 48 and said[ch] this: ‘The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because[ci] today he has placed a successor on my throne and allowed me to see it.’”[cj]

49 All of Adonijah’s guests panicked;[ck] they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways. 50 Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.[cl] 51 Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you;[cm] see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise[cn] me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’” 52 Solomon said, “If he is a loyal subject,[co] not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor,[cp] he will die.” 53 King Solomon sent men to bring him down[cq] from the altar. He came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon told him, “Go home.”[cr]

David’s Final Words to Solomon

When David was close to death,[cs] he told[ct] Solomon his son: “I am about to die.[cu] Be strong and become a man! Do the job the Lord your God has assigned you[cv] by following his instructions[cw] and obeying[cx] his rules, commandments, regulations, and laws as written in the law of Moses. Then you will succeed in all you do and seek to accomplish,[cy] and the Lord will fulfill his promise to me,[cz] ‘If your descendants watch their step[da] and live faithfully in my presence[db] with all their heart and being,[dc] then,’ he promised,[dd] ‘you will not fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’[de]

“You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—how he murdered two commanders of the Israelite armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether.[df] During peacetime he struck them down as if in battle;[dg] when he shed their blood, he stained the belt on his waist and the sandals on his feet.[dh] Do to him what you think is appropriate,[di] but don’t let him live long and die a peaceful death.[dj]

“Treat fairly[dk] the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and provide for their needs,[dl] because they helped me[dm] when I had to flee from your brother Absalom.

“Note well, you still have to contend with Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim,[dn] who tried to call down upon me a horrible judgment when I went to Mahanaim.[do] He came down and met me at the Jordan, and I solemnly promised[dp] him by the Lord, ‘I will not strike you down[dq] with the sword.’ But now[dr] don’t treat him as if he were innocent. You are a wise man and you know how to handle him;[ds] make sure he has a bloody death.”[dt]

10 Then David passed away[du] and was buried in the City of David.[dv] 11 David reigned over Israel forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years, and in Jerusalem thirty-three years.

Solomon Secures the Throne

12 Solomon sat on his father David’s throne, and his royal authority[dw] was firmly solidified.

13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.”[dx] 14 He added,[dy] “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom[dz] was mine and all Israel considered me king.[ea] But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his.[eb] 16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.”[ec] She said, “Go ahead and ask.”[ed] 17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.”[ee] 18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine;[ef] I’ll speak to the king on your behalf.”

19 So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greet[eg] her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother,[eh] and she sat at his right hand. 20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor.[ei] Please don’t refuse me.”[ej] He said,[ek] “Go ahead and ask, my mother, for I would not refuse you.” 21 She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him?[el] Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”

23 King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely,[em] if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life![en] 24 Now, as certainly as the Lord lives (he who made me secure, allowed me to sit on my father David’s throne, and established a dynasty[eo] for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!” 25 King Solomon then sent[ep] Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah.[eq]

26 The king then told Abiathar the priest, “Go back to your property[er] in Anathoth. You deserve to die,[es] but today I will not kill you because you did carry the ark of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and you suffered with my father through all his difficult times.”[et] 27 Solomon removed Abiathar from being a priest for the Lord, fulfilling the Lord’s message that he had pronounced against the family of Eli in Shiloh.

28 When the news reached Joab (for Joab had supported[eu] Adonijah, although he had not supported Absalom), he[ev] ran to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.[ew] 29 When King Solomon heard[ex] that Joab had run to the tent of the Lord and was right there beside the altar, he ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada,[ey] “Go, strike him down.” 30 When Benaiah arrived at the tent of the Lord, he said to him, “The king says, ‘Come out!’” But he replied, “No, I will die here!” So Benaiah sent word to the king and reported Joab’s reply.[ez] 31 The king told him, “Do as he said! Strike him down and bury him. Take away from me and from my father’s family[fa] the guilt of Joab’s murderous, bloody deeds.[fb] 32 May the Lord punish him for the blood he shed;[fc] behind my father David’s back he struck down and murdered with the sword two men who were more innocent and morally upright than he[fd]—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army. 33 May Joab and his descendants be perpetually guilty of their shed blood, but may the Lord give perpetual peace to David, his descendants, his family,[fe] and his dynasty.”[ff] 34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and executed Joab;[fg] he was buried at his home in the wilderness. 35 The king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada to take his place at the head of[fh] the army, and the king appointed Zadok the priest to take Abiathar’s place.[fi]

