1 And King David was old, having come into days {bayamim: late in life}, and they covered him with garments; but he did not become warm {yicham: become warm} for him.
2 And his servants said to him, “Let them seek for my lord the king a young virgin {betulah: a woman who has not known a man} and let her stand before the king as an attendant {sokhenet: palace companion} for him, so that she may lie in your bosom and my lord the king may be warm.”
3 So they searched for a beautiful young woman {neʿarah: unmarried maiden} throughout all the territory of Israel and found Avishag the Shunammite {Shunammite: resident of Shunem}; they brought her to the king.
4 And the young woman was exceedingly beautiful, and she became an attendant for the king {melech: royal ruler}, and she served him; but the king did not know {yada: have sexual relations} her.
5 Now Adonijah {adoniyah: Yah Is Lord}, son of Haggith, was exalting himself, saying, “I will be king.” So he provided himself with a chariot {rekhev: royal carriage} and horsemen, and fifty men running before him.
6 And his father never caused him pain {atsavo: did not rebuke} at any time by saying, “Why have you done thus?” Also, he was very good in appearance {tovtoar: physical form}, and he was born after Absalom.
7 He conferred {devarav: strategic counsel} with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they followed {vayazru: loyal backing} Adonijah.
8 Now Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men {gibborim: David’s elite warriors} who belonged to David were not with Adonijah {adoniyahu: My Lord Is Yahweh}.
9 And Adoniyahu sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened cattle by the Stone of Zoheleth {hazochelet: slippery stone}, which is beside En Rogel. He also called all his brothers, the king’s sons, and the men of Judah who were servants {avdei hamelech: royal officials} of the king.
10 But he did not call Nathan the prophet {navi: divine spokesman}, Benaiah, the mighty men {gibborim: elite warriors}, or his brother Solomon.
11 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, “Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and our lord {adoneinu: royal authority} David does not know {yada‘: full awareness} about it?”
12 And now, go {lekhi: depart immediately}, let me give you counsel, and save your life and the life of your son Solomon {Shelomo: man of peace}.
13 Go and enter to King David {David: son of Jesse} and you shall say to him, “Is it not you, my lord the king, who swore to your female servant, saying, ‘Surely Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne {kis’i: royal seat and symbol of authority}’? Then why has Adonijah become king?”
14 Behold {hinneh: attention marker}, while you are still speaking there with the king, I will come after you and will complete your words {mileti: supply, follow up}.
15 So Bathsheba came to the king in the chamber, and the king was very old {zaken: advanced in years}, and Avishag the Shunammite was serving the king {mesharat: ministering to his needs}.
16 Then Bathsheba {bat-sheva: David’s wife} bowed down and prostrated herself {vatishtachu: act of submission} before the king. The king said, “What is it you seek?”
17 She said to him, “My lord, You swore by the LORD {YHWH, Oath Witness} your God to your handmaid, that Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne {kise: royal authority}.”
18 And now behold {hinneh: Sudden Announcement}, Adonijah has become king {malakh: Established Ruler}, and now, my lord the king, you do not know.
19 He sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance, and he called all the king’s sons, and Abiathar the priest {kohen: sacred official}, and Joab the army commander, but he did not call Solomon your servant {eved: trusted attendant}.
20 And now, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel {einey: collective expectation} are upon you as you declare {le·hag·gîd: public announcement} who will sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him.
21 And it will come to pass when my lord the king {adonî-hamelekh: royal master} rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be regarded as sinners {ḥaṭṭā’îm: guilty ones}.
22 And behold {vehineh: sudden attention}, while she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet {navi: messenger of God} came in.
23 And they told the king, saying, “Behold, Nathan the prophet is here.” Then he came before the king and bowed down {vayishtachu: deep prostration} before him, his face to the ground {artzah: gesture of submission}.
24 Then Nathan said, “My lord the king, did you say, ‘Adonijah will reign {yimlokh: to exercise sovereign power} after me and he will sit on my throne {kisei: royal seat}?’”
25 Because he went down today and sacrificed oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep in abundance {la-rov: great quantity}, and he invited all the king’s sons, the officers of the army, and Abiathar the priest {kohen: anointed religious leader}, and behold, they are eating and drinking before him, and they said, “May King Adonijah live!”
