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Reading:
1Kings 1:1-43,49-53; Psalm 45:3-5; Proverbs 12:17
Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers
on him, but he could not get warm. Therefore his servants
said to him, "Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for
our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let
her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord
the king may be warm".
So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the
territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and
brought her to the king. The young woman was very lovely; and
she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not
know her. Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself,
saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for
himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
(And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, "Why
have you done so?"
He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after
Absalom.) Then he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and
with Abiathar the priest,and they followed and helped Adonijah.
But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the
prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David
were not with Adonijah. And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen
and fattened cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En
Rogel; he also invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and
all the men of Judah,the king's servants. But he did not invite
Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the mighty men, or Solomon his
brother. So Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon,
saying,
"Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has
become king, and David our lord does not know it? Come, please,
let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and
the life of your son Solomon. Go immediately to King David and
say to him, 'Did you not, my lord, O king, swear to your
maidservant, saying, "Assuredly your son Solomon shall
reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne"? Why then
has Adonijah become king?' Then, while you are still talking
there with the king, I also will come in after you and confirm
your words."
So Bathsheba went into the chamber to the king. (Now
the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving
the king.) And
Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king
said, "What is your wish?" Then she said
to him, "My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your
maidservant, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign
after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' So now, look! Adonijah
has become king; and now, my lord the king, you do not know
about it.
He has sacrificed oxen and fattened cattle and sheep in
abundance, and has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar
the priest, and Joab the commander of the army; but Solomon your
servant he has not invited. And as for you, my lord, O king, the
eyes of all Israel are on you, that you should tell them who
will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his
fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as
offenders."
And just then, while she was still talking with the king, Nathan
the prophet also came in. So they told the king, saying,
"Here is Nathan the prophet." And when he came in
before the king, he bowed down before the king with his face to
the ground. And Nathan said, "My lord, O king, have you
said, 'Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my
throne'?
For he has gone down today and has sacrificed oxen and fattened
cattle and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king's
sons, and the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest;
and look! They are eating and drinking before him; and
they say, 'Long live King Adonijah!' But he has not
invited me - me your servant - nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah
the son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. Has this
thing been done by my lord the king, and you have not told your
servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after
him?"
Then King David answered and said, "Call Bathsheba to
me." So she came into the king's presence and stood before
the king. And the king took an oath and said, "As the
LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress, just
as I swore to you by the LORD God of Israel, saying, 'Assuredly
Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my
throne in my place,' so I certainly will do this day."
Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth and paid homage
to the king, and said, "Let my lord King David live
forever!"
And King David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest, Nathan
the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." So they came
before the king.
The king also said to them, "Take with you the servants of
your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take
him down to Gihon.
There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him
king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, 'Long live King
Solomon!' Then you shall come up after him, and he shall
come and sit on my throne, and he shall be king in my
place. For I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel
and Judah." Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king
and said, "Amen! May the LORD God of my lord the king say
so too. As the LORD has been with my lord the king, even
so may He be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the
throne of my lord King David."
So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada, the Cherethites, and the Pelethites went down and had
Solomon ride on King David's mule, and took him to Gihon. Then
Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and
anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people
said, "Long live King Solomon!" And all the people
went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced
with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their
sound.
Now Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as
they finished eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the horn,
he said, "Why is the city in such a noisy uproar?"
While he was still speaking, there came Jonathan, the son of
Abiathar the priest.
And Adonijah said to him, "Come in, for you are a prominent
man, and bring good news." Then Jonathan answered and said
to Adonijah, "No! Our lord King David has made Solomon
king."
So all the guests who were with Adonijah were afraid,and arose,
and each one went his way.
Now Adonijah was afraid of Solomon; so he arose, and went and
took hold of the horns of the altar. And it was told Solomon,
saying, "Indeed Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; for
look, he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, 'Let
King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant
to death with the sword.'"
Then Solomon said, "If he proves himself a worthy man, not
one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is
found in him, he shall die." So King Solomon sent
them to bring him down from the altar. And he came and
fell down before King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, "Go
to your house." (1Ki.1:1-43, 49-53)
WORSHIP:
Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Mighty One, With Your glory
and Your majesty. And in Your majesty ride prosperously
because of truth, humility, and righteousness; And Your right
hand shall teach you awesome things. Your arrows are sharp
in the heart of the King's enemies; The peoples fall under You.
(Ps.45:3-5)
WISDOM:
He who speaks truth declares righteousness, But a false witness,
deceit. (Prov.12:17)
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