36 Next the king summoned[fj] Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but you may not leave there to go anywhere.[fk] 37 If you ever do leave and cross the Kidron Valley, know for sure that you will certainly die. You will be responsible for your own death.”[fl] 38 Shimei said to the king, “My master the king’s proposal is acceptable.[fm] Your servant will do as you say.”[fn] So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.[fo]

39 Three years later two of Shimei’s servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your servants are in Gath.” 40 So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath. 41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had then returned, 42 the king summoned[fp] Shimei and said to him, “You will recall[fq] that I made you take an oath by the Lord, and I solemnly warned you, ‘If you ever leave and go anywhere,[fr] know for sure that you will certainly die.’ You said to me, ‘The proposal is acceptable; I agree to it.’[fs] 43 Why then have you broken the oath you made before the Lord and disobeyed the order I gave you?”[ft] 44 Then the king said to Shimei, “You are well aware of the way you mistreated my father David.[fu] The Lord will punish you for what you did.[fv] 45 But King Solomon will be empowered,[fw] and David’s dynasty[fx] will endure permanently before the Lord.” 46 The king then gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada who went and executed Shimei.[fy]

So Solomon took firm control of the kingdom.[fz]

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 1:1 tn Heb “was old, coming into the days” (i.e., advancing in years).
  2. 1 Kings 1:1 tn Or “garments.”
  3. 1 Kings 1:2 tn Heb “said to.”
  4. 1 Kings 1:2 tn Heb “let them seek for my master, the king, a young girl, a virgin.” The third person plural subject of the verb is indefinite (see GKC 460 §144.f). The appositional expression, “a young girl, a virgin,” is idiomatic; the second term specifically defines the more general first term (see IBHS 230 §12.3b).
  5. 1 Kings 1:2 tn Heb “and she will stand before the king.” The Hebrew phrase “stand before” can mean “to attend; to serve” (BDB 764 s.v. עָמַד).
  6. 1 Kings 1:2 tn Heb “and she will lie down in your bosom.” The expression might imply sexual intimacy (see 2 Sam 12:3 [where the lamb symbolizes Bathsheba] and Mic 7:5), though v. 4b indicates that David did not actually have sex with the young woman.
  7. 1 Kings 1:2 tn Heb “and my master, the king, will be warm.”
  8. 1 Kings 1:3 tn Heb “through all the territory of Israel.”
  9. 1 Kings 1:4 tn Heb “did not know her.” The verb יָדַע (yadaʿ, “to know”) is a euphemism for sexual relations.
  10. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Heb “son of Haggith,” but since this formula usually designates the father (who in this case was David), the translation specifies that David was Adonijah’s father.sn Haggith was one of David’s wives (2 Sam 3:4; 2 Chr 3:2).
  11. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Heb “lifting himself up.”
  12. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Heb “saying.”
  13. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Or “he acquired for himself.”
  14. 1 Kings 1:5 tn Heb “to run ahead of him.”
  15. 1 Kings 1:6 tn Or “disciplined.”
  16. 1 Kings 1:6 tn Heb “did not correct him from his days.” The phrase “from his days” means “from his earliest days,” or “ever in his life.” See GKC 382 §119.w, n. 2.
  17. 1 Kings 1:6 tn Heb “and she gave birth to him after Absalom.” This does not imply they had the same mother; Absalom’s mother was Maacah, not Haggith (2 Sam 3:4).
