1 Kings 2:1-12 - David's Instructions For Solomon

¹ Now the days of David drew near that he should die. And he charged Solomon his son, saying, ² I am going the way of all the earth. Be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man, ³ and keep the charge of LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, [and] his commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou may prosper in all t ⁴ That LORD may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If thy sons take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Is

⁵ Moreover thou also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, even what he did to the two captains of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner, and to Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, and shed the blood of war in pea ⁶ Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and do not let his hoar head go down to Sheol in peace.

⁷ But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those who eat at thy table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.

⁸ And, behold, there is with thee Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by LORD, sayin ⁹ Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for thou are a wise man, and thou will know what thou ought to do to him, and thou shall bring his hoar head down to Sheol with blood.

¹⁰ And David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David. ¹¹ And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and he reigned thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ¹² And Solomon sat upon the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was established greatly.