4:7 Solomon had twelve district governors appointed throughout Israel who acquired supplies for the king and his palace. Each was responsible for one month in the year. 4:8 These were their names:
Ben-Hur was in charge of the hill country of Ephraim.
4:9 Ben-Deker was in charge of Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth Shemesh, and Elon Beth Hanan.
4:10 Ben-Hesed was in charge of Arubboth; he controlled Socoh and all the territory of Hepher.
4:11 Ben-Abinadab was in charge of Naphath Dor. (He was married to Solomon’s daughter Taphath.)
4:12 Baana son of Ahilud was in charge of Taanach and Megiddo, 1 as well as all of Beth Shan next to Zarethan below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah and on past Jokmeam.
4:13 Ben-Geber was in charge of Ramoth Gilead; he controlled the tent villages of Jair son of Manasseh in Gilead, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan, including sixty large walled cities with bronze bars locking their gates.
4:14 Ahinadab son of Iddo was in charge of Mahanaim.
4:15 Ahimaaz was in charge of Naphtali. (He married Solomon’s daughter Basemath.)
4:16 Baana son of Hushai was in charge of Asher and Aloth.
4:17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah was in charge of Issachar.
4:18 Shimei son of Ela was in charge of Benjamin.
4:19 Geber son of Uri was in charge of the land of Gilead (the territory which had once belonged to King Sihon of the Amorites and to King Og of Bashan). He was sole governor of the area.
4:1 King Solomon ruled over all Israel.
1:1 King David was very old; 2 even when they covered him with blankets, 3 he could not get warm. 1:2 His servants advised 4 him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king, 5 to take care of the king’s needs 6 and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you 7 and keep our master, the king, warm.” 8 1:3 So they looked through all Israel 9 for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 1:4 The young woman was very beautiful; she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her. 10
1:5 Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith, 11 was promoting himself, 12 boasting, 13 “I will be king!” He managed to acquire 14 chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. 15 1:6 (Now his father had never corrected 16 him 17 by saying, “Why do you do such things?” He was also very handsome and had been born right after Absalom. 18 ) 1:7 He collaborated 19 with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported 20 him. 21 1:8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors 22 did not ally themselves 23 with Adonijah. 1:9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, 24 as well as all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. 1:10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, 25 or his brother Solomon.
1:11 Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you 26 that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back? 27 1:12 Now 28 let me give you some advice as to how 29 you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 1:13 Visit 30 King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise 31 your servant, “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 1:14 While 32 you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive 33 and verify your report.” 34
1:15 So Bathsheba visited the king in his private quarters. 35 (The king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.)
1 map For location see Map1-D4; Map2-C1; Map4-C2; Map5-F2; Map7-B1.
2 tn Heb “was old, coming into the days” (i.e., advancing in years).
3 tn Or “garments.”
4 tn Heb “said to.”
5 tn Heb “let them seek for my master, the king, a young girl, a virgin.” The third person plural subject of the verb is indefinite (see GKC 460 §144.f). The appositional expression, “a young girl, a virgin,” is idiomatic; the second term specifically defines the more general first term (see IBHS 230 §12.3b).
6 tn Heb “and she will stand before the king.” The Hebrew phrase “stand before” can mean “to attend; to serve” (BDB 764 s.v. עָמַד).
7 tn Heb “and she will lie down in your bosom.” The expression might imply sexual intimacy (see 2 Sam 12:3 [where the lamb symbolizes Bathsheba] and Mic 7:5), though v. 4b indicates that David did not actually have sex with the young woman.
8 tn Heb “and my master, the king, will be warm.”
9 tn Heb “through all the territory of Israel.”
10 tn Heb “did not know her.”
11 tn Heb “son of Haggith,” but since this formula usually designates the father (who in this case was David), the translation specifies that David was Adonijah’s father.
12 tn Heb “lifting himself up.”
13 tn Heb “saying.”
14 tn Or “he acquired for himself.”
15 tn Heb “to run ahead of him.”
16 tn Or “disciplined.”
17 tn Heb “did not correct him from his days.” The phrase “from his days” means “from his earliest days,” or “ever in his life.” See GKC 382 §119.w, n. 2.
18 tn Heb “and she gave birth to him after Absalom.” This does not imply they had the same mother; Absalom’s mother was Maacah, not Haggith (2 Sam 3:4).
19 tn Heb “his words were.”
20 tn Heb “helped after” (i.e., stood by).
21 tn Heb “Adonijah.” The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation for stylistic reasons.
22 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
23 tn Heb “were not.”
24 tc The ancient Greek version omits this appositional phrase.
25 tn Or “bodyguard” (Heb “mighty men”).
26 tn Heb “Have you not heard?”
27 tn Heb “and our master David does not know.”
28 tn Heb “now, come.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
29 tn Or “so that.”
30 tn Heb “come, go to.” The imperative of הָלַךְ (halakh) is here used as an introductory interjection. See BDB 234 s.v. חָלַךְ.
31 tn Or “swear an oath to.”
32 tn In the Hebrew text the sentence is introduced by the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”), which here draws attention to Nathan’s concluding word of assurance and support. For this use of the word, see HALOT 252 s.v. הִנֵּה.
33 tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will come after you.”
34 tn Heb “fill up [i.e., confirm] your words.”
35 tn Or “bedroom.”