1King David was old and far along in years. They piled blankets on him, but he could not get warm.
2So his servants said to him, "Let us find a young virgin for the king. She can attend to him, care for him, and sleep beside him so that the king can keep warm."
3They searched throughout all of Israel for a beautiful young woman, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.
4The young woman was very beautiful. She cared for the king and attended to him, but the king did not sleep with her.
5Meanwhile, Adonijah son of Haggith was promoting himself, saying, "I will be king." He provided himself with chariots, horsemen, and fifty men to run ahead of him.
6His father David had never rebuked him by asking, "Why are you doing this?" Adonijah was also a very handsome man, and he had been born after Absalom.
7He consulted with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they both supported Adonijah.
8But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's elite warriors did not side with Adonijah.
9Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened cattle at the Stone of Zoheleth near En-rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah who served the king.
10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, or his brother Solomon.
11Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and said, "Have you heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has made himself king, and our lord David doesn't even know about it?"
12"Let me give you advice on how to protect yourself and your son Solomon."
13"Go to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, didn't you swear to me that my son Solomon would reign after you and sit on your throne? Then why is Adonijah now the king?'"
14"While you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm what you have said."
15So Bathsheba went to the king in his bedroom. The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was attending to him.
16Bathsheba bowed low before the king. The king asked, "What do you want?"
17She said to him, "My lord, you swore to me by the Lord your God that my son Solomon would reign after you and sit on your throne."
18"But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, don't know about it."
19"He has sacrificed great numbers of oxen, fattened cattle, 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"My lord the king, all Israel is watching you to tell them who will sit on your throne after you."
21"If you do not act, when you rest with your ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals."
22While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.
23They told the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." He came before the king and bowed face down to the ground.
24Nathan said, "My lord the king, have you declared that Adonijah shall reign after you and sit on your throne?"
25"Because today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. He has invited all the king's sons, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and right now they are eating and drinking with him, shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'"
26"But he has not invited me — your servant — or Zadok the priest, or Benaiah son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon."
27"Did this come from my lord the king without telling me, his servant, who should sit on the throne after you?"
28King David responded, "Bring Bathsheba to me." She came before the king and stood in his presence.
29The king swore, saying, "As surely as the Lord lives, who has rescued me from every trouble,"
30"I will carry out today what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son will reign after me and will sit on my throne in my place."
31Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!"
32King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada to me." They came before the king.
33The king said to them, "Take your lord's servants with you, have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon."
34"There, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. Blow the ram's horn trumpet and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'"
35"Then come back up after him, and he will come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and Judah."
36Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, confirm it."
37"Just as the Lord was with my lord the king, may he be with Solomon, and may he make Solomon's throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!"
38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule, escorting him to Gihon.
39Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram's horn trumpet, and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"
40Then all the people went up after him, playing flutes and celebrating with such great joy that the ground shook with the sound.
41Adonijah and all his guests heard the noise as they were finishing their meal. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, "What is all this uproar in the city?"
42While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in. A man of your character must be bringing good news."
43"Not at all," Jonathan replied. "Our lord King David has made Solomon king."
44"The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and Pelethites with him, and they had him ride on the king's mule."
45"Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him king at Gihon. From there they went up cheering, and the whole city is in an uproar. That is the noise you hear."
46"Furthermore, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne."
47"The king's servants also came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, 'May God make Solomon's name more famous than yours, and his throne greater than your throne!' And the king bowed in worship on his bed."
48"He also said, 'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has given someone to sit on my throne while I am still alive to see it.'"
49At that, all Adonijah's guests were terrified. They got up and scattered, every one of them.
50Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.
51Solomon was told, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let King Solomon first swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.'"
52Solomon replied, "If he proves himself a worthy man, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground. But if any evil is found in him, he will die."
53So King Solomon sent men to bring Adonijah down from the altar. He came and bowed before King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, "Go to your home."