1 Kings 1:11-31 - Solomon's Intercessors

¹¹ Therefore Nathan spoke unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith does reign, and David our lord knows it not? ¹² Now therefore come, let me, I pray you, give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³ Go and get in unto king David, and say unto him, Did not you, my lord, O king, swear unto your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then does Adonijah reign? ¹⁴ Behold, while you yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words.

¹⁵ And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king. ¹⁶ And Bath-sheba bowed, and knelt before the king. And the king said, What would you?

¹⁷ And she said unto him, My lord, you swore by the LORD your God unto your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne. ¹⁸ And now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and now, my lord the king, you know it not: ¹⁹ And he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army: but Solomon your servant has he not called. ²⁰ And you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should 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, 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 slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's sons, and the captains of the army, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah. ²⁶ But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon, has he not invited. ²⁷ 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?

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 swore, and said, As the LORD lives, that has redeemed my soul out of all distress, ³⁰ Even as I swore unto you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my place; even so will I certainly do this day.

³¹ Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and knelt before to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live forever.