Now therefore come, that I may give thee counsel how to save thine own life and the life of thy son Solomon.

Go and get thee unto king David, and say unto him, 'Didst thou not, my lord king, sware unto thy handmaid saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my seat? Why, then, is Adonijah made king?'

And see, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I will come in after thee and will end thy words."

And Bathsheba stooped and made obeisance unto the king. And the king said, "What is thy matter?"

And she answered and said, "My lord, thou hast sworn by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, 'Solomon thy son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my seat.'

And he hath offered oxen, fatlings and sheep abundantly, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the Host. But Solomon thy servant hath he not bidden.

But me, thy servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon he hath not called.

Is this thing done of my lord the king and yet wouldest not show me thy servant, who should sit on the seat of my lord the king after him?"

And moreover, the king's servants went in to bless our lord king David saying, 'Thy God make the name of Solomon more favoured than thine, and his seat more glorious than thine.' And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

And see that thou keep the appointment of the LORD thy God, that thou walk in his ways and keep his commandments, ordinances, laws and testimonies, even as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou mayest understand all that thou oughtest to do, and all that thou shouldest meddle with.

That the LORD may make good his promise which he hath promised me, saying, 'If thy children shall take heed to their ways, that they walk before me in truth, with all their hearts and with all their souls; then thou shalt never be without one sitting on the seat of Israel.'

Deal with him therefore according to thy wisdom and see that thou bring not his hoar head down to the grave in peace.

And show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among them that eat at thine own table, because they so clave to me when I fled from Absalom thy brother.

After that, Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, "Betokeneth thy coming peace?"

And she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife."

For be thou sure of it: the day thou goest out and passest over the river of Kidron, thou shalt die for it, and thy blood shall be on thine own head."

And it chanced, at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And one told Shimei, saying, "See, thy servants be in Gath."

And then the king said to Shimei, "Thou rememberest all the wickedness which thine heart knoweth that thou didst to David my father. The LORD therefore render again thy wickedness upon thine own head:

And Solomon said, "Thou hast showed unto thy servant David, my father, great mercy; according as he walked before thee in truth and in righteousness and plainness of heart with thee. And thou hast kept for him this great mercy, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his seat: as it is come to pass this day.

And now LORD, my God, it is thou that hast made thy servant king instead of David my father. And I am a young lad and know not how to order myself.

And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a people that are so many that they can not be told nor numbered for multitude.

Give therefore unto thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, and to discern between good, and bad. For who is able to judge this, thy so weighty a people?"

see, I have done according to thy petition. And behold, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart, so that there was none like thee before, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

And thereto I have given thee that thou askedst not, both riches and honour: so that there shall be no king like thee all thy days.

And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep mine ordinances and commandments as David thy father did walk, I will lengthen thy days also."

And the other woman said, "It is not so: But the living is my son, and the dead thine." And she said again, "Thou sayest untrue, for the dead is thy son, and the living mine." And thus they pleaded before the king.

Then said the king, "The one sayeth, 'This that is alive is my son, and the dead is thine.' And the other sayeth, 'Nay: But thy son is the dead and the live child is mine.'"

And therefore I am disposed to build a house unto the name of the LORD my God, as he promised David my father, saying, 'Thy son which I will put upon thy seat for thee, he shall build a house unto my name.'

Now then, command that they hew me Cedar trees in Lebanon. And let my servants be with thine, and I will give the hire of thy servants in all such things as thou shalt appoint, for thou knowest that there are not among us that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians."

And Hiram sent again to Solomon, saying, "I have accepted the request which thou sentest to me for, and will satisfy all thy lust, concerning timber of Cedar trees and fir.

"Concerning the house which thou art in building: if thou wilt walk in mine ordinances and execute my laws and keep all my commandments, to walk in them; then will I make good unto thee my promises which I promised David thy father.

Nevertheless, thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come out of thy loins, he shall build a house for my name.'

and said, "LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven above or in the earth beneath, that keepest appointment and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts:

which also hast kept with thy servants David my father, that thou promisedest him. Thou spakest with thy mouth and hast fulfilled with thine hand, as it is come to pass this day.

