1 Kings 2:1-46
2 And when the days of David drew near that he must die, he charged Solomon his son, saying:—
2 I am going the way of all the earth,—thou must be strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
3 and keep the observances of Yahweh thy God, by walking in his ways, by keeping his statutes, his commandments, and his regulations and his testimonies, as written in the law of Moses,—to the end thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;
4 to the end that Yahweh may establish his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy sons will take heed to their way, by walking before me in truth, with all their heart and with all their soul, (then, said he) there shall not be cut off to thee a man, from off the throne of Israel.
5 Moreover also thou knowest what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with two generals of the armies of Israel—with Abner son of Ner, and with Amasa son of Jether—both of whom he slew, shedding the blood of war in peace,—and putting the blood of war upon his girdle that was on his loins, and upon his sandals that were on his feet.
6 Thou, therefore, must do according to thy wisdom,—but will not let his grey hair go down in peace to hades.
7 But with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, thou wilt deal in lovingkindness, and they will be among them who eat at thy table,—for so drew they near unto me, when I fled from Absolom thy brother.
8 Lo! also, there is with thee—Shimei son of Gera a Benjamite of Behurim, well he it was who cursed me with a grievous curse, on the day I journeyed to Mahanaim,—but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and so I sware to him by Yahweh, saying—I will not put thee to death with the sword.
9 Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for a wise man thou art, and wilt know how thou oughtest to deal with him, and wilt suffer his grey hairs to go down with blood to hades.
10 So then David slept with his fathers,—and was buried in the city of David.
11 Now the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years,—in Hebron reigned he seven years, and in Jerusalem reigned he thirty and three years.
12 But when Solomon took his seat upon the throne of David his father, then was the kingdom firmly established.
13 And Adonijah son of Haggith came in unto Bath-sheba, mother of Solomon: And she said—Peaceably comest thou? And he said—Peaceably.
14 Then said he—I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said—Say on.
15 And he said—Thou knowest that mine was the kingdom, and on me had all Israel set their faces that I should become king,—howbeit the kingdom hath turned about and become my brother’s, for from Yahweh became it his.
16 Now, therefore, one request have I to ask of thee, do not turn away my face.
17 And she said unto him—Say on. And he said—Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, for he will not turn away thy face,—that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
18 And Bath-sheba said: Good! I myself will speak for thee unto the king.
19 So Bath-sheba went in unto King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah,—and the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself down to her, and sat down upon his throne, and caused a throne to be set for the mother of the king, and she sat on his right hand.
20 Then said she—One small request am I asking of thee, do not turn away my face. And the king said to her—Ask on, my mother, for I will not turn away thy face.
21 And she said—Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
22 Then answered King Solomon, and said to his mother—Wherefore then art thou asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask then for him the kingdom because he is mine elder brother,—even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab, son of Zeruiah.
23 Then sware King Solomon by Yahweh, saying,—So let God do to me and so let him add, if at the cost of his life, Adonijah hath not spoken this word.
24 Now, therefore, by the life of Yahweh who hath established me, and seated me upon the throne of David my father, and who hath made for me a household as he had spoken, surely to-day shall Adonijah be put to death!
25 So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah son of Jehoiada,—and he fell upon him, that he died.
26 Also, unto Abiathar the priest, said the king—To Anathoth get thee unto thine own fields, for death-doomed thou art,—but this day will I not put thee to death, because thou didst bear the ark of My Lord Yahweh before David my father, and because thou wast afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto Yahweh,—to fulfil the word of Yahweh which he spake concerning the household of Eli in Shiloh.
28 And the report came unto Joab, for Joab had inclined after Adonijah, although after Solomon he had not inclined,—so then Joab fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and laid hold of the horns of the altar.
29 And it was told King Solomon—Joab hath fled into the Tent of Yahweh, and there he is beside the altar. So Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying—Go fall upon him!
30 And Benaiah came into the Tent of Yahweh, and said unto him—Thus saith the king, Come forth! And he said—Nay! but here will I die! So Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus spake Joab, and thus he answered me.
31 And the king said to him—Do as he hath spoken, fall then upon him, and bury him,—and so put away the innocent blood which Joab shed, from off me, and from off the house of my father;
32 thus will Yahweh bring back his blood upon his own head, in that he fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing it,—even Abner son of Ner, general of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, general of the army of Judah;
33 thus shall their blood come back upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed unto times age-abiding,—but David and his seed, and his house, and his throne, shall have peace unto times age-abiding from Yahweh.
34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and put him to death,—and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
35 And the king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada in his stead over the army,—and Zadok the priest did the king put in the stead of Abiathar.
36 And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him—Build thee a house in Jerusalem, so shalt thou dwell there,—and shalt not go forth from thence hither or thither;
37 but it shall be that on the day thou goest forth, and passest over the Kidron ravine, know that thou shalt die,—thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
38 And Shimei said to the king—Good is the word, as my lord the king hath spoken, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
39 But it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei fled unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath,—and they told Shimei, saying—Lo! thy servants are in Gath.
40 So Shimei arose and saddled his ass, and went to Gath unto Achish, to seek his servants—and Shimei went and brought in his servants from Gath.
41 And it was told Solomon—Shimei hath been out of Jerusalem to Gath and returned.
42 Then sent the king and called for Shimei, and said unto him—Did I not put thee on oath by Yahweh, and adjure thee, saying—On the day thou goest forth and takest thy journey hither or thither, know that thou shalt die. Then saidst thou unto me—Good is the word I have heard.
43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of Yahweh,—and the charge which I laid upon thee?
44 Then said the king unto Shimei—Thou knowest all the wickedness which thy heart is privy to, which thou didst unto David my father,—therefore shall Yahweh bring back thy wickedness upon thine own head.
45 But King Solomon shall be blessed,—and the throne of David shall be established before Yahweh unto times age-abiding.
46 So the king charged Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and fell upon him, that he died,—and the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.