2 David knew that he would soon die. So this is what he said to his son Solomon:
2 ‘Soon I will die, as everyone must die one day. Be strong and brave, as a man should be. 3 Do what the Lord your God tells you to do. Live in a way that pleases him. Obey his rules, commands and laws that Moses has written down in his books of God's Law. Then everything that you do will go well, wherever you go. 4 The Lord will also do what he has promised me that he will do. He promised this to me:
“Your descendants must be careful in how they live. They must serve me faithfully with all their mind and strength. If they do that, one of your descendants will always rule Israel as king.”
5 Do not forget what Zeruiah's son Joab did to me. He killed the two leaders of Israel's armies, Ner's son Abner [ a ] and Jether's son Amasa. [ b ] Joab killed them as if they were his enemies in a war. But there was no war. So he is guilty of their deaths when they had done nothing wrong. Their blood is on his belt and on his shoes. 6 So you should punish him in a way that you think is right. Do not let him die in peace as an old man.
7 Be kind to the sons of Barzillai, who lived in Gilead. Let them eat meals at your table. Help them, because they helped me when I was running away from your brother Absalom. [ c ]
8 Remember that Shimei is still there to give you trouble. [ d ] He is the son of Gera who came from Bahurim, and he belonged to Benjamin's tribe. When I went to Mahanaim, he prayed that terrible things would happen to me. But when he came to meet me at the Jordan River, I made a promise to him. I promised him in the Lord 's name that I would not punish him with death. 9 But remember that he is guilty! You are a wise man, so you will know what to do to him. Even if he is an old man, make sure that he has a violent death.’
10 Then David died. They buried him in the City of David. 11 David had ruled Israel as king for 40 years. He ruled for seven years in Hebron. Then he ruled for 33 years in Jerusalem.
12 So Solomon ruled as king on the throne of his father David. His kingdom became strong.
13 Haggith's son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She asked him, ‘Do you come in peace?’ He answered, ‘Yes, I come in peace.’ 14 Then he said, ‘I want to say something to you.’ She replied, ‘Tell me.’
15 Adonijah said, ‘You know that the kingdom should belong to me. All the Israelite people thought that I should be their king. But everything changed, and now my brother is the king instead of me. The Lord decided that he should be king. 16 Now I have one thing to ask you. Please do not refuse me.’ Bathsheba replied, ‘Tell me.’
17 So Adonijah said, ‘Please ask King Solomon to give me Abishag, the girl from Shunem, to be my wife. He will do it if you ask him.’ 18 Bathsheba said, ‘I will speak to the king on your behalf.’
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak on behalf of Adonijah. The king stood up to meet her. He bent his head down to respect her. Then he sat on his throne. He commanded his servants to bring another throne for his mother. So she sat down at his right side. 20 She said, ‘I have one small thing to ask you. Please do not refuse to do it for me.’ The king said to her, ‘Ask me, mother! I will not refuse you!’ 21 So she said, ‘Please let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem.’ 22 But King Solomon said to his mother, ‘You are asking me to give Abishag to Adonijah as his wife! You should also ask me to give my kingdom to him, my older brother! That would be the same thing. Then he would rule together with Abiathar the priest and Zeruiah's son Joab!’ [ e ]
23 Then King Solomon made this strong promise in the Lord 's name. He said, ‘Because Adonijah has asked to have Abishag as his wife, I will certainly punish him with death. If I do not do that, I pray that God will punish me instead! 24 As surely as the Lord lives, Adonijah must die today. The Lord has done everything that he promised to me. He has made me strong so that now I rule on the throne of my father David. And my descendants will continue to rule as kings after me.’
25 So King Solomon commanded Jehoiada's son Benaiah to kill Adonijah. So Adonijah died.
26 Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, ‘Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You also deserve to die. But I will not kill you now because you served my father David. You carried the Covenant Box of the Almighty Lord when David was king. Also, the trouble that happened to my father happened to you too.’
27 Solomon sent Abiathar away so that he was no longer a priest who served the Lord . That was the punishment that the Lord had said would happen to Eli's family. So what the Lord had promised at Shiloh now happened. [ f ]
28 When Adonijah had tried to become king, Joab had joined with him. (But he had not joined with Absalom.) Joab heard the news about what had happened to Adonijah and Abiathar. So he hurried to the Lord 's holy tent. He took hold of the horns of the altar there. 29 King Solomon heard that Joab had gone to the altar in the Lord 's holy tent. He commanded Jehoiada's son Benaiah, ‘Go there! Knock Joab down to kill him!’ 30 So Benaiah went to the Lord 's holy tent. When he arrived there, he said to Joab, ‘The king says, “Come out!” ’ But Joab answered, ‘No! I will die here!’
