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1 Kings 2:13-25
New English Translation
1 Kings 2:13-25
New English Translation
13 Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.”[a] 14 He added,[b] “I have something to say to you.” She replied, “Speak.” 15 He said, “You know that the kingdom[c] was mine and all Israel considered me king.[d] But then the kingdom was given to my brother, for the Lord decided it should be his.[e] 16 Now I’d like to ask you for just one thing. Please don’t refuse me.”[f] She said, “Go ahead and ask.”[g] 17 He said, “Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won’t refuse you.”[h] 18 Bathsheba replied, “That’s fine;[i] 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[j] her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother,[k] and she sat at his right hand. 20 She said, “I would like to ask you for just one small favor.[l] Please don’t refuse me.”[m] He said,[n] “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?[o] 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,[p] if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life![q] 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[r] for me as he promised), Adonijah will be executed today!” 25 King Solomon then sent[s] Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he killed Adonijah.[t]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 2:13 tn Heb “[in] peace.”
- 1 Kings 2:14 tn Heb “and he said.”
- 1 Kings 2:15 tn Or “kingship.”
- 1 Kings 2:15 tn Heb “set their face to me to be king.”
- 1 Kings 2:15 tn Heb “and the kingdom turned about and became my brother’s, for from the Lord it became his.”
- 1 Kings 2:16 tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.”
- 1 Kings 2:16 tn Heb “She said, ‘Speak!’”
- 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.”
- 1 Kings 2:18 tn Heb “[It is] good!”
- 1 Kings 2:19 tn Or “meet.”
- 1 Kings 2:19 tn Heb “he set up a throne for the mother of the king.”
- 1 Kings 2:20 tn Or “I’d like to make just one request of you.”
- 1 Kings 2:20 tn Heb “Do not turn back my face.”
- 1 Kings 2:20 tn Heb “and the king said to her.”
- 1 Kings 2:22 tn Heb “for Adonijah.”
- 1 Kings 2:23 tn Heb “So may God do to me, and so may he add.”
- 1 Kings 2:23 tn Heb “if with his life Adonijah has not spoken this word.”
- 1 Kings 2:24 tn Heb “house.”
- 1 Kings 2:25 tn The Hebrew text adds, “by the hand of.”
- 1 Kings 2:25 tn Heb “and he struck him and he died.”
1 Kings 2:13-25
New International Version
1 Kings 2:13-25
New International Version
Solomon’s Throne Established
13 Now Adonijah,(A) the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”(B)
He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” 14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”
“You may say it,” she replied.
15 “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. 16 Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”
“You may make it,” she said.
17 So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag(C) the Shunammite as my wife.”
18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”
19 When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother,(D) and she sat down at his right hand.(E)
20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”
The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”
21 So she said, “Let Abishag(F) the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”
22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag(G) the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother(H)—yes, for him and for Abiathar(I) the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,(J) if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! 24 And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised(K)—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah(L) son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.(M)
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