  18. 1 Kings 1:7 tn Heb “his words were.”
  19. 1 Kings 1:7 tn Heb “helped after” (i.e., stood by).
  20. 1 Kings 1:7 tn Heb “Adonijah.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  21. 1 Kings 1:8 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
  22. 1 Kings 1:8 tn Heb “were not.”
  23. 1 Kings 1:9 tc The ancient Greek version omits this appositional phrase.
  24. 1 Kings 1:10 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
  25. 1 Kings 1:11 tn Heb “Have you not heard?”
  26. 1 Kings 1:11 tn Heb “and our master David does not know.”
  27. 1 Kings 1:12 tn Heb “now, come.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
  28. 1 Kings 1:12 tn Or “so that.”
  29. 1 Kings 1:13 tn Heb “come, go to.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
  30. 1 Kings 1:13 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
  31. 1 Kings 1:14 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which here draws attention to Nathan’s concluding word of assurance and support. For this use of the word, see HALOT 252 s.v. הִנֵּה.
  32. 1 Kings 1:14 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will come after you.”
  33. 1 Kings 1:14 tn Heb “fill up [i.e., confirm] your words.”
  34. 1 Kings 1:15 tn Or “bedroom.”
  35. 1 Kings 1:16 tn Heb “bowed low and bowed down to.”
  36. 1 Kings 1:18 tc Instead of עַתָּה (ʿattah, “now”) many Hebrew mss, along with the Old Greek, Syriac Peshitta, and Latin Vulgate, have the similar sounding independent pronoun אַתָּה (ʾattah, “you”). This reading is followed in the present translation.
  37. 1 Kings 1:18 tn Heb “you do not know [about it].”
  38. 1 Kings 1:20 tc Many Hebrew mss have עַתָּה (ʿattah, “now”) rather than the similar sounding independent pronoun אַתָּה (ʾattah, “you”).
  39. 1 Kings 1:20 tn Heb “the eyes of all Israel are upon you to declare to them who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him.”
  40. 1 Kings 1:21 tn The words “if a decision is not made” are added for clarification.
  41. 1 Kings 1:21 tn Heb “lies down with his fathers.”
  42. 1 Kings 1:21 tn Heb “I and my son Solomon.” The order has been reversed in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  43. 1 Kings 1:21 tn Heb “will be guilty”; NASB “considered offenders”; TEV “treated as traitors.”
  44. 1 Kings 1:22 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) here draws attention to Nathan’s arrival and invites the audience to view the scene through the eyes of the participants.
  45. 1 Kings 1:23 tn Heb “ground.” Since this was indoors, “floor” is more appropriate than “ground.”
  46. 1 Kings 1:25 tn Heb “look.”
  47. 1 Kings 1:25 tn Heb “eating and drinking.”
  48. 1 Kings 1:25 tn Heb “let the king, Adonijah, live!”
  49. 1 Kings 1:27 tc Many Hebrew mss and ancient textual witnesses agree with the Qere in reading this as singular, “your servant.”
  50. 1 Kings 1:27 tn Heb “From my master the king is this thing done, and you did not make known to your servants who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him?”
  51. 1 Kings 1:28 tn Heb “answered and said.”
  52. 1 Kings 1:28 sn Summon Bathsheba. Bathsheba must have left the room when Nathan arrived (see 1:22).
  53. 1 Kings 1:28 tn Heb “she came before the king and stood before the king.”
  54. 1 Kings 1:29 tn Or “ransomed my life.”
  55. 1 Kings 1:30 tn Or “carry out, perform.”
  56. 1 Kings 1:31 tn Heb “bowed low, face [to] the ground, and bowed down to the king.”
  57. 1 Kings 1:32 sn SummonNathan. Nathan must have left the room when Bathsheba reentered.
  58. 1 Kings 1:33 tn Heb “the king.”
  59. 1 Kings 1:33 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