So Benaiah sent a message to tell the king what Joab had said.
31 The king replied, ‘Do as Joab said. Kill him there and bury him. He has killed people who did not deserve to die. Punish Joab with death. Then I and my father's family will no longer be guilty for the cruel murders that he has done. 32 The Lord will now punish him because of the murders that he did. He used his sword to attack and kill two men, but he did not tell my father David about it. He murdered Ner's son Abner, the leader of Israel's army. He also murdered Jether's son Amasa, the leader of Judah's army. Both those men were better and more honest than Joab was. 33 Joab and his descendants will always receive the punishment for those murders. But the Lord will cause David's descendants, his family and his kingdom to enjoy peace always.’
34 So Jehoiada's son Benaiah went to the holy tent and he punished Joab with death. They buried Joab at his home in the wilderness.
35 Then the king chose Benaiah to be the leader of the army instead of Joab. The king also chose Zadok to be the priest instead of Abiathar.
36 Then the king told Shimei to come to him. He said to Shimei, ‘Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Live in it all the time. Never leave to go anywhere else. 37 If you ever leave the city and you cross the Kidron stream, you will certainly die. That will be a death that you choose for yourself.’ 38 Shimei said to the king, ‘My lord the king, your words are good. I will do as you have decided.’
So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. 39 But after three years, two of his slaves ran away. They went to Achish, who was the son of Maakah, the king of Gath. Someone told Shimei, ‘Your slaves are in Gath.’ 40 So Shimei prepared his donkey and he left home. He went to Achish in Gath to look for his slaves. He found them and he brought them back from Gath. 41 Someone told Solomon that Shimei had travelled from Jerusalem to Gath and now he had returned. 42 So the king told Shimei to come to him. He said to Shimei, ‘You made a strong promise to me in the Lord 's name. I am sure that you remember that! I warned you never to leave Jerusalem. I said that if you went anywhere else, you would certainly die. You said to me at that time, “I agree with what you have said.” 43 But you have not done what you promised to do in the Lord 's name. You should have obeyed my command.’
44 The king also said to Shimei, ‘I know that you remember how you insulted my father David. Now the Lord will punish you because of the evil things that you did. 45 But the Lord will bless me, King Solomon. David's descendants will continue to serve the Lord as kings for ever.’
46 Then the king commanded Jehoiada's son Benaiah to punish Shimei with death. So Benaiah went and he killed Shimei.
So Solomon now ruled the kingdom with complete authority.
2 The time came for David to die, so he gave these commands to Solomon, 2 “I am about to die, like all men must. But you are growing stronger and becoming a man. 3 Now, carefully obey all the commands of the Lord your God. Carefully obey all his laws, commands, decisions, and agreements. Obey everything that is written in the Law of Moses. If you do this, you will be successful at whatever you do and wherever you go. 4 And if you obey the Lord , he will keep his promise about me. He said, ‘If your sons carefully live the way I tell them, sincerely, with all their heart, the king of Israel will always be a man from your family.’”
5 David also said, “You remember what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me. He killed two of the commanders of Israel’s army, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. Remember, it was during a time of peace when he spilled the blood that splattered onto his sword belt and army boots. I should have punished him then. 6 Use your wisdom, but don’t let him die peacefully of old age.
7 “Also, be kind to the children of Barzillai from Gilead. Be friends with them, and let them eat at your table, because they helped me when I ran away from your brother Absalom.
8 “And remember, Shimei son of Gera is still around. He is the Benjamite from Bahurim who cursed me when I ran away to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I made a promise to him before the Lord that I would not kill him. 9 Now, don’t leave him unpunished. You are a wise man. You will know what you must do, but don’t let him die peacefully of old age.”
10 Then David died and was buried in the City of David. 11 David ruled Israel 40 years. He ruled seven years in Hebron and 33 years in Jerusalem.
12 Now Solomon was king. He sat on the throne of his father David and was in complete control of his kingdom.
13 One day Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Solomon’s mother, Bathsheba. She asked him, “Do you come in peace?”
Adonijah answered, “Yes, this is a peaceful visit. 14 I have something to ask you.”
Bathsheba said, “Then speak.”
