Parallel Bible results for "1 kings 1"

1 Kings 1

New Revised Standard NRS

1 King David was old and advanced in years; and although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm.

2 So his servants said to him, "Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king, and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm."

3 So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 The girl was very beautiful. She became the king's attendant and served him, but the king did not know her sexually.

5 Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 His 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.

7 He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah.

8 But the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the prophet Nathan, and Shimei, and Rei, and David's own warriors did not side with Adonijah.

9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the stone Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah,

10 but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.

11 Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king and our lord David does not know it?

12 Now therefore come, let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

13 Go in at once to King David, and say to him, "Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then is Adonijah king?'

14 Then while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words."

15 So Bathsheba went to the king in his room. The king was very old; Abishag the Shunammite was attending the king.

16 Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, "What do you wish?"

17 She said to him, "My lord, you swore to your servant by the Lord your God, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne.

18 But now suddenly Adonijah has become king, though you, my lord the king, do not know it.

19 He has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the children of the king, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army; but your servant Solomon he has not invited.

20 But you, my lord the king—the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21 Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, that my son Solomon and I will be counted offenders."

22 While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan came in.

23 The king was told, "Here is the prophet Nathan." When he came in before the king, he did obeisance to the king, with his face to the ground.

24 Nathan said, "My lord the king, have you said, "Adonijah shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne'?

25 For today he has gone down and has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's children, Joab the commander of the army, and the priest Abiathar, who are now eating and drinking before him, and saying, "Long live King Adonijah!'

26 But he did not invite me, your servant, and the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon.

27 Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not let your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?"

28 King David answered, "Summon Bathsheba to me." So she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.

29 The king swore, saying, "As the Lord lives, who has saved my life from every adversity,

30 as I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel, "Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,' so will I do this day."

31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and did obeisance to the king, and said, "May my lord King David live forever!"

32 King David said, "Summon to me the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." When they came before the king,

33 the king said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

34 There let the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet, and say, "Long live King Solomon!'

35 You shall go up following him. Let him enter and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place; for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah."

36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so ordain.

37 As the Lord has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David."

38 So the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and had Solomon ride on King David's mule, and led him to Gihon.

39 There the priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!"

40 And all the people went up following him, playing on pipes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth quaked at their noise.

41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, "Why is the city in an uproar?"

42 While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of the priest Abiathar arrived. Adonijah said, "Come in, for you are a worthy man and surely you bring good news."

43 Jonathan answered Adonijah, "No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king;

44 the king has sent with him the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they had him ride on the king's mule;

45 the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you heard.

46 Solomon now sits on the royal throne.

47 Moreover the king's servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, "May God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.' The king bowed in worship on the bed

48 and went on to pray thus, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who today has granted one of my offspring to sit on my throne and permitted me to witness it.' "

49 Then all the guests of Adonijah got up trembling and went their own ways.

50 Adonijah, fearing Solomon, got up and went to grasp the horns of the altar.

51 Solomon was informed, "Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; see, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, "Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.' "

52 So Solomon responded, "If he proves to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die."

53 Then King Solomon sent to have him brought down from the altar. He came to do obeisance to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, "Go home."

The Message Bible MSG

1 King David grew old. The years had caught up with him. Even though they piled blankets on him, he couldn't keep warm.

2 So his servants said to him, "We're going to get a young virgin for our master the king to be at his side and look after him; she'll get in bed with you and arouse our master the king."

3 So they searched the country of Israel for the most ravishing girl they could find; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.

4 The girl was stunningly beautiful; she stayed at his side and looked after the king, but the king did not have sex with her.

5 At this time Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, puffed himself up saying, "I'm the next king!" He made quite a splash, with chariots and riders and fifty men to run ahead of him.

6 His father had spoiled him rotten as a child, never once reprimanding him. Besides that, he was very good-looking and the next in line after Absalom.

7 Adonijah talked with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they threw their weight on his side.

8 But neither the priest Zadok, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor Nathan the prophet, nor Shimei and Rei, nor David's personal bodyguards supported Adonijah.

9 Next Adonijah held a coronation feast, sacrificing sheep, cattle, and grain-fed heifers at the Stone of Zoheleth near the Rogel Spring. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and everyone in Judah who had position and influence -

10 but he did not invite the prophet Nathan, Benaiah, the bodyguards, or his brother Solomon.

11 Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Did you know that Adonijah, Haggith's son, has taken over as king, and our master David doesn't know a thing about it?

12 Quickly now, let me tell you how you can save both your own life and Solomon's.

13 Go immediately to King David. Speak up: 'Didn't you, my master the king, promise me, "Your son Solomon will be king after me and sit on my throne"? So why is Adonijah now king?'