  60. 1 Kings 1:33 tn Heb “mount Solomon my son on the mule that belongs to me and take him down to Gihon.”
  61. 1 Kings 1:34 tn Or “designate” (i.e., by anointing with oil).
  62. 1 Kings 1:35 tn Or “commanded.”
  63. 1 Kings 1:36 tn Heb “answered and said.”
  64. 1 Kings 1:36 tn Or “Amen.”
  65. 1 Kings 1:36 tn Heb “So may the Lord God of my master the king say.”
  66. 1 Kings 1:37 tn Heb “and may he make his throne greater than the throne of my master King David.”
  67. 1 Kings 1:38 sn The Kerethites and Pelethites were members of David’s royal guard (see 2 Sam 8:18). The Kerethites may have been descendants of an ethnic group originating in Crete.
  68. 1 Kings 1:39 tn Heb “the horn of oil.” This has been specified as olive oil in the translation for clarity.sn A horn filled with oil. An animal’s horn was used as an oil flask in the anointing ceremony.
  69. 1 Kings 1:39 tn Or “anointed.”
  70. 1 Kings 1:40 tn Heb “and all the people went up after him, and the people were playing flutes and rejoicing with great joy and the ground split open at the sound of them.” The verb בָּקַע (baqaʿ, “to split open”), which elsewhere describes the effects of an earthquake, is obviously here an exaggeration for the sake of emphasis.
  71. 1 Kings 1:41 tn Heb “And Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard, now they had finished eating.”
  72. 1 Kings 1:41 tn Heb “Why is the city’s sound noisy?”
  73. 1 Kings 1:42 tn The Hebrew text has “look” at this point. The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), “look” draws attention to Jonathan’s arrival and invites the audience to view the scene through the eyes of the participants.
  74. 1 Kings 1:42 tn Or “surely.”
  75. 1 Kings 1:42 tn Heb “you are a man of strength [or “ability”] and you bring a message [that is] good.” Another option is to understand the phrase אִישׁ חַיִל (ʾish khayil) in the sense of “a worthy man,” that is “loyal.” See also 1 Kgs 1:52 and HALOT 311 s.v. חַיִל.
  76. 1 Kings 1:43 tn Heb “answered and said.”
  77. 1 Kings 1:43 tn For a similar use of אֲבָל (ʾaval), see Gen 17:19, where God rejects Abraham’s proposal and offers an alternative.
  78. 1 Kings 1:43 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
  79. 1 Kings 1:45 tn I.e., designated by anointing with oil.
  80. 1 Kings 1:46 tn Heb “And also Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom.”
  81. 1 Kings 1:47 tn Heb “to bless.”
  82. 1 Kings 1:47 tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.
  83. 1 Kings 1:47 tc Many Hebrew mss agree with the Qere in reading simply “God.”
  84. 1 Kings 1:47 tn Heb “make the name of Solomon better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne.” The term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) is used here of one’s fame and reputation.
  85. 1 Kings 1:47 tn Or “bowed down; worshiped.”
  86. 1 Kings 1:48 tn The Hebrew text reads, “and the king said.”
  87. 1 Kings 1:48 tn Or “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who….” In this blessing formula אֲשֶׁר (ʾasher, “who; because”) introduces the reason why the one being blessed deserves the honor.
  88. 1 Kings 1:48 tn Heb “and my eyes are seeing.”
  89. 1 Kings 1:49 tn Or “were afraid, trembled.”
  90. 1 Kings 1:50 sn Grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. The “horns” of the altar were the horn-shaped projections on the four corners of the altar (see Exod 27:2). By going to the holy place and grabbing hold of the horns of the altar, Adonijah was seeking asylum from Solomon.
  91. 1 Kings 1:51 tn Heb “King Solomon.” The name and title have been replaced by the pronoun (“you”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  92. 1 Kings 1:51 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
