Adonijah’s Bid for Power

⁵ Adonijah son of Haggith^(A) kept exalting himself, saying, “I will be king!” He prepared chariots, cavalry, and 50 men to run ahead of him.^[a](B)

⁵¹ It was reported to Solomon: “Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first^[a] swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”

⁵² Then Solomon said, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground,^(A) but if evil is found in him, he dies.”^{(B) 53} So King Solomon sent for him, and they took him down from the altar. He came and paid homage to King Solomon, and Solomon said to him, “Go to your home.”