本日經文提要 (列王紀 上 1:1~3:28)
.拿單如何告訴拔示巴甚麼事情，迫使她去找大衛，最後還讓所羅門登上王位?
.一日有兩個妓女來，站在所羅王面前，請王定奪誰是一個小男嬰的母親，所羅王如何用他的智慧來解決這個案子呢?
王上1:1大衛王年紀老邁，雖用被遮蓋，仍不覺暖。
王上1:2所以臣僕對他說：不如為我主我王尋找一個處女，使他伺候王，奉養王，睡在王的懷中，好叫我主我王得暖。
王上1:3於是在以色列全境尋找美貌的童女，尋得書念的一個童女亞比煞，就帶到王那裡。
王上1:4這童女極其美貌，他奉養王，伺候王，王卻沒有與他親近。
王上1:5那時，哈及的兒子亞多尼雅自尊，說：我必作王，就為自己豫備車輛，馬兵，又派五十人在他前頭奔走。
王上1:6他父親素來沒有使他憂悶，說：你是作甚麼呢，他甚俊美，生在押沙龍之後。
王上1:7亞多尼雅與洗魯雅的兒子約押，和祭司亞比亞他商議，二人就順從他，幫助他。
王上1:8但祭司撒督，耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，先知拿單，示每，利以，並大衛的勇士，都不順從亞多尼雅。
王上1:9一日亞多尼雅在隱羅結旁，瑣希列磐石那裡，宰了牛羊，肥犢，請他的諸弟兄，就是王的眾子，並所有作王臣僕的猶大人，
王上1:10惟獨先知拿單，和比拿雅，並勇士，與他的兄弟所羅門，他都沒有請。
王上1:11拿單對所羅門的母親拔示巴說：哈及的兒子亞多尼雅作王了，你沒有聽見麼，我們的主大衛卻不知道。
王上1:12現在我可以給你出個主意，好保全你和你兒子所羅門的性命。
王上1:13你進去見大衛王，對他說：我主我王阿，你不曾向婢女起誓說：你兒子所羅門必接續我作王，坐在我的位上麼，現在亞多尼雅怎麼作了王呢。
王上1:14你還與王說話的時候，我也隨後進去，證實你的話。
王上1:15拔示巴進入內室見王，王甚老邁，書念的童女亞比煞正伺候王。
王上1:16拔示巴向王屈身下拜，王說：你要甚麼。
王上1:17他說：我主阿，你曾向婢女指著耶和華你的神起誓說：你兒子所羅門必接續我作王，坐在我的位上。
王上1:18現在亞多尼雅作王了，我主我王卻不知道。
王上1:19他宰了許多牛羊，肥犢，請了王的眾子，和祭司亞比亞他，並元帥約押，惟獨王的僕人所羅門，他沒有請。
王上1:20我主我王阿，以色列眾人的眼目都仰望你，等你曉諭他們，在我主我王之後，誰坐你的位。
王上1:21若不然，到我主我王與列祖同睡以後，我和我兒子所羅門，必算為罪人了。
王上1:22拔示巴還與王說話的時候，先知拿單也進來了。
王上1:23有人奏告王說：先知拿單來了，拿單進到王前，臉伏於地。
王上1:24拿單說：我主我王果然應許亞多尼雅說：你必接續我作王，坐在我的位上麼。
王上1:25他今日下去，宰了許多牛羊，肥犢，請了王的眾子和軍長，並祭司亞比亞他，他們正在亞多尼雅面前吃喝，說：願亞多尼雅王萬歲。
王上1:26惟獨我，就是你的僕人，和祭司撒督，耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，並王的僕人所羅門，他都沒有請。
王上1:27這事果然出乎我主我王麼，王卻沒有告訴僕人們，在我主我王之後，誰坐你的位。
王上1:28大衛王吩咐說：叫拔示巴來，拔示巴就進來站在王面前。
王上1:29王起誓說：我指著救我性命脫離一切苦難，永生的耶和華起誓，
王上1:30我既然指著耶和華以色列的神向你起誓，說：你兒子所羅門必接續我作王，坐在我的位上，我今日就必照這話而行。
王上1:31於是拔示巴臉伏於地，向王下拜，說：願我主大衛王萬歲。
王上1:32大衛王又吩咐說：將祭司撒督，先知拿單，耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅召來，他們就都來到王面前。
王上1:33王對他們說：要帶領你們主的僕人，使我兒子所羅門騎我的騾子，送他下到基訓。
王上1:34在那裡祭司撒督，和先知拿單要膏他作以色列的王，你們也要吹角，說：願所羅門王萬歲。
王上1:35然後要跟隨他上來，使他坐在我的位上，接續我作王，我已立他作以色列和猶大的君。
王上1:36耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，對王說：阿們，願耶和華我主我王的神，也這樣命定。
王上1:37耶和華怎樣與我主我王同在，願他照樣與所羅門同在，使他的國位，比我主大衛王的國位更大。
王上1:38於是祭司撒督，先知拿單，耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，和基利提人，比利提人，都下去使所羅門騎大衛王的騾子，將他送到基訓。
王上1:39祭司撒督，就從帳幕中取了盛膏油的角來，用膏膏所羅門，人就吹角，眾民都說：願所羅門王萬歲。
王上1:40眾民跟隨他上來，且吹笛，大大歡呼，聲音震地。
王上1:41亞多尼雅和所請的眾客筵宴方畢，聽見這聲音，約押聽見角聲就說：城中為何有這響聲呢。
王上1:42他正說話的時候，祭司亞比亞他的兒子約拿單來了，亞多尼雅對他說：進來罷，你是個忠義的人，必是報好信息。
王上1:43約拿單對亞多尼雅說：我們的主大衛王，誠然立所羅門為王了。
王上1:44王差遣祭司撒督，先知拿單，耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，和基利提人，比利提人，都去使所羅門騎王的騾子。
王上1:45祭司撒督和先知拿單，在基訓已經膏他作王，眾人都從那裡歡呼著上來，聲音使城震動，這就是你們所聽見的聲音。
王上1:46並且所羅門登了國位。
王上1:47王的臣僕也來為我們的主大衛王祝福，說：願王的神使所羅門的名，比王的名更尊榮，使他的國位，比王的國位更大，王就在床上屈身下拜。
王上1:48王又說：耶和華以色列的神是應當稱頌的，因他賜我一人今日坐在我的位上，我也親眼看見了。
王上1:49亞多尼雅的眾客聽見這話，就都驚懼，起來四散。
王上1:50亞多尼雅懼怕所羅門，就起來，去抓住祭壇的角。
王上1:51有人告訴所羅門說：亞多尼雅懼怕所羅門王，現在抓住祭壇的角，說：願所羅門王今日向我起誓，必不用刀殺僕人。
王上1:52所羅門說：他若作忠義的人，連一根頭髮也不至落在地上，他若行惡，必要死亡。
王上1:53於是所羅門王差遣人，使亞多尼雅從壇上下來，他就來向所羅門王下拜，所羅門對他說：你回家去罷。
王上2:1大衛的死期臨近了，就囑咐他兒子所羅門說：
王上2:2我現在要走世人必走的路，所以你當剛強作大丈夫，
王上2:3遵守耶和華你神所吩咐的，照著摩西律法上所寫的行主的道，謹守他的律例，誡命，典章，法度，這樣，你無論作甚麼事，不拘往何處去，盡都亨通。
王上2:4耶和華必成就向我所應許的話說：你的子孫若謹慎自己的行為，盡心盡意誠誠實實的行在我面前，就不斷人坐以色列的國位。
王上2:5你知道洗魯雅的兒子約押向我所行的，就是殺了以色列的兩個元帥，尼珥的兒子，押尼珥，和益帖的兒子亞瑪撒，他在太平之時流這二人的血，如在爭戰之時一樣，將這血染了腰間束的帶，和腳上穿的鞋。
