Adonijah tried to become the king

5-6 5-6After Absalom died, David’s oldest surviving son was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. He was a very handsome/good-looking man. But David had never rebuked him about anything he did. After Absalom died, Adonijah thought that he would become king. So he started to boast, saying “I will become king now.” Then he provided for himself some chariots, and men to drive them, and horses to pull them, and 50 men to run as his bodyguards in front of those chariots wherever he went.

7 One day he conferred with Joab, David’s army commander, and Abiathar the priest, and they promised/agreed to help/support Adonijah. 8 But Zadok, who was also a priest, Benaiah who had supervised David’s bodyguards, Nathan the prophet, Shimei and Rei, and David’s most capable soldiers refused to help/support Adonijah.

9 One day Adonijah went to Snake Rock near En-Rogel Spring, which is near Jerusalem, to sacrifice some sheep and oxen and fattened cattle. He invited most of his brothers, King David’s other sons, to come. He also invited all of the king’s officials from Judah to come to the celebration. 10 But he did not invite Nathan or Benaiah or the king’s most capable soldiers or his younger/half-brother Solomon.

11 Nathan found out what they were doing, so he went to Solomon’s mother Bathsheba and asked her, “Have you not heard that Haggith’s son Adonijah is declared himself to be the king? And King David does not know about it! 12 So if you want to save yourself and your son Solomon from being killed, allow me to tell you what you should do. 13 Go immediately to King David. Say to him, ‘Your Majesty, you solemnly promised me [RHQ] that my son Solomon would become the king after you die, and that he would sit on your throne and rule. So why is it that Adonijah has said that he is now the king?’ 14 Then, while you are still talking to the king, I will come in and tell him that what you are saying to him about Adonijah is true.”

15 So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old, and Abishag was taking care of him. 16 Bathsheba bowed very low in front of the king, and the king asked her, “What do you want?”

17 She replied, “Your Majesty, you solemnly promised me, knowing that Yahweh our God was listening [IDM], that my son Solomon would become king after you die, and that he would sit on your throne and rule. 18 But now, believe it or not, Adonijah has become king, and you do not know anything about it. 19 He has sacrificed a lot of oxen and fattened cattle and sheep, and he has invited all of your other sons to the celebration. He has also invited Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of your army, but he did not invite your son Solomon. 20 Your Majesty, all the people [SYN] of Israel are expecting you to tell them who is the one who will become king after you are no longer the king. 21 If you do not do that, what will happen is that after you die [EUP] people will consider that my son Solomon and I are rebelling, and they will execute us because we did not help Adonijah to become king.”

22 While she was still talking to the king, Nathan came to the palace. 23 The king’s servants/advisors told David, “Nathan the prophet has come.” So Bathsheba left, and Nathan went into where the king was and knelt down, with his face on the ground.

24 Then Nathan said, “Your Majesty, have you declared that Adonijah will become king after you are no longer the king? 25 I say that because today he has gone down to En-Rogel Spring and has sacrificed a lot of oxen, fattened cattle, and sheep. And he has invited all of your other sons, Joab the army commander, and Abiathar the priest. They are all eating and drinking with him and saying ‘We hope/desire that King Adonijah will live a long time!’ 26 But he did not invite me or Zadok the priest or Benaiah or Solomon. 27 Did you, as the king, say that they should do this without telling your other officials who you want to become king [MTY] after you are no longer the king?”