1 Kings 1:2-19
English Standard Version
Chapter 1
2Therefore his servants said to him, "Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm." 3So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not.
5Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
6His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, "Why have you done thus and so?" He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom.
7He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest. And they followed Adonijah and helped him.
8But Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and Nathan the prophet and Shimei and Rei and David 's mighty men were not with Adonijah.
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle by the Serpent 's Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king 's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah,
10but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother.
11Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king and David our lord does not know it?
12Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
13Go in at once to King David, and say to him, ‘Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying, "Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne"? Why then is Adonijah king?’
14Then while you are still speaking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words."
15So Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber (now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to the king).
16Bathsheba bowed and paid homage to the king, and the king said, "What do you desire?"
17She said to him, "My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.’
18And now, behold, Adonijah is king, although you, my lord the king, do not know it.
19He has sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he has not invited.