  93. 1 Kings 1:52 tn Heb “if he is a man of strength [or ability].” In this context, where Adonijah calls himself a “servant,” implying allegiance to the new king, the phrase אִישׁ חַיִל (ʾish khayil) probably carries the sense of “a worthy man,” that is, “loyal” (see HALOT 311 s.v. חַיִל).
  94. 1 Kings 1:52 tn Heb “but if evil is found in him.”
  95. 1 Kings 1:53 tn Heb “sent and they brought him down.”
  96. 1 Kings 1:53 tn Heb “Go to your house.”
  97. 1 Kings 2:1 tn Heb “and the days of David approached to die.”
  98. 1 Kings 2:1 tn Or “commanded.”
  99. 1 Kings 2:2 tn Heb “going the way of all the earth.”
  100. 1 Kings 2:3 tn Heb “keep the charge of the Lord your God.”
  101. 1 Kings 2:3 tn Heb “by walking in his ways.”
  102. 1 Kings 2:3 tn Or “keeping.”
  103. 1 Kings 2:3 tn Heb “then you will cause to succeed all which you do and all which you turn there.”
  104. 1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “then the Lord will establish his word which he spoke to me, saying.”
  105. 1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “guard their way.”
  106. 1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “by walking before me in faithfulness.”
  107. 1 Kings 2:4 tn Or “soul.”
  108. 1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “saying.”
  109. 1 Kings 2:4 tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from upon the throne of Israel.”
  110. 1 Kings 2:5 tn Heb “what he did to the two commanders…and he killed them.”
  111. 1 Kings 2:5 tn Heb “he shed the blood of battle in peace.”
  112. 1 Kings 2:5 tn Heb “and he shed the blood of battle on his belt which is on his waist and on his sandal[s] which are on his feet.” That is, he covered himself with guilt and his guilt was obvious to all who saw him.
  113. 1 Kings 2:6 tn Heb “according to your wisdom.”
  114. 1 Kings 2:6 tn Heb “and do not bring down his grey hair in peace [to] Sheol.”
  115. 1 Kings 2:7 tn Heb “do loyalty with”; or “act faithfully toward.”
  116. 1 Kings 2:7 tn Heb “and let them be among the ones who eat [at] your table.”
  117. 1 Kings 2:7 tn Heb “thus drew near to.”
  118. 1 Kings 2:8 tn Heb “Look, with you is Shimei….”
  119. 1 Kings 2:8 tn Heb “and he cursed me with a horrible curse on the day I went to Mahanaim.”
  120. 1 Kings 2:8 tn Or “swore an oath to.”
  121. 1 Kings 2:8 tn Heb “kill you.”
  122. 1 Kings 2:9 tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek and the Vulgate have here “you” rather than “now.” The two words are homonyms in Hebrew.
  123. 1 Kings 2:9 tn Heb “what you should do to him.”
  124. 1 Kings 2:9 tn Heb “bring his grey hair down in blood [to] Sheol.”
  125. 1 Kings 2:10 tn Heb “and David lay down with his fathers.”
  126. 1 Kings 2:10 sn The phrase the City of David refers here to the fortress of Zion in Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. See 2 Sam 5:7.
  127. 1 Kings 2:12 tn Or “kingship.”
  128. 1 Kings 2:13 tn Heb “[in] peace.”
  129. 1 Kings 2:14 tn Heb “and he said.”
  130. 1 Kings 2:15 tn Or “kingship.”
  131. 1 Kings 2:15 tn Heb “set their face to me to be king.”
  132. 1 Kings 2:15 tn Heb “and the kingdom turned about and became my brother’s, for from the Lord it became his.”
  133. 1 Kings 2:16 tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.”
  134. 1 Kings 2:16 tn Heb “She said, ‘Speak!’”
  135. 1 Kings 2:17 tn Heb “Say to Solomon the king, for he will not turn back your face, that he might give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.”
  136. 1 Kings 2:18 tn Heb “[It is] good!”