15 Adonijah said, “You know that at one time the kingdom was mine. All the people of Israel wanted me to be their king. But things have changed, and now my brother is the king. The Lord chose him to be king. 16 But now I have one thing to ask you. Please don’t refuse me.”
Bathsheba answered, “What do you want?”
17 Adonijah said, “I know that King Solomon will do whatever you ask. So please ask him to let me marry Abishag, the woman from Shunem.”
18 Then Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak to the king for you.”
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to talk with him. When the king saw her, he stood up, bowed before her, and then sat back down. He told some servants to bring another throne for his mother, and she sat down at his right side.
20 Bathsheba said to him, “I have one small thing to ask you. Please don’t refuse me.”
The king answered, “Ask whatever you want, mother. I will not refuse you.”
21 So Bathsheba said, “Let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the woman from Shunem.”
22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you asking me to give Abishag to Adonijah? Why don’t you just ask me to give him the whole kingdom! After all, he is my older brother, and both Abiathar the priest and Joab support him!”
23 Then Solomon said, “By the Lord , I swear I’ll make Adonijah pay for this with his life! 24 The Lord made me the king of Israel. He gave me the throne of my father David. The Lord kept his promise and gave the kingdom to me and my family. Now, as surely as the Lord lives, I swear Adonijah will die today!”
25 King Solomon gave the command to Benaiah, and Benaiah went out and killed Adonijah.
26 Then King Solomon said to Abiathar the priest, “I should kill you, but I will let you go back to your home in Anathoth. I will not kill you now because you helped carry the Holy Box of the Lord God while marching with my father David. And I know that you shared in the hard times with my father.” 27 So Solomon told Abiathar that he could not continue to serve as a priest of the Lord . This happened as the Lord said it would when he told Eli the priest what would happen to him and his family. [ a ]
28 Joab had supported Adonijah, but not Absalom. But when Joab heard what happened to Abiathar, he was frightened and ran to the tent of the Lord to hold onto the horns of the altar. 29 Someone told King Solomon that Joab was at the altar in the Lord ’s Tent. So Solomon ordered Benaiah to go and kill him.
30 Benaiah went into the Lord ’s Tent and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’”
But Joab answered, “No, I will die here.”
Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said. 31 The king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says! Kill him there and take him out to bury him. Then my family and I will be free of Joab’s guilt from killing innocent people. 32 Joab killed two men who were much better than he was. He killed Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah. He did this without my father’s knowledge. But now the Lord will punish Joab for the men he killed. 33 He and his family will always be guilty for their deaths. But the Lord will bring peace to David, his descendants, his family of kings, and his kingdom forever.”
34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada killed Joab, and he was buried near his home in the desert. 35 Solomon then made Benaiah son of Jehoiada the commander of the army in Joab’s place. Solomon also made Zadok the new high priest in Abiathar’s place. 36 Next, the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house here in Jerusalem to live in and don’t leave the city. 37 If you leave the city and go any further than Kidron Brook, you will be killed, and it will be your own fault.”
38 Shimei answered, “Yes, my king. I will obey you.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time. 39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran away. They went to King Achish of Gath, who was the son of Maacah. Shimei heard that his slaves were in Gath, 40 so he saddled his donkey and went to King Achish at Gath to find them. He found them there and brought them back home.
41 But someone told Solomon that Shimei had left Jerusalem and gone to Gath and back. 42 So Solomon 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 went anywhere, you would die. And you agreed to what I said. You said that you would obey me. 43 So why didn’t you obey me? Why did you break your promise to the Lord ? 44 You know all the bad things you did to my father David. Now the Lord will punish you for it. 45 But the Lord will bless me and keep David’s throne before him forever.”
46 Then the king ordered Benaiah to kill Shimei, and he did. So Solomon had full control of his kingdom.
2 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
3 And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
4 That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
5 Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.
7 But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.
8 And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord , saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
9 Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.
10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.
14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
15 And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the Lord .
16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
17 And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
18 And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.
19 Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.
20 Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
22 And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.
23 Then king Solomon sware by the Lord , saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.
24 Now therefore, as the Lord liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.
25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
26 And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the Lord God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the Lord ; that he might fulfil the word of the Lord , which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord , and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
29 And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the Lord ; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
30 And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the Lord , and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.
31 And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
32 And the Lord shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
33 Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the Lord .
34 So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
35 And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.
36 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.
37 For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
38 And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
39 And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.
40 And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.
41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.
42 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the Lord , and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.
43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the Lord , and the commandment that I have charged thee with?
44 The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the Lord shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;
45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the Lord for ever.
