1 Kings 1; 1 Kings 2; Psalms 37; Psalms 71; Psalms 94

1 King David was now a very old man, and although his servants covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm.

2 So his officials said to him, "Your Majesty, let us find a young woman to stay with you and take care of you. She will lie close to you and keep you warm."

3 A search was made all over Israel for a beautiful young woman, and in Shunem they found such a woman named Abishag, and brought her to the king.

4 She was very beautiful, and waited on the king and took care of him, but he did not have intercourse with her.

5 Now that Absalom was dead, Adonijah, the son of David and Haggith, was the oldest surviving son. He was a very handsome man. David had never reprimanded him about anything, and he was ambitious to be king. He provided for himself chariots, horses, and an escort of fifty men.

7 He talked with Joab (whose mother was Zeruiah) and with Abiathar the priest, and they agreed to support his cause.

8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David's bodyguards were not on Adonijah's side.

9 One day Adonijah offered a sacrifice of sheep, bulls, and fattened calves at Snake Rock, near the spring of Enrogel. He invited the other sons of King David and the king's officials who were from Judah to come to this sacrificial feast,

10 but he did not invite his half brother Solomon or Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king's bodyguards.

11 Then Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, "Haven't you heard that Haggith's son Adonijah has made himself king? And King David doesn't know anything about it!

12 If you want to save your life and the life of your son Solomon, I would advise you to

13 go at once to King David and ask him, "Your Majesty, didn't you solemnly promise me that my son Solomon would succeed you as king? How is it, then, that Adonijah has become king?' "

14 And Nathan added, "Then, while you are still talking with King David, I will come in and confirm your story."

15 So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old, and Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, was taking care of him.

16 Bathsheba bowed low before the king, and he asked, "What do you want?"

17 She answered, "Your Majesty, you made me a solemn promise in the name of the Lord your God that my son Solomon would be king after you.

18 But Adonijah has already become king, and you don't know anything about it.

19 He has offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves, and he invited your sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of your army to the feast, but he did not invite your son Solomon.

20 Your Majesty, all the people of Israel are looking to you to tell them who is to succeed you as king.

21 If you don't, as soon as you are dead, my son Solomon and I will be treated as traitors."

22 She was still speaking, when Nathan arrived at the palace.

23 The king was told that the prophet was there, and Nathan went in and bowed low before the king.

24 Then he said, "Your Majesty, have you announced that Adonijah would succeed you as king?

25 This very day he has gone and offered a sacrifice of many bulls, sheep, and fattened calves. He invited all your sons, Joab the commander of your army, and Abiathar the priest, and right now they are feasting with him and shouting, "Long live King Adonijah!'

26 But he did not invite me, sir, or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon.

27 Did Your Majesty approve all this and not even tell your officials who is to succeed you as king?"

28 King David said, "Ask Bathsheba to come back in" - and she came and stood before him.

29 Then he said to her, "I promise you by the living Lord, who has rescued me from all my troubles,

30 that today I will keep the promise I made to you in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, that your son Solomon would succeed me as king."

31 Bathsheba bowed low and said, "May my lord the king live forever!"

32 Then King David sent for Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah. When they came in,

33 he said to them, "Take my court officials with you; have my son Solomon ride my own mule, and escort him down to Gihon Spring,

34 where Zadok and Nathan are to anoint him as king of Israel. Then blow the trumpet and shout, "Long live King Solomon!'

35 Follow him back here when he comes to sit on my throne. He will succeed me as king, because he is the one I have chosen to be the ruler of Israel and Judah."

36 "It shall be done," answered Benaiah, "and may the Lord your God confirm it!

37 As the Lord has been with Your Majesty, may he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours."

38 So Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon Spring.

39 Zadok took the container of olive oil which he had brought from the Tent of the Lord's presence, and anointed Solomon. They blew the trumpet, and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"

40 Then they all followed him back, shouting for joy and playing flutes, making enough noise to shake the ground.

41 As Adonijah and all his guests were finishing the feast, they heard the noise. And when Joab heard the trumpet, he asked, "What's the meaning of all that noise in the city?"