And now LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father, that thou promisedest him, saying, 'Thou shalt not be without one or other before me, sitting on the seat of Israel: Howbeit, if thy children shall take heed to their ways that they walk before me, as thou hast walked before me.'

Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let thy word be stable which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.

But look to the prayer of thy servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, to give an ear unto the voice and prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee this day,

that thine eyes may be open upon this house night and day; and upon the place, of which thou hast said, my name shall be there: that thou hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray in this place.

And hearken unto the supplication of thy servant and of thy people Israel which they shall pray in this place. And hear thou, up unto heaven thy dwelling place, and when thou hearest have mercy.

then hearken thou up to heaven, and work and judge thy servants, that thou condemn the wicked to bring his way upon his head, and justify the righteous to give him according to his righteousness.

When thy people Israel be put to the worse before their enemies, because they have sinned against thee, and afterward turn again to thee and praise thy name, and pray and make supplication unto thee in this house:

Then hear thou up to heaven and be merciful unto the sin of thy people Israel, and bring thee again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.

If heaven be shut up, that there be no rain, because they have sinned against thee: yet if they pray in this place and praise thy name and turn from their sins, through thy scourging of them:

then hear thou up to heaven, and be merciful unto the sin of thy servants and of thy people Israel, that thou show them a good way to walk in, and give rain upon thy land that thou hast given unto thy people to inherit.

then hear thou up to heaven thy dwelling place, all the prayers and supplications that shall be made of all men throughout all thy people Israel, which shall knowledge every man the plague of his own heart, and stretch forth his hands unto this house.

And likewise, if a stranger that is not of thy people Israel come out of a far country for thy name's sake

- for they shall hear of thy great name and of thy mighty hand and stretched-out arm - and therefore if he come and pray at this place,

hear thou up to heaven thy dwelling place and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all nations of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee as do thy people Israel, and that it may be known that this house which I have built is called after thy name.

And when they go out to battle against their enemies whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen and toward the house that I have built for thy name:

and so turn again unto thee with all their hearts and all their souls in the land of their enemies which hold them captive, and pray unto thee, toward the land which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:

then hear thou their prayer and supplication up to heaven thy dwelling place, and judge their causes,

and be merciful unto thy people that have sinned against thee, and unto all their trespass that they have trespassed against thee, and get them favour in the sight of them that hold them captive that they may have compassion on them.

For they be thy people and thine inheritance which thou broughtest out of Egypt, from the furnace of iron.

And let thine eyes be open unto the prayer of thy servant and unto the prayer of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them, in all that they call unto thee for.

For thou didst separate them to be thine inheritance, above all the nations of the earth, as thou saidest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Jehovah."

And the LORD said unto him, "I have heard thy prayer and intercession that thou madest before me, and have hallowed this house which thou hast built, to put my name there forever and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in pureness of heart and plainness, to do all that I have commanded thee, and shalt keep mine ordinances and customs:

then I will establish the seat of thy kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, 'Thou shalt not be without one or other upon the seat of Israel.'

Then she said to the king, "The word I heard in mine own land of thy deeds and wisdom, is true.

Howbeit, I believed it not till I came and saw it with mine eyes. And see, the one half was not told me: for thy wisdom and goodness exceedeth the fame which I heard.

Happy are thy men: and happy are these thy servants, which stand ever before thee and hear thy wisdom.

And blessed be the LORD thy God which had a lust to thee, to set thee on the seat of Israel, because the LORD loved Israel for ever, and therefore made thee king, to do equity and righteousness."

whereupon the LORD said to Solomon, "Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept mine covenant and mine ordinances which I have commanded thee, therefore I will rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.

Notwithstanding, in thy days I will not do it, because of David thy father: but I will take it from thy son.

Howbeit I will not take away all: but will give one tribe to thy son, because of David my servant and because of Jerusalem which I have chosen."

And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign upon all that thy soul desireth and shalt be king over Israel.

"Thy father made our yoke grievous, but now make thou the grievous service of thy father and his sore yoke which he put upon us, lighter; and so we will serve thee."

And they said unto him, "If thou shalt be a servant unto this people this day and serve them and answer them and speak kind words to them: they will be thy servants forever."

And he said unto them, "What counsel give ye, to answer this people withal which have communed with me saying, 'Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us, lighter?'"