  137. 1 Kings 2:19 tn Or “meet.”
  138. 1 Kings 2:19 tn Heb “he set up a throne for the mother of the king.”
  139. 1 Kings 2:20 tn Or “I’d like to make just one request of you.”
  140. 1 Kings 2:20 tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.”
  141. 1 Kings 2:20 tn Heb “and the king said to her.”
  142. 1 Kings 2:22 tn Heb “for Adonijah.”
  143. 1 Kings 2:23 tn Heb “So may God do to me, and so may he add.”
  144. 1 Kings 2:23 tn Heb “if with his life Adonijah has not spoken this word.”
  145. 1 Kings 2:24 tn Heb “house.”
  146. 1 Kings 2:25 tn The Hebrew text adds, “by the hand of.”
  147. 1 Kings 2:25 tn Heb “and he struck him and he died.”
  148. 1 Kings 2:26 tn Or “field.”
  149. 1 Kings 2:26 tn Heb “you are a man of death,” an idiom.
  150. 1 Kings 2:26 tn Heb “and because you suffered through all which my father suffered.”
  151. 1 Kings 2:28 tn Heb “turned after” (also later in this verse).
  152. 1 Kings 2:28 tn Heb “Joab.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“he”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  153. 1 Kings 2:28 sn Grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. The “horns” of the altar were the horn-shaped projections on the four corners of the altar (see Exod 27:2). By going to the holy place and grabbing hold of the horns of the altar, Joab was seeking asylum from Solomon.
  154. 1 Kings 2:29 tn Heb “and it was related to King Solomon.”
  155. 1 Kings 2:29 tn Heb “so Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying.”
  156. 1 Kings 2:30 tn Heb “saying, “In this way Joab spoke and in this way he answered me.”
  157. 1 Kings 2:31 tn Heb “house.”
  158. 1 Kings 2:31 tn Heb “take away the undeserved bloodshed which Joab spilled from upon me and from upon the house of my father.”
  159. 1 Kings 2:32 tn Heb “The Lord will cause his blood to return upon his head.”
  160. 1 Kings 2:32 tn Heb “because he struck down two men more innocent and better than he and he killed them with the sword, and my father David did not know.”
  161. 1 Kings 2:33 tn Heb “house.”
  162. 1 Kings 2:33 tn Heb “his throne.”
  163. 1 Kings 2:34 tn Heb “struck him and killed him.” The referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  164. 1 Kings 2:35 tn Heb “over.”
  165. 1 Kings 2:35 tc The Old Greek translation includes after v. 35 some fourteen verses that are absent from the MT.
  166. 1 Kings 2:36 tn Heb “sent and summoned.”
  167. 1 Kings 2:36 tn Heb “and you may not go out from there here or there.”
  168. 1 Kings 2:37 tn Heb “your blood will be upon your head.”
  169. 1 Kings 2:38 tn Heb “Good is the word, as my master the king has spoken.”
  170. 1 Kings 2:38 tn Heb “so your servant will do.”
  171. 1 Kings 2:38 tn Heb “many days.”
  172. 1 Kings 2:42 tn Heb “sent and summoned.”
  173. 1 Kings 2:42 tn Heb “Is it not [true]…?” In the Hebrew text the statement is interrogative; the rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course it is.”
  174. 1 Kings 2:42 tn Heb “here or there.”
  175. 1 Kings 2:42 tn Heb “good is the word; I have heard.”
  176. 1 Kings 2:43 tn Heb “Why have you not kept the oath [to] the Lord and the commandment I commanded you?”
  177. 1 Kings 2:44 tn Heb “You know all the evil, for your heart knows, which you did to David my father.”
  178. 1 Kings 2:44 tn Heb “The Lord will cause your evil to return upon your head.”
  179. 1 Kings 2:45 tn Or “blessed.”
  180. 1 Kings 2:45 tn Heb “throne.”
  181. 1 Kings 2:46 tn “The king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada and he went out and struck him down and he died.”
  182. 1 Kings 2:46 tn “And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.”