¶ When king David was waxen old and stricken in years, though they covered him with clothes, yet he caught no heat.
Wherefore his servants said unto him: let there be sought for my lord the king a young maiden to wait upon him and to cherish him. And let her lie in his bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
And so they sought for a fair Damsel thorowout all the coasts of Israel and found one Abisag a Sunamite and brought her to the king.
And the Damsel was exceeding fair, and cherished the king and ministered to him: But the king knew her not.
¶ But Adoniah the son of Hagith exalted himself saying: I will be king. And he gat him a chariot and horsemen and fifty men to run before him.
And his father rebuked him not at any time nor said so much to him as why dost thou so. And he was thereto a goodly man and his mother bare him next after Absalom.
And he communed with Ioab the son of Zaruiah and with Abiathar the priest. And they holp Adoniah.
But Sadock the priest, Banaiah the son of Iehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Semei and Rei and the men of might which were with David favoured not Adoniah.
And Adoniah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings at the stone of Zoheleth which is fast by the well of Rogel, and bade all his brethren the king's sons and all the men of Iuda the king's servants.
But Nathan the prophet and Banaiah and the mighty men and Salomon his brother he bade not.
¶ Whereupon Nathan spake unto Bethsabe the mother of Salomon saying: hast thou not heard how that Adoniah the son of Hagith doth reign unwitting unto our master David?
Now therefore come that I may give thee counsel, how to save thine own life and the life of thy son Salomon.
Hence and get thee unto king David and say unto him: didst thou not my lord king sware unto thy handmaid saying? Salomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my seat, why is then Adoniah made king?
And see, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I will come in after thee and will end thy words.
And Bethsabe went in unto the king into the chamber. And the king was very old and Abisag the Sunamite ministered unto him.
And Bethsabe stooped and made obeisance unto the king. And the king said: what is thy matter?
And she answered and said: My lord thou swearest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid: Salomon thy son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my seat.
But now see, Adoniah is king and thou my lord king wottest it not.
And he hath offered oxen, fatlings and sheep abundantly, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Ioab the captain of the Host. But Salomon thy servant hath he not bidden.
And now my lord king the eyes of all Israel wait on thee, to tell them who shall sit on the seat of my lord the king after him.
For else when my lord the king is laid to rest with his fathers, I and my son Salomon shall be sinners.
And behold, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet was come.
And they told the king saying: here cometh Nathan the prophet. And when he was come before the king, he made obeisance unto the king upon his face unto the ground,
and said: My lord king, hast thou said, Adoniah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my seat?
For he is gone down this day and hath offered oxen, fatlings and sheep abundantly, and hath called all the king's sons and the captains of the Host, and Abiathar the priest. And see, they eat and drink before him and say. God save king Adoniah.
But me thy servant and Sadock the priest and Banaiah the son of Iehoiada, and thy servant Salomon he hath not called.
Is this thing done of my lord the king and yet wouldest not shew me thy servant, who should sit on the seat of my lord the king after him?
Then king David answered and said: call me Bethsabe. And she came in and stood before him.
And the king sware saying. As sure as the LORD (that hath rid my soul out of all adversity) liveth:
even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel saying: Salomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my seat for me, so will I do this day.
And Bethsabe bowed on her face to the earth and did obeisance unto the king and said: I pray God my lord king David may live ever.
¶ Then said king David call me Sadock the priest and Nathan the prophet and Banaiah the son of Iehoiada. And when they came before the king.
The king said unto them: take with you the servants of your lord, and set Salomon my son upon mine own Mule and carry him down to Gihon.
And let Sadock the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there, to be king over Israel. And then blow ye with a trumpet and say: God save king Salomon.
And then come up after him, and let him come and sit upon my seat. For he shall be king in my stead. And him I have commanded to be captain over Israel and Iuda.
And Banaiah the son of Iehoiada answered the king and said, Amen, and so I pray God that the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.
And as the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so, I pray God he may be, with Salomon and that he make his seat gloriouser than the seat of my lord king David.
And Sadock the priest and Nathan the prophet and Banaiah the son of Iehoiada and the Cerethites and Phelethites went down, and set Salomon upon king David's Mule and led him to Gihon.
And Sadock the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle and anointed Salomon. And they blew a trumpet, and all they said: God save king Salomon.
And all the people came up after him piping with pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the earth rang with the sound of them.
¶ And Adoniah and all the guests that were with him, heard it even as they had made an end of eating. And when Ioab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said: how happeneth it there is such a noise in the city?
And as he yet spake, see, Ionathas the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adoniah said: come for thou art a lusty blood and bringest good tidings.
And Ionathas answered and said to Adoniah: Verily our lord king David hath made Salomon king.
And the king sent with him, Sadock the priest and Nathan the prophet: and Banaiah the son of Iehoiada and the Cerethites and the Phelethites, and they have set him upon the king's Mule.
And Sadock the priest and Nathan the Prophet have anointed him king in Gihon. And as they came up again they rejoiced that the city did sound again. And that is the noise that ye have heard.
And thereto Salomon sitteth on the seat of the kingdom.
And moreover the king's servants went in to bless our lord king David saying: thy God make the name of Salomon more favour than thine, and his seat more glorious than thine. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
And last of all thus said the king: blessed be the LORD God of Israel which hath made one to sit on my seat this day, even mine eyes seeing it.
And all the guests that were with Adoniah were afraid and rose up and went every man his way.
And Adoniah fearing Salomon arose and went and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
And it was told Salomon, how that Adoniah for fear of king Salomon hath caught handfast by the horns of the altar saying: let king Salomon swear unto me this day, that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
And Salomon said, if he will be a child of virtue, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth. But and if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die for it.
And thereupon king Salomon sent and fetched him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance unto king Salomon. And Salomon said to him: get thee to thine house.
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Praise the Everlasting Lord for His Faithful Word.