Holy Bible
(King James Version)
First Kings:
Chapter 1
1. NOW king David was old and
stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no
heat.
2. 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 thy bosom, that my lord the king may get
heat.
3. So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel,
and found Ab-i-shag a Shu-nam-mite, and brought her to the king.
4. And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered
to him: but the king knew her not.
5. Then Ad-o-ni-jah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will
be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run
before him.
6. And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast
thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him
after Ab-sa-lom.
7. And he conferred with Joab the son of Zer-u-i-ah, and with A-bi-a-thar
the priest: and they following Ad-o-ni-jah helped him.
8. But Zadok the priest, and Be-nai-ah the son of Je-hoi-a-da, and
Nathan the prophet, and Shim-e-i, and Re-i, and the mighty men which
belonged to David, were not with Ad-o-ni-jah.
9. And Ad-o-ni-jah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of
Zo-he-leth, which is by En-ro-gel, and called all his brethren the
king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:
10. But Nathan the prophet, and Be-nai-ah, and the mighty men, and
Solomon his brother, he called not.
11. Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon,
saying, Hast thou not heard that Ad-o-ni-jah the son of Haggith doth
reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?
12. Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that
thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
13. Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not,
thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly
Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
why then doth Ad-o-ni-jah reign?
14. Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come
in after thee, and confirm thy words.
15. And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king
was very old; and Ab-i-shag the Shu-nam-mite ministered unto the king.
16. And Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king
said, What wouldest thou?
17. And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God
unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after
me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
18. And now, behold, Ad-o-ni-jah reigneth; and now, my lord the king,
thou knowest it not:
19. And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and
hath called all the sons of the king, and A-bi-a-thar the priest, and
Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not
called.
20. And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee,
that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the
king after him.
21. Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep
with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.
22. And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also
came in.
23. And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And
when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king
with his face to the ground.
24. And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Ad-o-ni-jah shall
reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?
25. For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and
sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king's sons, and the
captains of the host, and A-bi-a-thar the priest; and, behold, they eat
and drink before him, and say, God save king Ad-o-ni-jah.
26. But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Be-nai-ah the
son of Je-hoi-a-da, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.
27. Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it
unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after
him?
28. Then king David answered and said, Call me Bath-sheba. And she
came into the king's presence, and stood before the king.
29. And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath
redeemed my soul out of all distress,
30. Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying,
Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my
throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.
31. Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence
to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.
32. And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
prophet, and Be-nai-ah the son of Je-hoi-a-da. And they came
before the king.
33. The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your
lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him
down to Gihon:
34. And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there
king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king
Solomon.
35. Then ye 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 Israel and over Judah.
36. And Be-nai-ah the son of Je-hoi-a-da answered the king, and said,
Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.
37. As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with
Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king
David.
38. So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Be-nai-ah the son
of Je-hoi-a-da, and the Cher-e-thites, and the Pel-e-thites, went down,
and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to
Gihon.
39. And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and
anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people
said, God save king Solomon.
40. 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.
41. And Ad-o-ni-jah and all the guests that were with him heard it as
they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of
the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an
uproar?
42. And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of A-bi-a-thar the
priest came: and Ad-o-ni-jah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a
valiant man, and bringest good tidings.
43. And Jonathan answered and said to Ad-o-ni-jah, Verily our lord king
David hath made Solomon king.
44. And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the
prophet, and Be-nai-ah the son of Je-hoi-a-da, and the Cher-e-thites,
and the Pel-e-thites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king's
mule:
45. And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king
in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city
rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.
46. And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.
47. And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David,
saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his
throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon
the bed.
48. And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel,
which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing
it.
49. And all the guests that were with Ad-o-ni-jah were afraid, and rose
up, and went every man his way.
50. And Ad-o-ni-jah feared because of Solomon, and arose, and went, and
caught hold on the horns of the altar.
51. And it was told Solomon, saying, Behold, Ad-o-ni-jah feareth king
Solomon: for, lo, he hath caught hold on the horns of the altar, saying,
Let king Solomon swear unto me to-day that he will not slay his servant
with the sword.
52. And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall
not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found
in him, he shall die.
53. So king Solomon sent, and they brought him down from the altar.
And he came and bowed himself to king Solomon: and Solomon said unto
him, Go to thine house.
Apr. 27 Daily reading
schedule.. go to chapter 2
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Art by: Penny Parker. Visit her site HERE
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