1 King David grew old, the years took their toll, and he couldn’t get warm even when they covered him with bedclothes. ² His servants said to him, “Let us try to find a young virgin for my lord the king. She can wait on the king and be a companion for him, and she can lie next to you, so that my lord the king will get some heat.” ³ After looking through all of Isra’el’s territory for a beautiful girl, they found Avishag the Shunamit and brought her to the king. ⁴ The girl was very beautiful and became a companion for the king. She took care of him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.

⁵ Adoniyah the son of Haggit was beginning to claim that he would be king; to this end he organized chariots and horsemen, with fifty men to run ahead of him. ⁶ (His father had never in his life confronted him by asking, “Why are you behaving this way?” Moreover, he was a very handsome man; he was born next after Avshalom.) ⁷ He conferred with Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah and Evyatar the cohen; and they both supported Adoniyah. ⁸ But Tzadok the cohen, B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, Natan the prophet, Shim‘i, Re‘i and David’s elite guard were not on Adoniyah’s side.

⁹ One day Adoniyah killed sheep, oxen and fattened calves at the Stone of Zochelet, by ‘Ein-Rogel. He summoned all his brothers the king’s sons, and all the men of Y’hudah the king’s servants; ¹⁰ but he did not summon Natan the prophet, B’nayah, the elite guard or Shlomo his brother.

¹¹ Natan went to Bat-Sheva the mother of Shlomo and said, “Haven’t you heard that Adoniyah the son of Haggit has become king without the knowledge of David our lord? ¹² Now, come, please let me give you advice, so that you can save both your own life and that of your son Shlomo. ¹³ Go, get in to see King David, and say to him, ‘My lord, king, didn’t you swear to your servant, “Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why is Adoniyah king?’ ¹⁴ Right then, while you are still talking with the king, I will also come in after you and confirm what you are saying.”

¹⁵ Bat-Sheva went in to the king in his room. (The king was very old; Avishag the Shunamit was in attendance on the king.) ¹⁶ Bat-Sheva bowed, prostrating herself to the king. The king asked, “What do you want?” ¹⁷ She answered him, “My lord, you swore by Adonai your God to your servant, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne.’ ¹⁸ But now, here is Adoniyah ruling as king; and you, my lord the king, don’t know anything about it. ¹⁹ He has killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the sons of the king, Evyatar the cohen and Yo’av the commander of the army; but he didn’t summon Shlomo your servant. ²⁰ As for you, my lord the king, all Isra’el is watching you; they are waiting for you to tell them who is to sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹ If you don’t, then, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Shlomo will be considered criminals.”

²² Right then, while she was still talking with the king, Natan the prophet entered. ²³ They told the king, “Natan the prophet is here.” After coming into the king’s presence, he prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. ²⁴ Natan said, “My lord king, did you say, ‘Adoniyah is to be king after me; he will sit on my throne’? ²⁵ For he has gone down today and killed oxen, fattened calves and sheep in great numbers; and he has summoned all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Evyatar the cohen; right now they are eating and drinking in his presence and proclaiming, ‘Long live King Adoniyah!’ ²⁶ But he didn’t summon me your servant, or Tzadok the cohen, or B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada or your servant Shlomo. ²⁷ Is this authorized by my lord the king without your having told your servant who would sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

²⁸ King David answered by saying, “Summon Bat-Sheva to me.” She entered the king’s presence and stood before the king. ²⁹ Then the king swore an oath: “As Adonai lives, who has delivered me from all adversity, ³⁰ as I swore to you by Adonai the God of Isra’el, ‘Your son Shlomo will be king after me; he will sit on my throne in my place,’ so will I do today.” ³¹ Bat-Sheva bowed with her face to the ground, prostrating herself to the king, and said, “Let my lord King David live forever.”