王上2:6所以你要照你的智慧行，不容他白頭安然下陰間。
王上2:7你當恩待基列人巴西萊的眾子，使他們常與你同席吃飯，因為我躲避你哥哥押沙龍的時候，他們拿食物來迎接我。
王上2:8在你這裡有巴戶琳的便雅憫人，基拉的兒子示每，我往瑪哈念去的那日，他用狠毒的言語咒罵我，後來卻下約但河迎接我，我就指著耶和華向他起誓，說：我必不用刀殺你。
王上2:9現在你不要以他為無罪，你是聰明人，必知道怎樣待他，使他白頭見殺，流血下到陰間。
王上2:10大衛與他列祖同睡，葬在大衛城。
王上2:11大衛作以色列王四十年，在希伯崙作王七年，在耶路撒冷作王三十三年。
王上2:12所羅門坐他父親大衛的位，他的國甚是堅固。
王上2:13哈及的兒子亞多尼雅，去見所羅門的母親拔示巴，拔示巴問他說：你來是為平安麼，回答說：是為平安。
王上2:14又說：我有話對你說：拔示巴說：你說罷。
王上2:15亞多尼雅說：你知道國原是歸我的，以色列眾人也都仰望我作王，不料國反歸了我兄弟，因他得國是出乎耶和華。
王上2:16現在我有一件事求你，望你不要推辭，拔示巴說：你說罷。
王上2:17他說：求你請所羅門王，將書念的女子亞比煞賜我為妻，因他必不推辭你。
王上2:18拔示巴說：好，我必為你對王題說。
王上2:19於是拔示巴去見所羅門王，要為亞多尼雅題說：王起來迎接，向他下拜，就坐在位上，吩咐人為王母設一座位，他便坐在王的右邊。
王上2:20拔示巴說：我有一件小事求你，望你不要推辭，王說：請母親說：我必不推辭。
王上2:21拔示巴說：求你將書念的女子亞比煞賜給你哥哥亞多尼雅為妻。
王上2:22所羅門王對他母親說：為何單替他求書念的女子亞比煞呢，也可以為他求國罷，他是我的哥哥，他有祭司亞比亞他，和洗魯雅的兒子約押為輔佐。
王上2:23所羅門王就指著耶和華起誓，說：亞多尼雅這話是自己送命，不然，願神重重的降罰與我。
王上2:24耶和華堅立我，使我坐在父親大衛的位上，照著所應許的話為我建立家室，現在我指著永生的耶和華起誓，亞多尼雅今日必被治死。
王上2:25於是所羅門王差遣耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，將亞多尼雅殺死。
王上2:26王對祭司亞比亞他說：你回亞拿突歸自己的田地去罷，你本是該死的，但因你在我父親大衛面前抬過主耶和華的約櫃，又與我父親同受一切苦難，所以我今日不將你殺死。
王上2:27所羅門就革除亞比亞他，不許他作耶和華的祭司，這樣，便應驗耶和華在示羅論以利家所說的話。
王上2:28約押雖然沒有歸從押沙龍，卻歸從了亞多尼雅，他聽見這風聲，就逃到耶和華的帳幕，抓住祭壇的角。
王上2:29有人告訴所羅門王說：約押逃到耶和華的帳幕，現今在祭壇的旁邊，所羅門就差遣耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅說：你去將他殺死。
王上2:30比拿雅來到耶和華的帳幕，對約押說：王吩咐說：你出來罷，他說：我不出去，我要死在這裡，比拿雅就去回覆王說：約押如此如此回答我。
王上2:31王說：你可以照著他的話行，殺死他，將他葬埋，好叫約押流無辜人血的罪，不歸我和我的父家了。
王上2:32耶和華必使約押流人血的罪，歸到他自己的頭上，因為他用刀殺了兩個比他又義又好的人，就是以色列元帥尼珥的兒子押尼珥，和猶大元帥益帖的兒子亞瑪撒，我父親大衛卻不知道。
王上2:33故此流這二人血的罪，必歸到約押和他後裔的頭上，直到永遠，惟有大衛和他的後裔，並他的家與國，必從耶和華那裡得平安，直到永遠。
王上2:34於是耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅上去，將約押殺死，葬在曠野約押自己的墳墓裡。〔墳墓原文作房屋〕
王上2:35王就立耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅作元帥，代替約押，又使祭司撒督代替亞比亞他。
王上2:36王差遣人將示每召來，對他說：你要在耶路撒冷建造房屋居住，不可出來往別處去。
王上2:37你當確實的知道，你何日出來過汲淪溪，何日必死，你的罪〔原文作血〕必歸到自己的頭上。
王上2:38示每對王說：這話甚好，我主我王怎樣說：僕人必怎樣行，於是示每多日住在耶路撒冷。
王上2:39過了三年，示每的兩個僕人逃到迦特王瑪迦的兒子亞吉那裡去，有人告訴示每說：你的僕人在迦特。
王上2:40示每起來，備上驢，往迦特到亞吉那裡去找他的僕人，就從迦特帶他僕人回來。
王上2:41有人告訴所羅門說：示每出耶路撒冷往迦特去回來了。
王上2:42王就差遣人將示每召了來，對他說：我豈不是叫你指著耶和華起誓，並且警戒你說：你當確實的知道你那日出來往別處去，那日必死麼，你也對我說：這話甚好，我必聽從。
王上2:43現在你為何不遵守你指著耶和華起的誓，和我所吩咐你的命令呢。
王上2:44王又對示每說：你向我父親大衛所行的一切惡事，你自己心裡也知道，所以耶和華必使你的罪惡歸到自己的頭上。
王上2:45惟有所羅門王必得福，並且大衛的國位必在耶和華面前堅定，直到永遠。
王上2:46於是王吩咐耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅，他就去殺死示每，這樣，便堅定了所羅門的國位。
王上3:1所羅門與埃及王法老結親，娶了法老的女兒為妻，接他進入大衛城，直等到造完了自己的宮，和耶和華的殿，並耶路撒冷周圍的城牆。
王上3:2當那些日子，百姓仍在邱壇獻祭，因為還沒有為耶和華的名建殿。
王上3:3所羅門愛耶和華，遵行他父親大衛的律例，只是還在邱壇獻祭燒香。
王上3:4所羅門王上基遍去獻祭，因為在那裡有極大的邱壇，〔極大或作出名〕他在那壇上獻一千犧牲作燔祭。
王上3:5在基遍夜間夢中，耶和華向所羅門顯現，對他說：你願我賜你甚麼，你可以求。
王上3:6所羅門說：你僕人我父親大衛，用誠實，公義，正直的心，行在你面前，你就向他大施恩典，又為他存留大恩，賜他一個兒子坐在他的位上，正如今日一樣。
王上3:7耶和華我的神阿，如今你使僕人接續我父親大衛作王，但我是幼童，不知道應當怎樣出入。
王上3:8僕人住在你所揀選的民中，這民多得不可勝數。
王上3:9所以求你賜我智慧，可以判斷你的民，能辨別是非，不然，誰能判斷這眾多的民呢。
王上3:10所羅門因為求這事，就蒙主喜悅。
王上3:11神對他說：你既然求這事，不為自己求壽，求富，也不求滅絕你仇敵的性命，單求智慧可以聽訟，
王上3:12我就應允你所求的，賜你聰明智慧，甚至在你以前沒有像你的，在你以後也沒有像你的。
王上3:13你所沒有求的我也賜給你，就是富足，尊榮，使你在世的日子，列王中沒有一個能比你的。
王上3:14你若效法你父親大衛，遵行我的道，謹守我的律例，誡命，我必使你長壽。
王上3:15所羅門醒了，不料是個夢，他就回到耶路撒冷，站在耶和華的約櫃前，獻燔祭和平安祭，又為他眾臣僕設擺筵席。