46 So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
2 As David’s [ a ] ( A ) time to die drew near, he commanded his son Solomon, saying, 2 “ ( B ) I am going the way of all the earth. So ( C ) be strong, and [ b ] prove yourself a man. 3 Do your duty to the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, to [ c ] keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, ( D ) according to what is written in the Law of Moses, so that ( E ) you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 so that ( F ) the Lord may fulfill His [ d ] promise which He spoke regarding me, saying, ‘ ( G ) If your sons are careful about their way, ( H ) to walk before Me in [ e ] truth with all their heart and all their soul, [ f ] ( I ) you shall not be deprived of a man to occupy the throne of Israel.’
5 “Now you yourself also know what Joab the ( J ) son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to ( K ) Abner the son of Ner and to ( L ) Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed; he also [ g ] shed the blood of war in peace. And he put the blood of war on his belt that was on his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. 6 ( M ) So act as your wisdom dictates , and do not let his gray hair go down to [ h ] Sheol in peace. 7 However, ( N ) show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and ( O ) let them be among those who eat at your table; ( P ) for [ i ] they assisted me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8 And behold, you have with you ( Q ) Shimei the son of Gera the Benjaminite, of Bahurim; now it was he who cursed me with a painful curse on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when ( R ) he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord , saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ 9 But now do not leave him unpunished, ( S ) for you are a wise man; and you will know what to do to him, and you will bring his gray hair down to [ j ] Sheol with blood.”
10 Then ( T ) David [ k ] lay down with his fathers, and he was buried in ( U ) the city of David. 11 Now ( V ) the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: in Hebron he reigned for ( W ) seven years, and in Jerusalem he reigned for thirty-three years. 12 Then ( X ) Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.
13 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, “ ( Y ) Do you come peacefully?” And he said, “Peacefully.” 14 Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Speak.” 15 So he said, “You yourself know that ( Z ) the kingdom was mine and ( AA ) that all Israel [ l ] intended for me to be king; ( AB ) however, the kingdom has turned around and become my brother’s, ( AC ) for it was his from the Lord . 16 So now I am making one request of you; do not [ m ] refuse me.” And she said to him, “Speak.” 17 Then he said, “Please speak to Solomon the king—for he will not [ n ] refuse you—that he may give me ( AD ) Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.” 18 And Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king for you.”
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king stood to meet her, bowed to her, and sat on his throne; then he ( AE ) had a throne set up for the king’s mother, and ( AF ) she sat on his right. 20 Then she said, “I am making one small request of you; ( AG ) do not [ o ] refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not [ p ] refuse you.” 21 So she said, “ ( AH ) Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.” 22 But King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ( AI ) Request for him the kingdom as well— ( AJ ) since he is my older brother—for him, for ( AK ) Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!” 23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord , saying, “May God do so to me and more so, if Adonijah has ( AL ) not spoken this word against his own [ q ] life! 24 Now then, as the Lord lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and ( AM ) has made me a house just as He [ r ] promised, Adonijah certainly shall be put to death today!” 25 Then King Solomon ( AN ) sent the order by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he [ s ] struck him so that he died.
26 Then to Abiathar the priest the king said, “ ( AO ) Go to Anathoth to your own field, ( AP ) for you [ t ] deserve to die; but I will not put you to death at this [ u ] time, because ( AQ ) you carried the ark of the Lord [ v ] God before my father David, and because ( AR ) you were afflicted in everything with which my father was afflicted.” 27 So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from being priest to the Lord , to fulfill ( AS ) the word of the Lord , which He had spoken regarding the house of Eli in Shiloh.
28 Now the news came to Joab ( AT ) because Joab had followed Adonijah, ( AU ) though he had not followed Absalom. So Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and ( AV ) took hold of the horns of the altar. 29 And it was reported to King Solomon that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord , and [ w ] was beside the altar. Then Solomon ( AW ) sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, “ ( AX ) Go, [ x ] execute him.” 30 So Benaiah came to the tent of the Lord and said to him, “This is what the king has said: ‘Come out.’” But he said, “No, for I will die here.” So Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, “This is what Joab spoke, and so he answered me.” 31 And the king said to him, “ ( AY ) Do just as he has spoken, and [ y ] execute him and bury him, ( AZ ) so that you may remove from me and from my father’s house the blood which Joab shed without [ z ] justification. 32 ( BA ) The Lord will return his blood on his own head, ( BB ) because he [ aa ] struck two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword, while my father David did not know about it : ( BC ) Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and ( BD ) Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. 33 ( BE ) So their blood shall return on the head of Joab and on the head of his [ ab ] descendants forever; but for David and his [ ac ] descendants, and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the Lord forever.” 34 Then ( BF ) Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and [ ad ] struck him and put him to death, and he was buried at his own house ( BG ) in the wilderness. 35 And ( BH ) the king appointed Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king appointed ( BI ) Zadok the priest ( BJ ) in place of Abiathar.
