Now ¹  let me give you some advice as to how ²  you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life.

The people of Judah and Israel were as innumerable as the sand on the seashore; they had plenty to eat and drink and were happy.

But now the Lord my God has made me secure on all fronts; there is no adversary or dangerous threat.

The tops of the pillars were shaped like lilies. So the construction of the pillars was completed.

Now, O God of Israel, may the promise you made ¹  to your servant, my father David, be realized. ² 

Solomon answered all her questions; there was no question too complex for the king. ¹ 

The Lord brought ¹  against Solomon an enemy, Hadad the Edomite, a descendant of the Edomite king.

He then told his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” When they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it

He told his sons, “Saddle my donkey,” and they did so. ¹ 

In the spring ¹  Ben Hadad mustered the Syrian army ²  and marched to Aphek to fight Israel. ³ 

So I have decided ¹  to build a temple to honor the Lord ²  my God, as the Lord instructed my father David, ‘Your son, whom I will put on your throne in your place, is the one who will build a temple to honor me.’ ³ 

If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, ¹  their loyalty could shift to their former master, ²  King Rehoboam of Judah. They might kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.”

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) ¹  Jeroboam ²  offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. ³  He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices.

With the authority of the Lord ¹  he cried out against the altar, “O altar, altar! This is what the Lord says, ‘Look, a son named Josiah will be born to the Davidic dynasty. He will sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who offer sacrifices on you. Human bones will be burned on you.’” ² 

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 

There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet will anoint ¹  him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

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

Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, ¹  fulfilling the decree of judgment the Lord made in Shiloh against the family of Eli. ² 

Next the king summoned ¹  Shimei and told him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem ²  and live there – but you may not leave there to go anywhere! ³ 

So Shimei got up, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to find his servants; Shimei went and brought back his servants from Gath.