王上3:16一日有兩個妓女來，站在王面前。
王上3:17一個說：我主阿，我和這婦人同住一房，他在房中的時候，我生了一個男孩。
王上3:18我生孩子後第三日，這婦人也生了孩子，我們是同住的，除了我們二人之外，房中再沒有別人。
王上3:19夜間這婦人睡著的時候，壓死了他的孩子。
王上3:20他半夜起來，趁我睡著，從我旁邊把我的孩子抱去，放在他懷裡，將他的死孩子放在我懷裡。
王上3:21天要亮的時候，我起來要給我的孩子吃奶，不料，孩子死了，及至天亮，我細細的察看，不是我所生的孩子。
王上3:22那婦人說：不然，活孩子是我的，死孩子是你的。這婦人說：不然，死孩子是你的，活孩子是我的。他們在王面前如此爭論。
王上3:23王說：這婦人說：活孩子是我的，死孩子是你的，那婦人說：不然，死孩子是你的，活孩子是我的。
王上3:24就吩咐說：拿刀來，人就拿刀來。
王上3:25王說：將活孩子劈成兩半，一半給那婦人，一半給這婦人。
王上3:26活孩子的母親為自己的孩子心裡急痛，就說：求我主將活孩子給那婦人罷，萬不可殺他。那婦人說：這孩子也不歸我，也不歸你，把他劈了罷。
王上3:27王說：將活孩子給這婦人，萬不可殺他，這婦人實在是他的母親。
王上3:28以色列眾人聽見王這樣判斷，就都敬畏他，因為見他心裡有神的智慧，能以斷案。
Apr 06,2015-The Journey of Grace (96/365) 1Kings 1:1~3:28
Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King
1 When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. 2 So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.”
3 Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4 The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.
5 Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots and horses[a] ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. 6 (His father had never rebuked him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)
7 Adonijah conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they gave him their support. 8 But Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei and David’s special guard did not join Adonijah.
9 Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 10 but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.
11 Then Nathan asked Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? 12 Now then, let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go in to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear to me your servant: “Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said.”
15 So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him. 16 Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king.
“What is it you want?” the king asked.
17 She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the Lord your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it. 19 He has sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 20 My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.”
22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 And the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” So he went before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.
24 Nathan said, “Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne? 25 Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite. 27 Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
David Makes Solomon King
28 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.
29 The king then took an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, 30 I will surely carry out this very day what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.”
31 Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”