42 Before he finished speaking, Jonathan, the son of the priest Abiathar, arrived. "Come on in," Adonijah said. "You're a good man - you must be bringing good news."

43 "I'm afraid not," Jonathan answered. "His Majesty King David has made Solomon king.

44 He sent Zadok, Nathan, Benaiah, and the royal bodyguards to escort him. They had him ride on the king's mule,

45 and Zadok and Nathan anointed him as king at Gihon Spring. Then they went into the city, shouting for joy, and the people are now in an uproar. That's the noise you just heard.

46 Solomon is now the king.

47 What is more, the court officials went in to pay their respects to His Majesty King David and said, "May your God make Solomon even more famous than you, and may Solomon's reign be even more prosperous than yours.' Then King David bowed in worship on his bed

48 and prayed, "Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has today made one of my descendants succeed me as king, and has let me live to see it!' "

49 Then Adonijah's guests were afraid, and they all got up and left, each going his own way.

50 Adonijah, in great fear of Solomon, went to the Tent of the Lord's presence and took hold of the corners of the altar.

51 King Solomon was told that Adonijah was afraid of him and that he was holding on to the corners of the altar and had said, "First, I want King Solomon to swear to me that he will not have me put to death."

52 Solomon replied, "If he is loyal, not even a hair on his head will be touched; but if he is not, he will die."

53 King Solomon then sent for Adonijah and had him brought down from the altar. Adonijah went to the king and bowed low before him, and the king said to him, "You may go home."

1 When David was about to die, he called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions:

2 "My time to die has come. Be confident and determined,

3 and do what the Lord your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses, so that wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do.

4 If you obey him, the Lord will keep the promise he made when he told me that my descendants would rule Israel as long as they were careful to obey his commands faithfully with all their heart and soul.

5 "There is something else. You remember what Joab did to me by killing the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. You remember how he murdered them in time of peace as revenge for deaths they had caused in time of war. He killed innocent men, and now I bear the responsibility for what he did, and I suffer the consequences.

6 You know what to do; you must not let him die a natural death.

7 "But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead and take care of them, because they were kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.

8 "There is also Shimei son of Gera, from the town of Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me bitterly the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he met me at the Jordan River, I gave him my solemn promise in the name of the Lord that I would not have him killed.

9 But you must not let him go unpunished. You know what to do, and you must see to it that he is put to death."

10 David died and was buried in David's City.

11 He had been king of Israel for forty years, ruling seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

12 Solomon succeeded his father David as king, and his royal power was firmly established.

13 Then Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, went to Bathsheba, who was Solomon's mother. "Is this a friendly visit?" she asked. "It is," he answered,

14 and then he added, "I have something to ask of you." "What is it?" she asked.

15 He answered, "You know that I should have become king and that everyone in Israel expected it. But it happened differently, and my brother became king because it was the Lord's will.

16 And now I have one request to make; please do not refuse me." "What is it?" Bathsheba asked.

17 He answered, "Please ask King Solomon - I know he won't refuse you - to let me have Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, as my wife."

18 "Very well," she answered. "I will speak to the king for you."

19 So Bathsheba went to the king to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king stood up to greet his mother and bowed to her. Then he sat on his throne and had another one brought in on which she sat at his right.

20 She said, "I have a small favor to ask of you; please do not refuse me." "What is it, mother?" he asked. "I will not refuse you."

21 She answered, "Let your brother Adonijah have Abishag as his wife."

22 "Why do you ask me to give Abishag to him?" the king asked. "You might as well ask me to give him the throne too. After all, he is my older brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab are on his side!"

23 Then Solomon made a solemn promise in the Lord's name, "May God strike me dead if I don't make Adonijah pay with his life for asking this!

24 The Lord has firmly established me on the throne of my father David; he has kept his promise and given the kingdom to me and my descendants. I swear by the living Lord that Adonijah will die this very day!"

25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah, who went out and killed Adonijah.

26 Then King Solomon said to Abiathar the priest, "Go to your country home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not have you put to death now, for you were in charge of the Lord's Covenant Box while you were with my father David, and you shared in all his troubles."

