1 Kings 1:7-27 - Adonijah Tries To Become King

⁷ And he talked with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest. And they helped Adonijah, following him. ⁸ But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and David's mighty men, were not with Adonijah.

⁹ And Adonijah killed sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the Stone of Serpents, which is by En-rogel, and called all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the king's servants. ¹⁰ But he did not call Nathan the prophet and Benaiah and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother.

¹¹ And Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith reigns, and David our lord does not know? ¹² And now come, please let me give you counsel, and save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³ Go up and go in to King David, and say to him, My lord, O king, did you not swear to your handmaid, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? Why then does Adonijah reign? ¹⁴ Behold, while you are still talking with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm your words.

¹⁵ And Bathsheba went in to the king into the room. And the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite served the king. ¹⁶ And Bathsheba bowed and knelt before the king. And the king said, What shall I do for you?

¹⁷ And she said to him, My lord, you swore by Jehovah your God to your handmaid, saying, Surely your son Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. ¹⁸ And now, behold, Adonijah reigns. And now, my lord, you do not know. ¹⁹ And he has slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the commander of the army. But he has not called your servant Solomon. ²⁰ And you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them who shall sit upon the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹ And it will be, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, my son Solomon and I shall be offenders.

²² And lo, she was still talking with the king, and Nathan the prophet came in. ²³ And they told the king, saying, Behold, Nathan the prophet. And he came in before the king, and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

²⁴ And Nathan said, My lord, O king, have you said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? ²⁵ For he has gone down this day, and has killed a great many of oxen and fat cattle and sheep, and has called all the king's sons and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest. And behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, Let King Adonijah live. ²⁶ But he has not called me, your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon. ²⁷ Is this thing done by my lord the king, and have you not shown your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?