1 Kings 2

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 As David's life drew to its close he laid this charge on his son Solomon,	1 Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
2 'I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong and show yourself a man.	2 I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
3 Observe the injunctions of Yahweh your God, following his ways and keeping his laws, hiscommandments, his ordinances and his decrees, as stands written in the Law of Moses, so that you may besuccessful in everything you do and undertake,	3 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:
4 and that Yahweh may fulfil the promise which he made me, "If your sons are careful how they behave,and walk loyal y before me with all their heart and soul, you wil never want for a man on the throne of Israel."	4 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.
5 'You know too what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armyof Israel, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether; how he murdered them, shedding the blood of war in timeof peace and staining the belt round my waist and the sandals on my feet with the blood of war.	5 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.
6 You wil be wise not to let his grey head go down to Sheol in peace.	6 Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.
7 As regards the sons of Barzil ai of Gilead, treat them with faithful love, let them be among those who eatat your table, for they were as kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.	7 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.
8 You also have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim. He called down a terriblecurse on me the day I left for Mahanaim, but he came down to meet me at the Jordan and I swore to him byYahweh that I would not put him to death.	8 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.
9 But you, you must not let him go unpunished; you are a wise man and wil know how to deal with him, tobring his grey head down to Sheol in blood.'	9 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.
10 So David fell asleep with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.	10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
11 David was king of Israel for a period of forty years: he reigned at Hebron for seven years, and inJerusalem for thirty-three.	11 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.
12 Solomon then sat on the throne of David, and his sovereignty was securely established.	12 Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
13 Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba mother of Solomon. 'Do you bring peace?' she asked. Hereplied, 'Yes, peace.'	13 And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.
14 Then he said, 'I have something to say to you.' 'Say on,' she replied.	14 He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
15 'You know', he said, 'that the kingdom should have come to me, and that al Israel expected me to beking; but the crown eluded me and fell to my brother, since it came to him from Yahweh.	15 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.
16 Now I have one request to make you; do not refuse me.' 'Go on,' she said.	16 And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
17 He went on, 'Please ask King Solomon -- for he wil not refuse you -- to give me Abishag of Shunem inmarriage.'	17 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.
18 'Very wel ,' Bathsheba replied, 'I shal speak to the king about you.'	18 And Bath-sheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.
19 So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah; the king got up to meet her andbowed before her; he then sat down on his throne; a seat was brought for the king's mother, and she sat downon his right.	19 Bath-sheba 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.
20 She said, 'I have one smal request to make you; do not refuse me.' 'Mother,' the king replied, 'makeyour request, for I shal not refuse you.'	20 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.
21 'Let Abishag of Shunem', she said, 'be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.'	21 And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
22 King Solomon replied to his mother, 'And why do you request Abishag of Shunem for Adonijah? Youmight as wel request the kingdom for him, since he is my elder brother and Abiathar the priest and Joab son ofZeruiah are on his side.'	22 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.
23 And King Solomon swore by Yahweh: 'May God bring unnameable il s on me, and worse ills, too,' hesaid, 'if Adonijah does not pay for these words of his with his life!	23 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.
24 As Yahweh lives who has set me securely on the throne of my father David, and who, as he promised,has given him a dynasty, Adonijah shal be put to death this very day.'	24 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.
25 And King Solomon commissioned Benaiah son of Jehoiada to strike him down, and that was how hedied.	25 And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
26 As for Abiathar the priest, the king said to him, 'Go to Anathoth to your estate. You deserve to die, but Iam not going to put you to death now, since you carried the ark of Yahweh in the presence of my father Davidand shared al my father's hardships.'	26 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.
27 Solomon deprived Abiathar of the priesthood of Yahweh, thus fulfil ing the prophecy which Yahweh haduttered against the House of Eli at Shiloh.	27 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.
28 When the news reached Joab -- for Joab had lent his support to Adonijah, though he had notsupported Absalom -- he fled to the Tent of Yahweh and clung to the horns of the altar.	28 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.
29 King Solomon was told, 'Joab has fled to the Tent of Yahweh; he is there beside the altar.' On this,Solomon sent word to Joab, 'What reason did you have for fleeing to the altar?' Joab replied, 'I was afraid of youand fled to Yahweh.' Solomon then sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada. 'Go', he said, 'and strike him down.'	29 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.
30 Accordingly Benaiah went to the Tent of Yahweh. 'By order of the king,' he said, 'come out!' 'No,' hesaid, 'I will die here.' So Benaiah brought word back to the king, 'This is what Joab said, and the answer he gaveme.'	30 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.
31 'Do as he says,' the king replied. 'Strike him down and bury him, and so rid me and my family today ofthe innocent blood which Joab has shed.	31 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.
32 Yahweh wil bring his blood down on his own head, because he struck down two more upright andbetter men than he, and, without my father David's knowledge, put to the sword Abner son of Ner, commander ofthe army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.	32 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.
33 May their blood come down on the head of Joab and his descendants for ever, but may David, hisdescendants, his dynasty, his throne, have peace for ever from Yahweh.'	33 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.
34 Whereupon Benaiah son of Jehoiada went out, struck Joab down and put him to death; he was buriedat his home in the desert.	34 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.
35 In his place as head of the army the king appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada and, in place of Abiathar,the priest Zadok.	35 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.
36 The king had Shimei summoned to him. 'Build yourself a house in Jerusalem,' he told him. 'You are tolive there; do not leave it to go anywhere at all.	36 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.
37 The day you go out and cross the ravine of the Kidron, be sure you wil certainly die. Your blood wil beon your own head.'	37 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.
38 'That is a fair demand,' Shimei replied to the king, 'your servant wil do as my lord the king orders.' Andfor a long time Shimei lived in Jerusalem.	38 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.
39 But when three years had gone by, it happened that two of Shimei's slaves ran away to Achish son ofMaacah, king of Gath; Shimei was told, 'Your slaves are in Gath.'	39 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.
40 On this, Shimei got up and saddled his donkey and went to Akish at Gath to find his slaves. He went offand brought his slaves back from Gath.	40 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.
41 Solomon was informed that Shimei had left Jerusalem for Gath and come back again.	41 And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.
42 The king had Shimei summoned to him. 'Did I not make you swear by Yahweh,' he said, 'and did I notwarn you, "The day you leave to go anywhere at all, be sure you wil certainly die"? To which you replied, "That is a fair demand."	42 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 wither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.
43 Why did you not keep the oath to Yahweh and the order which I imposed on you?'	43 Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?
44 The king then said to Shimei, 'You know wel al the evil you did to my father David. Yahweh is about tobring your wickedness down on your own head.	44 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;
45 But may King Solomon be blessed, and may the throne of David be kept secure before Yahweh forever!'	45 And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.
46 The king gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he went out and struck Shimei down; and that washow he died. And now the kingdom was securely in Solomon's hands.	46 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.
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