1 Kings 1:28-34

David Picks Solomon as His Successor

1:28 King David responded, ¹  “Summon Bathsheba!” ²  She came and stood before the king. ³  1:29 The king swore an oath: “As certainly as the Lord lives (he who has rescued me ⁴  from every danger), 1:30 I will keep ⁵  today the oath I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel: ‘Surely Solomon your son will be king after me; he will sit in my place on my throne.’” 1:31 Bathsheba bowed down to the king with her face to the floor ⁶  and said, “May my master, King David, live forever!”

1:32 King David said, “Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, ⁷  and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” They came before the king, 1:33 and he ⁸  told them, “Take your master’s ⁹  servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon. ¹⁰  1:34 There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint ¹¹  him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

[1:28]  ¹ tn Heb “answered and said.”

[1:28]  ² sn Summon Bathsheba. Bathsheba must have left the room when Nathan arrived (see 1:22).

[1:28]  ³ tn Heb “she came before the king and stood before the king.”

[1:29]  ⁴ tn Or “ransomed my life.”

[1:30]  ⁷ tn Or “carry out, perform.”

[1:31]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “bowed low, face [to] the ground, and bowed down to the king.”

[1:32]  ¹³ sn Summon…Nathan. Nathan must have left the room when Bathsheba reentered.

[1:33]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “the king.”

[1:33]  ¹⁷ tn The plural form is used in the Hebrew text to indicate honor and authority.

[1:33]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “mount Solomon my son on the mule that belongs to me and take him down to Gihon.”

[1:34]  ¹⁹ tn Or “designate” (i.e., by anointing with oil).