And she said, let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. ] For so Adonijah was by his father's side; and Bathsheba makes use of the relation, the more to move upon him to grant the request.
19
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak on Adonijah’s behalf. The king rose from his throne to meet her, and he bowed down before her. When he sat down on his throne again, the king ordered that a throne be brought for his mother, and she sat at his right hand.
20
“I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “I hope you won’t turn me down.” “What is it, my mother?” he asked. “You know I won’t refuse you.”
21
“Then let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem,” she replied.
22
“How can you possibly ask me to give Abishag to Adonijah?” King Solomon demanded. “You might as well ask me to give him the kingdom! You know that he is my older brother, and that he has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side.”
23
Then King Solomon made a vow before the LORD : “May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request.