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. Keep faithfully the commandments of the Lord your God, walk in his ways and obey his decrees, commands, laws and instructions, as they are written in the Law of Moses. So you will be successful in everything you do and everywhere you go.
• 4. The Lord will keep the promise he made to me, saying, 'If your descendants keep your conduct and walk before me faithfully with all their heart and with all their 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 slew Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. war in times of peace, staining the belt and sandals he wore.
• 6. Watch out for Joab! Treat it wisely, but don't allow it to age in peace.
• 7. “Deal well with the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. Be generous to them, for they were a great help when I was on the run from your brother Absalom.
• 8. There is also 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 Jordan. I promised you by the Lord that I would not kill you with the sword.
• 9. But now, let him not go unpunished. You are a wise man and you will know what to do. Make him go down to the grave bloodied, even if he is old.”
• 10. Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.
• 11. He reigned forty years over Israel: seven in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.
• 12. Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingship was firmly established.

Solomon's throne is established

• 13. Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and said to her, “Are you coming in peace?” And she replied: “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 was given to my brother, as the Lord decreed.
• 16. Now I have a request for you. Do not deny me”. Bathsheba replied, "Speak, my son."
• 17. And Adonijah went on to say, “Ask King Solomon to give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for I know he will not refuse me.”
• 18. Bathsheba said, “I will speak to the king for you.”
• 19. So she went to King Solomon to present Adonijah's request to him. The king rose to receive her, bowed before her, and sat on his throne. He also had a throne set up for his mother, who sat at his right.
• 20. Bathsheba said, “I have a small request for you. Do not deny me”. And the king replied: “Ask, my mother; I will not deny you.”
• 21. Then she said, "Give Abishag the Shunammite as a wife to Adonijah."
• 22. King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you asking Abishag for Adonijah? Ask for the kingdom for him too, for he is my elder 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 making such a request!
• 24. The Lord has established the throne for me and my dynasty forever, as promised. Today Adonijah will be killed!”
• 25. Then King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to kill Adonijah.
• 26. Abiathar the priest was informed, and King Solomon said to him: “Go to Anathoth, to your lands. You deserve death, but today I will not kill you, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign LORD before my father David and shared with him all the hardships he faced.”
• 27. Solomon removed Abiathar from the office of priest of the Lord, fulfilling the word that the Lord had spoken in Shiloh against the family of Eli.
• 28. When the news reached Joab, who had supported Adonijah but not Absalom, he fled to the tabernacle of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
• 29. Then it was reported to Solomon, “Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the Lord and is beside the altar.” Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada with the order: “Go, kill him!”
• 30. Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the Lord and said to Joab, "The king orders you to leave." But Joab replied, “I will not go out. I will die here”. Benaiah took the answer to the king, saying, "That was the answer that Joab gave."
• 31. Then King Solomon ordered Benaiah: “Do as he said. Kill him and bury him. So you will take away from me and my family the blood that Joab shed without cause.
• 32. The Lord will make the blood that he shed fall on Joab's head. He slew two better and fairer men than himself: Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.
• 33. The responsibility for their blood will rest forever on Joab's head and on that of his descendants. But to David, to his seed, to his family, and to his throne, there will be peace from the Lord forever.”
• 34. Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went and killed Joab, and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
• 35. The king made Benaiah son of Jehoiada replace Joab as commander of the army, and Zadok the priest succeeded Abiathar.
• 36. Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build a house in Jerusalem and live in it. Don't go anywhere from there.
• 37. On the day you go out and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die. The fault of his death will be yours”.
• 38. Shimei answered the king, “The king's word is right. Your servant will do as the king has commanded.” And Shimei took up residence in Jerusalem for a long time.
• 39. But after three years two of Shimei's slaves fled 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. The king then called Shimei and said to him, “You have not taken an oath by the Lord and I warned you: 'On the day you go out somewhere, be sure that you will die.' You answered me: 'That's right, I listened and I obeyed'.
• 43. Why, then, did you not keep the oath you swore by the Lord and not obey my order?”
• 44. And the king said to Shimei: “You know very well all the evil that you did to my father David. Now the Lord will bring all your iniquity 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 commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada to attack Shimei, and he died. Thus the kingdom was firmly established in Solomon's hands.

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