14 While you're there talking with the king, I'll come in and corroborate your story."

15 Bathsheba went at once to the king in his palace bedroom. He was so old! Abishag was at his side making him comfortable.

16 As Bathsheba bowed low, honoring the king, he said, "What do you want?"

17 "My master," she said, "you promised me in God's name, 'Your son Solomon will be king after me and sit on my throne.'

18 And now look what's happened - Adonijah has taken over as king, and my master the king doesn't even know it!

19 He has thrown a huge coronation feast - cattle and grain-fed heifers and sheep - inviting all the king's sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab head of the army. But your servant Solomon was not invited.

20 My master the king, every eye in Israel is watching you to see what you'll do - to see who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him.

21 If you fail to act, the moment you're buried my son Solomon and I are as good as dead."

22 Abruptly, while she was telling the king all this, Nathan the prophet came in

23 and was announced: "Nathan the prophet is here." He came before the king, honoring him by bowing deeply, his face touching the ground.

24 "My master the king," Nathan began, "did you say, 'Adonijah shall be king after me and sit on my throne'?

25 Because that's what's happening. He's thrown a huge coronation feast - cattle, grain-fed heifers, sheep - inviting all the king's sons, the army officers, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a grand time, eating and drinking and shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

26 But I wasn't invited, nor was the priest Zadok, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon.

27 Is this something that my master the king has done behind our backs, not telling your servants who you intended to be king after you?"

28 King David took action: "Get Bathsheba back in here." She entered and stood before the king.

29 The king solemnly promised, "As God lives, the God who delivered me from every kind of trouble,

30 I'll do exactly what I promised in God's name, the God of Israel: Your son Solomon will be king after me and take my place on the throne. And I'll make sure it happens this very day."

31 Bathsheba bowed low, her face to the ground. Kneeling in reverence before the king she said, "Oh, may my master, King David, live forever!"

32 King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada." They came to the king.

33 Then he ordered, "Gather my servants, then mount my son Solomon on my royal mule and lead him in procession down to Gihon.

34 When you get there, Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint him king over Israel. Then blow the ram's horn trumpet and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'

35 You will then accompany him as he enters and takes his place on my throne, succeeding me as king. I have named him ruler over Israel and Judah."

36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada backed the king: "Yes! And may God, the God of my master the king, confirm it!

37 Just as God has been with my master the king, may he also be with Solomon and make his rule even greater than that of my master King David!"

38 Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the king's personal bodyguard (the Kerethites and Pelethites) went down, mounted Solomon on King David's mule, and paraded with him to Gihon.

39 Zadok the priest brought a flask of oil from the sanctuary and anointed Solomon. They blew the ram's horn trumpet and everyone shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"

40 Everyone joined the fanfare, the band playing and the people singing, the very earth reverberating to the sound.

41 Adonijah and his retinue of guests were just finishing their "coronation" feast when they heard it. When Joab heard the blast of the ram's horn trumpet he said, "What's going on here? What's all this uproar?"

42 Suddenly, in the midst of the questioning, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest, showed up. Adonijah said, "Welcome! A brave and good man like you must have good news."

43 But Jonathan answered, "Hardly! Our master King David has just made Solomon king!

44 And the king has surrounded him with Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, with the Kerethites and Pelethites; and they've mounted Solomon on the royal mule.

45 Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon and the parade is headed up this way singing - a great fanfare! The city is rocking! That's what you're hearing.

46 Here's the crowning touch - Solomon is seated on the throne of the kingdom!

47 And that's not all: The king's servants have come to give their blessing to our master King David saying, 'God make Solomon's name even more honored than yours, and make his rule greater than yours!' On his death bed the king worshiped God

48 and prayed, 'Blessed be God, Israel's God, who has provided a successor to my throne, and I've lived to see it!'"

49 Panicked, Adonijah's guests got out of there, scattering every which way.

50 But Adonijah himself, afraid for his life because of Solomon, fled to the sanctuary and grabbed the horns of the Altar.

51 Solomon was told, "Adonijah, fearful of King Solomon, has taken sanctuary and seized the horns of the Altar and is saying, 'I'm not leaving until King Solomon promises that he won't kill me.'"

52 Solomon then said, "If he proves to be a man of honor, not a hair of his head will be hurt; but if there is evil in him, he'll die."

53 Solomon summoned him and they brought him from the Altar. Adonijah came and bowed down, honoring the king. Solomon dismissed him, "Go home."