26 But as for me, I your servant {avdekha: personal attendant}, and Zadok the priest {kohen: sacred minister}, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant, he did not invite.
27 Has this matter come from my lord the king {adoni hamelech: Royal Judge}, and have you not made known {hodatta: Officially Declared} to your servants who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
28 Then King David {Dāwîḏ: Revered Monarch} answered and said, “Call for Bathsheba,” and she came before {lifnei: royal presence} the king and stood before the king.
29 And the king swore an oath and said, “As surely as the LORD {YHWH, Faithful Deliverer} lives, who has redeemed {padah: rescue action} my soul from every trouble.”
30 For just as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel {YHWH Elohei Yisrael: Keeper of the Oath}, saying, “Solomon your son shall reign after me and sit upon my throne {kise: royal seat} in my place,” so I will certainly do this today.
31 Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground and prostrated{hitpael: reflexive stem} herself before the king, and she said, “May my lord King David live{yechi: jussive wish} forever!”
32 And King David {David: Royal Leader} said, “Summon Zadok the priest {kohen: temple minister}, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada to me.” And they came before the king.
33 And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants {avdei: royal attendants} of your lord, and have my son Solomon {Shlomoh: royal successor} ride on my mule, and bring him down to Gihon.”
34 And there Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet shall anoint him as king over Israel, and you shall blow the shofar {shofar: Ram’s Horn Trumpet}, and you shall say, ‘Let King Solomon {Shelomoh: Peaceful One} live!’
35 Then you shall go up after him, and he will come and sit on my throne, and he will reign in my place. And I have commanded him to be ruler {nagid: leader with authority} over Israel and over Judah {Yehudah: southern kingdom}.
36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, “Amen {amen: affirmation}, thus may the LORD God {YHWH Elohim, Divine Confirming One} of my lord the king say so.”
37 Just as the LORD {YHWH, Covenant Upholder} was with my lord the king, so may He be with Solomon, and may He make his throne {kisse: seat of authority} greater than the throne of my lord the king David.
38 Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, had Solomon ride on the mule {pirdat: ceremonial mule} of King David, and brought him to Gihon {gichon: inauguration spring}.
39 And Zadok the priest took the horn {keren: symbol of authority} of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the shofar {shofar: ram’s horn trumpet}, and all the people said, “Long live King Solomon!”
40 And all the people went up after him, and the people played pipes {chalil: flute-like instrument} and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth was split {vatibqa: burst open} by their sound.
41 And Adonijah heard, along with all the guests {kəru’im: formally summoned}, who were with him as they finished eating; Joab also heard the sound of the trumpet, and he said, “Why is the city making such commotion {homeh: noisy uproar}?”
42 While he was still speaking, behold, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, “Come in, for you are a man of strength {chayil: valor and capability}, and you bring good news {tevaser: bearer of tidings}.”
43 And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, “But our lord {ʾădōnênû: formal title of respect} the king David {dāwîḏ: beloved ruler} has made Solomon king.”
44 And the king {hamelekh: royal authority} sent with him Zadok the priest {hakohen: sacred official}, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they caused him to ride on the king’s mule.
45 And Zadok {ṣādôq: righteous priest} the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him as king at Gihon {gîḥōn: royal spring}, and they went up from there rejoicing. The city surged; it is the sound that you heard.
46 And also Solomon {Shlomoh: Davidic Heir} has sat on the throne of the kingdom {melukhah: royal rule}.
47 And also the servants of the king came to bless our lord the king David, saying, “May your God {Eloheikha: Covenant Lord} make the name of Solomon {Shlomo: Peaceable} better than your name, and may He make his throne greater than yours.” And the king bowed down upon the bed.
48 And moreover, the king said, “Blessed be the LORD {YHWH, Promise Fulfiller}, the God of Israel {Elohei Yisrael, National Protector}, who has given today one to sit on my throne {kisī: royal seat of authority}, and my eyes {einai: personal witness} see it.”
49 Then all the invited guests who were with Adonijah became terrified {chered: intense dread}, and they arose, and each man went his own way {derekh: personal path}.
50 And Adonijah feared because of Solomon, and he arose and went and grasped {vayachazek: held tight} the horns of the altar {mizbeach: place of sacrifice}.