36 Now the king sent men and summoned ( BK ) Shimei, and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, and do not leave there for any other place. 37 For on the day you leave and ( BL ) cross the [ ae ] brook Kidron, you will know for certain that you will assuredly die; ( BM ) your blood will be [ af ] on your own head.” 38 Shimei then said to the king, “The word is good. Just as my lord the king has spoken, so your servant shall do.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.
39 But it came about at the end of three years, that two of Shimei’s servants ran away ( BN ) to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath. And others told Shimei, saying, “Behold, your servants are in Gath.” 40 Then Shimei got up and saddled his donkey, and went to Gath to Achish, to search for his servants. And Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath. 41 And it was reported to Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and had returned. 42 So the king sent men and summoned Shimei, and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord , and solemnly warn you, saying, ‘Know for certain that on the day you depart and go anywhere, you shall assuredly die’? And you said to me, ‘The word I have heard is good.’ 43 Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord , and the command which I [ ag ] imposed on you?” 44 The king also said to Shimei, “ ( BO ) You yourself know all the evil that [ ah ] you acknowledge in your heart, which you did to my father David; therefore ( BP ) the Lord will return your evil on your own head. 45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and ( BQ ) the throne of David will be established before the Lord forever.” 46 ( BR ) So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and [ ai ] struck him so that he died.
( BS ) And the kingdom was established in the hands of Solomon.
2 When the time drew near for David to die, ( B ) he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” ( C ) he said. “So be strong, ( D ) act like a man, 3 and observe ( E ) what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper ( F ) in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise ( G ) to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully ( H ) before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
5 “Now you yourself know what Joab ( I ) son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner ( J ) son of Ner and Amasa ( K ) son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. 6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, ( L ) but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
7 “But show kindness ( M ) to the sons of Barzillai ( N ) of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. ( O ) They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
8 “And remember, you have with you Shimei ( P ) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. ( Q ) When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore ( R ) to him by the Lord : ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ 9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; ( S ) you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”
10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried ( T ) in the City of David. ( U ) 11 He had reigned ( V ) forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne ( W ) of his father David, and his rule was firmly established. ( X )
13 Now Adonijah, ( Y ) the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?” ( Z )
He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” 14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”
“You may say it,” she replied.
15 “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord . 16 Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”
“You may make it,” she said.
17 So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag ( AA ) the Shunammite as my wife.”
18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”
19 When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, ( AB ) and she sat down at his right hand. ( AC )
20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”
The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”
21 So she said, “Let Abishag ( AD ) the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”
22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag ( AE ) the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother ( AF ) —yes, for him and for Abiathar ( AG ) the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord : “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, ( AH ) if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! 24 And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised ( AI ) —Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah ( AJ ) son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died. ( AK )
26 To Abiathar ( AL ) the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. ( AM ) You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark ( AN ) of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.” ( AO ) 27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord , fulfilling ( AP ) the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.
28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns ( AQ ) of the altar. 29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar. ( AR ) Then Solomon ordered Benaiah ( AS ) son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”
30 So Benaiah entered the tent ( AT ) of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out! ( AU ) ’”
But he answered, “No, I will die here.”
Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”
31 Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood ( AV ) that Joab shed. 32 The Lord will repay ( AW ) him for the blood he shed, ( AX ) because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa ( AY ) son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better ( AZ ) men and more upright than he. 33 May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord ’s peace forever.”
34 So Benaiah ( BA ) son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab ( BB ) and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country. 35 The king put Benaiah ( BC ) son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok ( BD ) the priest.
36 Then the king sent for Shimei ( BE ) and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. 37 The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, ( BF ) you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.” ( BG )
38 Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.
39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish ( BH ) son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” 40 At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.
41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, 42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn ( BI ) you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’ 43 Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”
44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong ( BJ ) you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. 45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure ( BK ) before the Lord forever.”
46 Then the king gave the order to Benaiah ( BL ) son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei ( BM ) down and he died.
The kingdom was now established ( BN ) in Solomon’s hands.
