1 Kings, Chapter 2:

Verses from 1 Kings, Chapter 2 of the book of 1 Samuel of the Bible.

David advises Solomon

• 1. When the day of David's death approached, he gave instructions to his son Solomon:
• 2. “I am about to go the way of everyone on earth. So be strong and courageous.
• 3. Be careful to follow the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. Keep his decrees, commands, laws, and instructions, as they are written in the Law of Moses. Then you will be successful in everything you do and wherever you go.
• 4. The Lord will keep his promise to me, saying, 'If your descendants keep your ways and walk before me faithfully with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a descendant on the throne of Israel.'
• 5. “You know very well what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he murdered Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. ​​Joab shed the blood of war in times of peace, staining his belt and the sandals he wore.
• 6. Beware of Joab! Treat him wisely, but do not let him grow old in peace.
• 7. “Treat the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite well. Be generous to them, for they were a great help to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.
• 8. Then there is Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim. He cursed me bitterly when I went to Mahanaim, but then he came to meet me at the Jordan. I promised him by the Lord that I would not kill him with the sword.
• 9. But now do not let him go unpunished. You are a wise man and will know what to do. Let him go down to the grave bloodied, even though he is already old.”
• 10. Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.
• 11. He reigned over Israel forty years: seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.
• 12. Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established.

Solomon's throne is established

• 13. Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and asked her, "Do you come in peace?" And she said, "Yes, in peace."
• 14. And he continued: “I have something important to tell you.”
• 15. Then he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel expected me to be king. But circumstances changed, and the kingdom has been given to my brother, for this is what the Lord decreed.
• 16. Now I have a request to make of you. Do not refuse me.” Bathsheba replied, “Speak, my son.”
• 17. Then Adonijah said, “Ask King Solomon to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife, for I know he will not refuse me.”
• 18. Bathsheba said, “I will speak to the king for you.”
• 19. Then she went to King Solomon to present Adonijah's request. The king rose to meet her, bowed down to her, and sat on his throne. He also had a throne set up for his mother, and she sat at his right hand.
• 20. Bathsheba said, “I have one small request to make of you. Do not refuse me.” And the king answered, “Ask, my mother; I will not refuse you.”
• 21. Then she said, “Give Abishag the Shunammite to Adonijah as a wife.”
• 22. King Solomon replied to his mother, “Why are you asking Abishag for Adonijah? Ask him for the kingdom as well, for he is my oldest brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah are also your allies.”
• 23 Then King Solomon took a solemn oath: “May God punish me severely if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request!
• 24. The Lord has established the throne for me and my house forever, as he promised. Today Adonijah will be put to death!”
• 25. Then King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to kill Adonijah.
• 26. Abiathar the priest was told, and King Solomon said to him, “Go to Anathoth, to your own land. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death today, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign Lord in the presence of my father David and shared with him all the hardships he faced.”
• 27 Solomon removed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, fulfilling the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.
• 28. When the news reached Joab that he had supported Adonijah but not Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar.
• 29. Then Solomon was told, “Joab has fled to the tent of the Lord, and is beside the altar.” Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada with the order, “Go, kill him!”
• 30. Then Benaiah went to the tent of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king commands you to come out.” But Joab replied, “I will not come out. I will die here.” Benaiah took the answer to the king, saying, “This is the answer Joab gave.”
• 31. Then King Solomon said to Benaiah, “Do as he says. Kill him and bury him. Then you will take away from me and my family the blood that Joab shed without cause.
• 32. The Lord will bring back on Joab's own head the blood he shed, for he killed two men better and more righteous than he: Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.
• 33. The guilt of their blood will rest on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David, for his descendants, for his family and for his throne, there will be peace from the Lord forever.”
• 34. Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada went and killed Joab, and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
• 35. The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada in place of Joab as commander of the army, and Zadok the priest succeeded Abiathar.
• 36 Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and live in it. Don’t go anywhere.
• 37. On the day you set out and cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die. The guilt of your death will be your own.”
• 38. Shimei answered the king, “The king’s word is right. Your servant will do as the king has commanded.” So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
• 39. But after three years two of Shimei's slaves ran away to Achish king of Gath. Someone told Shimei, “Your slaves are in Gath.”
• 40. Then Shimei saddled his donkeys and went to Gath to bring back his slaves. When Shimei returned from Egypt,
• 41. Solomon was informed that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned.
• 42. Then the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did you not swear an oath by the Lord? When I warned you, ‘On the day you go out anywhere, you will surely die.’ You answered me, ‘That is right; I listened and obeyed.’
• 43. Why then did you not keep the oath you swore to the Lord and obey my command?”
• 44. Then the king said to Shimei, “You know very well all the evil you did to my father David. Now the Lord will bring all your evil on your own head.
• 45. But King Solomon will be blessed, and the throne of David will be established before the Lord forever.”
• 46 Then the king ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to attack Shimei, and he died. So the kingdom was firmly established in Solomon's hands.

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