And the young men that were brought up with him, answered him, saying, "This people that have said unto thee, 'Thy father made our yoke heavy, make thou it us lighter' - thus answer them: 'My little finger shall be weightier than my father's loins!

And the king answered and said unto the man of God, "Oh pray unto the LORD thy God and make intercession for me, that my hand may be restored me again." And the man of God besought the LORD, and his hand came to him again as well as before.

And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, "Thus sayeth the LORD: 'Because thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the LORD, and hast not kept the commandment which the LORD thy God commanded thee,

but camest back again and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place in which he bade that thou shouldest eat no bread nor drink water: therefore thy carcass shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.'"

but hast done evil above all that were before thee, and hast gone and made the other gods and images of metal, to provoke me, and hast cast me behind thy back.

Up, and get thee to thine house, and as soon as thy foot enterest the city, the lad shall die.

"There is a bond between thee and me as was between thy father and mine. Therefore, I send thee both gold and silver for a gift, that thou go and break the covenant between thee and Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me."

And she answered, "As surely as the LORD thy God liveth, I have no bread, but even a handful of meal in a pitcher, and a little oil in a cruse. And see, I have gathered a few sticks for to go and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it and then die."

And Elijah said unto her, "Fear not, but go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first of all, and bring it out to me, and afterward make for thee and thy son.

For thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel, 'The pitcher of meal shall not be wasted, neither shall thy oil cruse be without oil, until the LORD have sent rain upon the earth.'"

And Elijah said unto her, "Give me thy son." And he took him out of her lap and carried him up into a loft where he lay, and laid him upon his own bed,

And Elijah took the boy and brought him down out of the chamber into the house and delivered him unto his mother and said, "See, thy son liveth."

Then the wife said to Elijah, "Now I know that thou art God's man, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth."

As surely as the LORD thy God liveth there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent, to seek thee. And when they said thou wast not there, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, because he found thee not.

And now thou sayest, 'Go and tell thy Lord Elijah is here.'

And as soon as I am gone from thee, the spirit of the LORD shall carry thee away, whither I shall not know: and then when I have gone and told Ahab, and then he can not find thee, he shall slay me. And yet I thy servant have feared the LORD from my young age.

And yet now thou sayest, "Go show thy lord that Elijah is here, that he should slay me."

And he said, "It is not I that trouble Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and hast followed Baal.

And he took twelve stones according to the number of the twelve tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came saying, "Israel shall be thy name."

And when offering time was come, Elijah the prophet went to and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, let it be known this day, that thou art the God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I do all these things at thy commandment.

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, "So do God to me, and so thereto, except I make thy soul like one of theirs by tomorrow this time."

And he answered, "I have been thorough angry for the LORD God of Hosts' sake. For the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, and have broken down thine altars and slain the Prophets with the sword, and I only am left, and they seek my soul to have it too."

And he answered, "I was jealous for the LORD God of Hosts' sake: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant and have cast down thine altars and slain thy prophets with the sword, and I only am left, and they seek my soul to have it."

Then the LORD said unto him, "Go and turn thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and go and anoint Hazael to be king of Syria;

and Jehu the son of Nimshi, anoint to be king over Israel; And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah anoint to be Prophet in thy room.

and said unto him, "Thus sayeth Benhadad, 'Thy silver and thy gold is mine, and the best of thy wives, and the best of thy children be mine.'"

And the king of Israel answered, and said, "My lord king, according to thy saying, I am thine with all I have."

And the messengers came again to Ahab and said, "Thus sayeth Benhadad, 'I have therefore sent unto thee, saying: deliver me then thy silver and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children.

Or else I will send my servants unto thee by tomorrow this time: and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants, which shall take all that is glorious in thine eyes, and bring it away with them.'"

Then said his servants unto him, "Behold, we have heard say that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Let us put sack cloth about our Loins and ropes about our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: haply he will save thy life."

And they girded sack cloth about their loins and put ropes about their heads, and went out to the king of Israel and said, "Thy servant Benhadad sayeth, 'I pray thee let me live.'" And he said, "Is he yet alive? He is my brother." And they took the word for good luck and hastily caught it out of his mouth, and said, "Yea, thy brother Benhadad."