27 Then Solomon dismissed Abiathar from serving as a priest of the Lord, and so made come true what the Lord had said in Shiloh about the priest Eli and his descendants.

28 Joab heard what had happened. (He had supported Adonijah, but not Absalom.) So he fled to the Tent of the Lord's presence and took hold of the corners of the altar.

29 When the news reached King Solomon that Joab had fled to the Tent and was by the altar, Solomon sent a messenger to Joab to ask him why he had fled to the altar. Joab answered that he had fled to the Lord because he was afraid of Solomon. So King Solomon sent Benaiah to kill Joab.

30 He went to the Tent of the Lord's presence and said to Joab, "The king orders you to come out." "No," Joab answered. "I will die here." Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said.

31 "Do what Joab says," Solomon answered. "Kill him and bury him. Then neither I nor any other of David's descendants will any longer be held responsible for what Joab did when he killed innocent men.

32 The Lord will punish Joab for those murders, which he committed without my father David's knowledge. Joab killed two innocent men who were better men than he: Abner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, commander of the army of Judah.

33 The punishment for their murders will fall on Joab and on his descendants forever. But the Lord will always give success to David's descendants who sit on his throne."

34 So Benaiah went to the Tent of the Lord's presence and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the open country.

35 The king made Benaiah commander of the army in Joab's place and put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.

36 Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, "Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Live in it and don't leave the city.

37 If you ever leave and go beyond Kidron Brook, you will certainly die - and you yourself will be to blame."

38 "Very well, Your Majesty," Shimei answered. "I will do what you say." So he lived in Jerusalem a long time.

39 Three years later, however, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to the king of Gath, Achish son of Maacah. When Shimei heard that they were in Gath,

40 he saddled his donkey and went to King Achish in Gath, to find his slaves. He found them and brought them back home.

41 When Solomon heard what Shimei had done,

42 he sent for him and said, "I made you promise in the Lord's name not to leave Jerusalem. And I warned you that if you ever did, you would certainly die. Did you not agree to it and say that you would obey me?

43 Why, then, have you broken your promise and disobeyed my command?

44 You know very well all the wrong that you did to my father David. The Lord will punish you for it.

45 But he will bless me, and he will make David's kingdom secure forever."

46 Then the king gave orders to Benaiah, who went out and killed Shimei. Solomon was now in complete control.

1 Don't be worried on account of the wicked; don't be jealous of those who do wrong.

2 They will soon disappear like grass that dries up; they will die like plants that wither.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and be safe.

4 Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire.

5 Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you;

6 he will make your righteousness shine like the noonday sun.

7 Be patient and wait for the Lord to act; don't be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans.

8 Don't give in to worry or anger; it only leads to trouble.

9 Those who trust in the Lord will possess the land, but the wicked will be driven out.

10 Soon the wicked will disappear; you may look for them, but you won't find them;

11 but the humble will possess the land and enjoy prosperity and peace.

12 The wicked plot against good people and glare at them with hate.

13 But the Lord laughs at wicked people, because he knows they will soon be destroyed.

14 The wicked draw their swords and bend their bows to kill the poor and needy, to slaughter those who do what is right;

15 but they will be killed by their own swords, and their bows will be smashed.

16 The little that a good person owns is worth more than the wealth of all the wicked,

17 because the Lord will take away the strength of the wicked, but protect those who are good.

18 The Lord takes care of those who obey him, and the land will be theirs forever.

19 They will not suffer when times are bad; they will have enough in time of famine.

20 But the wicked will die; the enemies of the Lord will vanish like wild flowers; they will disappear like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and never pay back, but good people are generous with their gifts.

22 Those who are blessed by the Lord will possess the land, but those who are cursed by him will be driven out.

23 The Lord guides us in the way we should go and protects those who please him.

24 If they fall, they will not stay down, because the Lord will help them up.

25 I am old now; I have lived a long time, but I have never seen good people abandoned by the Lord or their children begging for food.

26 At all times they give freely and lend to others, and their children are a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good, and your descendants will always live in the land;

28 for the Lord loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people. He protects them forever, but the descendants of the wicked will be driven out.

