She said, “Allow Abishag the Shunammite to be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.”

He collaborated ¹  with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported ²  him. ³ 

But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you, ¹  my master the king, are not even aware of it! ² 

Jonathan replied ¹  to Adonijah: “No! ²  Our master ³  King David has made Solomon king.

All of Adonijah’s guests panicked; ¹  they jumped up and rushed off their separate ways.

Adonijah feared Solomon, so he got up and went and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. ¹ 

Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith, ¹  was promoting himself, ²  boasting, ³  “I will be king!” He managed to acquire ⁴  chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard. ⁵ 

But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s elite warriors ¹  did not ally themselves ²  with Adonijah.

Nathan said, “My master, O king, did you announce, ‘Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne’?

As he was still speaking, Jonathan ¹  son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in, for ²  an important man like you must be bringing good news.” ³ 

Haggith’s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, “Do you come in peace?” He answered, “Yes.” ¹ 

King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord, “May God judge me severely, ¹  if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life! ² 

Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, ¹  as well as all the men of Judah, the king’s servants.

Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you ¹  that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back? ² 

Visit ¹  King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise ²  your servant, “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’

For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king’s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this moment ¹  they are having a feast ²  in his presence, and they have declared, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ ³ 

Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating. ¹  When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, “Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?” ² 

Solomon was told, “Look, Adonijah fears you; ¹  see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘May King Solomon solemnly promise ²  me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”

So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah’s behalf. The king got up to greet ¹  her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king’s mother, ²  and she sat at his right hand.

King Solomon answered his mother, “Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him? ¹  Since he is my older brother, you should also request the kingdom for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”