David's Charge to Solomon
21The day of David's death was approaching, so he gave the following commands to his son Solomon:
2I am about to go the way of all the earth. Now, be strong and act like a man! 3Fulfill your duties to the Lord your God. Walk in his ways. Keep his statutes, his commands, his ordinances, and his decrees as they are written in the Law of Moses, so that you may have success in everything you do and everywhere you turn, 4in order that the Lord may keep this word that he spoke to me: “If your sons are careful to walk before me faithfully with their whole heart and soul, then you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.”
5Furthermore, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to two commanders of the army of Israel, to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, spilling blood in peacetime as if it was happening in war. He spattered that blood on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet, as if it were war. 6Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.
7Keep faith with[] the sons of Barzillai from Gilead, and let them eat at your table, because they did the same for me when I fled from your brother Absalom. 8Watch out for Shimei son of Gera from Bahurim of the tribe of Benjamin, since he is still with you. He cursed me bitterly on the day I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord, “I will not kill you with the sword.” 9But now, do not leave him unpunished, for you are a wise man. You will know what you should do to him. Bring his gray hair down to the grave in blood.
David's Death
10David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David. 11David was king over Israel for forty years. He was king in Hebron for seven years, and he was king in Jerusalem for thirty-three years.
Adonijah Schemes Against Solomon
12Solomon was seated on the throne of his father David, and his kingship was firmly established.
13Adonijah son of Haggith came to Solomon's mother Bathsheba. She said to him, “Do you come in peace?”
“Yes, in peace,” he answered. 14Then he said, “May I have a word with you?”
She said, “Yes. Speak up.”
15He said, “You know that the kingship was mine, and all Israel looked for me to be king. But things changed, and the kingship went to my brother instead, because the Lord gave it to him. 16But now, I am asking you for one request. Do not turn me away.”
She said, “Tell me what it is.”
17He said, “Ask King Solomon (for he will not turn you down) to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife.”
18Bathsheba said, “Very well, I will speak to the king for you.”
19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king met her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and also set up a throne for the king's mother, and she sat at his right hand.
20She said, “I am asking you for one small request. Do not turn me down.”
The king answered her, “Ask, mother, for I will not turn you down.”
21She said, “Please give Abishag from Shunem to your brother Adonijah as his wife.”
22King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you ask for Abishag from Shunem to be given to Adonijah? You might as well ask for the kingship for him. After all, he is my brother, my older brother! Yes, request it for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, “May God punish me severely and double it,[] if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request that he has made! 24Now, as surely as the Lord lives, who has appointed me and seated me on the throne of my father David and has established my house just as he said he would, Adonijah will die today!” 25Then King Solomon gave an order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and killed him. Solomon Makes His Kingship Secure
26To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to your estate in Anathoth. Although you deserve to die, I will not kill you today because you carried the Ark of the Lord God before my father David and because you shared in all my father's sufferings.” 27So Solomon drove Abiathar out from serving as priest for the Lord, to fulfill the word of the Lord which had been spoken against the house of Eli in Shiloh.