32 King David said, “Call in Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came before the king, 33 he said to them: “Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take him down to Gihon. 34 There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”
36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. 37 As the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon to make his throne even greater than the throne of my lord King David!”
38 So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon. 39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon!” 40 And all the people went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.
41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, “What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?”
42 Even as he was speaking, Jonathan son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.”
43 “Not at all!” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule, 45 and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds with it. That’s the noise you hear. 46 Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat on the royal throne. 47 Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours and his throne greater than yours!’ And the king bowed in worship on his bed 48 and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor on my throne today.’”
49 At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed. 50 But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns of the altar. 51 Then Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”
52 Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” 53 Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, “Go to your home.”
David’s Charge to Solomon
2 When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, 3 and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 4 and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
5 “Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. 6 Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
7 “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
8 “And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ 9 But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”
10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David. 11 He had reigned forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
Solomon’s Throne Established
13 Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”
He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” 14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”
“You may say it,” she replied.
15 “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. 16 Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”
“You may make it,” she said.
17 So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”
18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”
19 When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.
20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”
The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”
21 So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”
22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother—yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! 24 And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.
26 To Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.” 27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.
28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns of the altar. 29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”
30 So Benaiah entered the tent of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!’”
But he answered, “No, I will die here.”
Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”
31 Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed. 32 The Lord will repay him for the blood he shed, because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better men and more upright than he. 33 May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord’s peace forever.”
34 So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country. 35 The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.
36 Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. 37 The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”
38 Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.
39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” 40 At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.
41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, 42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’ 43 Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”
44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. 45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure before the Lord forever.”
46 Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died.
The kingdom was now established in Solomon’s hands.
Solomon Asks for Wisdom
3 Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. 2 The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. 3 Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.
4 The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. 5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”
6 Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.
7 “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. 8 Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. 9 So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. 14 And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” 15 Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.
He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.
A Wise Ruling
16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.
19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”
22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”
But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.
23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”
24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”
26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”
28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.
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