29 The righteous will possess the land and live in it forever.

30 The words of good people are wise, and they are always fair.

31 They keep the law of their God in their hearts and never depart from it.

32 Wicked people watch good people and try to kill them;

33 but the Lord will not abandon them to their enemy's power or let them be condemned when they are on trial.

34 Put your hope in the Lord and obey his commands; he will honor you by giving you the land, and you will see the wicked driven out.

35 I once knew someone wicked who was a tyrant; he towered over everyone like a cedar of Lebanon;

36 but later I passed by, and he wasn't there; I looked for him, but couldn't find him.

37 Notice good people, observe the righteous; peaceful people have descendants,

38 but sinners are completely destroyed, and their descendants are wiped out.

39 The Lord saves the righteous and protects them in times of trouble.

40 He helps them and rescues them; he saves them from the wicked, because they go to him for protection.

1 Lord, I have come to you for protection; never let me be defeated!

2 Because you are righteous, help me and rescue me. Listen to me and save me!

3 Be my secure shelter and a strong fortress to protect me; you are my refuge and defense.

4 My God, rescue me from wicked people, from the power of cruel and evil people.

5 Sovereign Lord, I put my hope in you; I have trusted in you since I was young.

6 I have relied on you all my life; you have protected me since the day I was born. I will always praise you.

7 My life has been an example to many, because you have been my strong defender.

8 All day long I praise you and proclaim your glory.

9 Do not reject me now that I am old; do not abandon me now that I am feeble.

10 My enemies want to kill me; they talk and plot against me.

11 They say, "God has abandoned him; let's go after him and catch him; there is no one to rescue him."

12 Don't stay so far away, O God; my God, hurry to my aid!

13 May those who attack me be defeated and destroyed. May those who try to hurt me be shamed and disgraced.

14 I will always put my hope in you; I will praise you more and more.

15 I will tell of your goodness; all day long I will speak of your salvation, though it is more than I can understand.

16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone.

17 You have taught me ever since I was young, and I still tell of your wonderful acts.

18 Now that I am old and my hair is gray, do not abandon me, O God! Be with me while I proclaim your power and might to all generations to come.

19 Your righteousness, God, reaches the skies. You have done great things; there is no one like you.

20 You have sent troubles and suffering on me, but you will restore my strength; you will keep me from the grave.

21 You will make me greater than ever; you will comfort me again.

22 I will indeed praise you with the harp; I will praise your faithfulness, my God. On my harp I will play hymns to you, the Holy One of Israel.

23 I will shout for joy as I play for you; with my whole being I will sing because you have saved me.

24 I will speak of your righteousness all day long, because those who tried to harm me have been defeated and disgraced.

1 Lord, you are a God who punishes; reveal your anger!

2 You are the judge of us all; rise and give the proud what they deserve!

3 How much longer will the wicked be glad? How much longer, Lord?

4 How much longer will criminals be proud and boast about their crimes?

5 They crush your people, Lord; they oppress those who belong to you.

6 They kill widows and orphans, and murder the strangers who live in our land.

7 They say, "The Lord does not see us; the God of Israel does not notice."

8 My people, how can you be such stupid fools? When will you ever learn?

9 God made our ears - can't he hear? He made our eyes - can't he see?

10 He scolds the nations - won't he punish them? He is the teacher of us all - hasn't he any knowledge?

11 The Lord knows what we think; he knows how senseless our reasoning is.

12 Lord, how happy are those you instruct, the ones to whom you teach your law!

13 You give them rest from days of trouble until a pit is dug to trap the wicked.

14 The Lord will not abandon his people; he will not desert those who belong to him.

15 Justice will again be found in the courts, and all righteous people will support it.

16 Who stood up for me against the wicked? Who took my side against the evildoers?

17 If the Lord had not helped me, I would have gone quickly to the land of silence.

18 I said, "I am falling"; but your constant love, O Lord, held me up.

19 Whenever I am anxious and worried, you comfort me and make me glad.

20 You have nothing to do with corrupt judges, who make injustice legal,

21 who plot against good people and sentence the innocent to death.

22 But the Lord defends me; my God protects me.

23 He will punish them for their wickedness and destroy them for their sins; the Lord our God will destroy them.