1 Kings 2

Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,

As David's life was nearing its end, he called his son Solomon to his side. With a heavy heart, he said,

I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

Like everyone, I too must leave this world. So, be brave, stand tall, and prove your strength as a man.

And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

Stay true to God's teachings, follow His path, and honor His rules, as Moses wrote. This will guide you to success in everything you do and wherever you go.

That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

May God keep His promise to me, that if my children stay true to Him, loving Him with all their heart and soul, there will always be a leader from our family in Israel.

Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.

You're aware of the cruel actions of Joab, Zeruiah's son, towards me and the two Israeli military leaders, Abner and Amasa. He brutally killed them during a time of peace, staining his belt and shoes with their blood, as if he was in war.

Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.

Use your wisdom, but don't let him pass away peacefully in his old age.

But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.

Be kind to Barzillai's sons from Gilead, invite them to share your meals. They helped me when I was running from your brother, Absalom.

And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.

Look, you have with you Shimei, son of Gera from Bahurim, who once bitterly cursed me when I was in Mahanaim. But when he came to meet me at Jordan, I promised him in God's name that I wouldn't kill him.

Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.

Don't let him off the hook, for you're a wise man. You know what you should do to him. Let him meet his end, not peacefully, but stained with blood.

So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

David joined his ancestors in eternal rest, his body laid to rest in his beloved city.

And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.

David ruled Israel for forty years, spending seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.

Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.

Solomon took his father David's throne, and his reign was powerfully secured.

And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

Adonijah, Haggith's son, approached Solomon's mother, Bathsheba. She anxiously asked, "Do you come in peace?" He calmly replied, "Yes, in peace."

He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.

He spoke up, "I have something to share with you." She responded eagerly, "Go ahead, speak."

And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother’s: for it was his from the LORD.

He expressed, "You know I was destined to rule, with all of Israel supporting me. But now, the tables have turned, and my brother is king. It seems it was God's plan all along."

And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.

Now, I have a single request for you, please don't refuse me. She responded to him, Go ahead.

And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

He pleaded, "Please, talk to King Solomon for me. He won't deny you. Ask him to let me marry Abishag the Shunammite."

And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.

Bathsheba responded, "Alright, I'll passionately plead your case to the king."

Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand.

Bathsheba approached King Solomon, carrying Adonijah's plea. Solomon, filled with respect, rose from his throne to greet her. He bowed before his mother, a gesture of deep reverence. He then returned to his throne and ensured a seat was prepared for her, right next to him, a place of honor.

Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.

She pleaded, "I have a small request, please don't deny me." The king, her son, reassured her, "Go ahead, mother, I won't refuse you."

And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.

She pleaded, "Please, let Abishag the Shunammite become Adonijah's wife, your brother's bride."

And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

King Solomon, with a hint of surprise and confusion, responded to his mother, "Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Might as well ask for the kingdom for him, since he's my older brother. This includes him, Abiathar the priest, and Joab, Zeruiah's son."

Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

King Solomon, deeply moved, pledged before God, "May God punish me severely, if Adonijah hasn't brought this doom upon himself by his own words."

Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.

With the living Lord as my witness, who has established me, placed me on my father David's throne, and founded a royal dynasty for me as He promised, Adonijah will be put to death today.

And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.

King Solomon dispatched Benaiah, Jehoiada's son. With a swift action, Benaiah struck Adonijah down, and he died.

And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.

The king spoke to Abiathar the priest, "Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve death, but I won't kill you now. You carried the Lord's ark for my father, David, and suffered as he did. For that, you live."

So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

Solomon removed Abiathar from his priestly duties, fulfilling God's prophecy about Eli's family in Shiloh.

Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.

News reached Joab, who had chosen to follow Adonijah, but not Absalom. In fear, Joab sought refuge in the Lord's sanctuary, desperately clinging to the altar's horns.

And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.

News reached King Solomon that Joab had sought refuge in the Lord's sanctuary, right by the altar. Solomon then sent Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, saying, "Go, strike him down."

And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.

Benaiah approached the sacred tent of the Lord, delivering the king's message, "Come out." But the response was a firm, "No, I choose to die here." Benaiah returned to the king, relaying Joab's defiant words and his decision.

And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.

The king commanded, "Do as he says: strike him down and bury him. Remove from me and my family the guilt of the innocent blood Joab spilled."

And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.

God will make sure that the one who unjustly killed two innocent, noble men, without my father David's knowledge, will face his own karma. These men were Abner, the leader of Israel's army, and Amasa, the leader of Judah's army.

Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.

Joab and his descendants will forever bear the burden of their actions, their guilt returning to them. But David, his family, and his reign will forever enjoy God's peace.

So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.

Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, bravely confronted him, ending his life. His body was laid to rest in his own home, amidst the solitude of the wilderness.

And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.

The king appointed Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, as the commander of his army, replacing Abiathar with Zadok as the high priest.

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.

The king summoned Shimei, saying, "Create a home for yourself in Jerusalem. Live there and do not leave for any reason."

For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.

The day you cross Kidron Brook, be sure of this: you will definitely face death, and it will be your own doing.

And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.

Shimei, with a respectful nod, agreed with the king, "Your words are wise, my lord. I will follow your command." He then lived in Jerusalem for a long time.

And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.

After three long years, two of Shimei's servants escaped to Achish, the son of Maachah, the king of Gath. They sent word to Shimei, saying, "Your servants are now in Gath."

And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.

Shimei, filled with determination, quickly prepared his donkey for the journey. He set off to Gath, to meet Achish, in search of his servants. With a sense of relief and accomplishment, Shimei returned, his servants from Gath now by his side.

And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.

News reached Solomon that Shimei had left Jerusalem for Gath, only to return.

And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.

The king summoned Shimei and asked him, "Didn't I make you promise in God's name that if you ever left, you'd surely die? You agreed, saying my words were fair."

Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?

Why didn't you keep the oath you swore by God and follow the command I gave you?

The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;

The king told Shimei, "You know in your heart all the evil you did to my father, David. Now God will bring that evil back down on your own head."

And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.

King Solomon will be showered with blessings, and David's reign will forever stand strong in the presence of the LORD.

So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

The king ordered Benaiah, Jehoiada's son, to execute the traitor. With his death, Solomon's reign was firmly secured.