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

He collaborated<n id="1" /> with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported<n id="2" /> him.<n id="3" />

But now, look, Adonijah has become king! But you,<n id="1" /> my master the king, are not even aware of it!<n id="2" />

Jonathan replied<n id="1" /> to Adonijah: &#8220;No!<n id="2" /> Our master<n id="3" /> King David has made Solomon king.

<p class="bodytext">All of Adonijah&#8217;s guests panicked;<n id="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.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Now Adonijah, son of David and Haggith,<n id="1" /> was promoting himself,<n id="2" /> boasting,<n id="3" /> &#8220;I will be king!&#8221; He managed to acquire<n id="4" /> chariots and horsemen, as well as fifty men to serve as his royal guard.<n id="5" />

But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David&#8217;s elite warriors<n id="1" /> did not ally themselves<n id="2" /> with Adonijah.

Nathan said, &#8220;My master, O king, did you announce, &#8216;Adonijah will be king after me; he will sit on my throne&#8217;?

As he was still speaking, Jonathan<n id="1" /> son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, &#8220;Come in, for<n id="2" /> an important man like you must be bringing good news.&#8221;<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">Haggith&#8217;s son Adonijah visited Bathsheba, Solomon&#8217;s mother. She asked, &#8220;Do you come in peace?&#8221; He answered, &#8220;Yes.&#8221;<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">King Solomon then swore an oath by the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;May God judge me severely,<n id="1" /> if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life!<n id="2" />

Adonijah sacrificed sheep, cattle, and fattened steers at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king&#8217;s sons,<n id="1" /> as well as all the men of Judah, the king&#8217;s servants.

<p class="bodytext">Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon&#8217;s mother, &#8220;Has it been reported to you<n id="1" /> that Haggith&#8217;s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David&#8217;s back?<n id="2" />

Visit<n id="1" /> King David and say to him, &#8216;My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise<n id="2" /> your servant, &#8220;Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne&#8221;? So why has Adonijah become king?&#8217;

For today he has gone down and sacrificed many cattle, steers, and sheep and has invited all the king&#8217;s sons, the army commanders, and Abiathar the priest. At this moment<n id="1" /> they are having a feast<n id="2" /> in his presence, and they have declared, &#8216;Long live King Adonijah!&#8217;<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">Now Adonijah and all his guests heard the commotion just as they had finished eating.<n id="1" /> When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he asked, &#8220;Why is there such a noisy commotion in the city?&#8221;<n id="2" />

Solomon was told, &#8220;Look, Adonijah fears you;<n id="1" /> see, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, &#8216;May King Solomon solemnly promise<n id="2" /> me today that he will not kill his servant with the sword.&#8217;&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">So Bathsheba visited King Solomon to speak to him on Adonijah&#8217;s behalf. The king got up to greet<n id="1" /> her, bowed to her, and then sat on his throne. He ordered a throne to be brought for the king&#8217;s mother,<n id="2" /> and she sat at his right hand.

King Solomon answered his mother, &#8220;Why just request Abishag the Shunammite for him?<n id="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!&#8221;p>