Now king Dâwid (דָּוִד) was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Yâshârêl (יִשְׂרָאֵל), and found Ăbı̂yshag (אֲבִישַׁג) a Shûnammı̂yth (שׁוּנַמִּית), and brought her to the king.
And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
Then Ădônı̂yâhû (אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ) the son of Chaggı̂yth (חַגִּית) exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, why have you done so? And he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Ăbı̂yshâlôm (אֲבִישָׁלוֹם).
And he conferred with Yôâb (יוֹאָב) the son of Tserûyâh, and with Ebyâthâr the kôhên: and they following Ădônı̂yâhû helped him.
But Tsâdôq the kôhên, and Benâyâhû (בְּנָיָה) the son of Yehôyâdâ (יְהוֹיָדָע), and Nâthân the prophet, and Shimı̂y, and Rêı̂y (רֵעִי), and the mighty men which belonged to Dâwid, were not with Ădônı̂yâhû.
And Ădônı̂yâhû slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zôcheleth (זֹחֶלֶת), which is by Êyn Rôgêl (עֵין רֹגֵל), and called all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Yahûdâh (יְהוּדָה) the king's servants:
But Nâthân the prophet, and Benâyâhû, and the mighty men, and Shelômôh (שְׁלֹמֹה) his brother, he called not.
Wherefore Nâthân spoke unto Bathsheba the mother of Shelômôh, saying, have you not heard that Ădônı̂yâhû the son of Chaggı̂yth does reign, and Dâwid our lord knows it not?
Now therefore come, let me, I pray you, give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Shelômôh.
Go and get you in unto king Dâwid, and say unto him, did not you, my lord, O king, swear unto your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Shelômôh your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Ădônı̂yâhû reign?
Behold, while you yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words.
And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Ăbı̂yshag the Shûnammı̂yth ministered unto the king.
And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, what would you?
And she said unto him, my lord, you swore by YAHUAH (יהוה) your ĔLÔHÎYM (אֱלֹהִים) unto your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Shelômôh your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
And now, behold, Ădônı̂yâhû reigns; and now, my lord the king, you know it not:
And he has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Ebyâthâr the kôhên, and Yôâb the captain of the host: but Shelômôh your servant has he not called.
And you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Yâshârêl are upon you, that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Shelômôh shall be counted offenders.
And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nâthân the prophet also came in.
And they told the king, saying, Behold Nâthân the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
And Nâthân said, my lord, O king, have you said, Ădônı̂yâhû shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
For he is gone down this day, and has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king's sons, and the captains of the host, and Ebyâthâr the kôhên; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, Long live King Ădônı̂yâhû.
But me, even me your servant, and Tsâdôq the kôhên, and Benâyâhû the son of Yehôyâdâ, and your servant Shelômôh, has he not called.
Is this thing done by my lord the king, and you have not showed it unto your servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?
Then king Dâwid answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
And the king swore, and said, As YAHUAH (יהוה) lives, that has redeemed my soul out of all distress,
Even as I swore unto you by YAHUAH (יהוה) ĔLÔHÎYM (אֱלֹהִים) of Yâshârêl, saying, Assuredly Shelômôh your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.
Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, let my lord king Dâwid live forever.
And king Dâwid said, Call me Tsâdôq the kôhên, and Nâthân the prophet, and Benâyâhû the son of Yehôyâdâ. And they came before the king.
The king also said unto them, take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Shelômôh my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gı̂ychôn (גִּיחוֹן):
And let Tsâdôq the kôhên and Nâthân the prophet anoint him there king over Yâshârêl: and blow you with the trumpet, and say, long live King Shelômôh.
Then you shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Yâshârêl and over Yahûdâh.
And Benâyâhû the son of Yehôyâdâ answered the king, and said, Amen: YAHUAH (יהוה) ĔLÔHÎYM (אֱלֹהִים) of my lord the king say so too.
As YAHUAH (יהוה) has been with my lord the king, even so be he with Shelômôh, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king Dâwid.
So Tsâdôq the kôhên, and Nâthân the prophet, and Benâyâhû the son of Yehôyâdâ, and the Kerêthı̂y, and the Pelêthı̂y, went down, and caused Shelômôh to ride upon king Dâwid's mule, and brought him to Gı̂ychôn.
And Tsâdôq the kôhên took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Shelômôh. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, long live King Shelômôh.
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
And Ădônı̂yâhû and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Yôâb heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?
And while he yet spoke, behold, Yahônâthân the son of Ebyâthâr the kôhên came; and Ădônı̂yâhû said unto him, Come in; for you are a valiant man, and bring good tidings.
And Yahônâthân (יוֹנָתָן) answered and said to Ădônı̂yâhû, Verily our lord king Dâwid has made Shelômôh king.
And the king has sent with him Tsâdôq the kôhên, and Nâthân the prophet, and Benâyâhû the son of Yehôyâdâ, and the Kerêthı̂y, and the Pelêthı̂y, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's mule:
And Tsâdôq the kôhên and Nâthân the prophet have anointed him king in Gı̂ychôn: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that you have heard.
And also Shelômôh sits on the throne of the kingdom.
And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king Dâwid, saying, ĔLÔHÎYM (אֱלֹהִים) make the name of Shelômôh better than your name, and make his throne greater than your throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.
And also thus said the king, Blessed be YAHUAH (יהוה) ĔLÔHÎYM (אֱלֹהִים) of Yâshârêl, which has given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.
And all the guests that were with Ădônı̂yâhû were afraid, and rose up, and went every man his way.
And Ădônı̂yâhû feared because of Shelômôh, and arose, and went, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
And it was told Shelômôh, saying, Behold, Ădônı̂yâhû fears king Shelômôh: for, lo, he has caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying, Let king Shelômôh swear unto me today that he will not slay his servant with the sword.
And Shelômôh said, if he will show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.
So king Shelômôh sent, and they brought him down from the altar. And he came and bowed himself to king Shelômôh: and Shelômôh said unto him, Go to your house.
