As the time drew near for David to die , he charged - his son ... Solomon ,
“ I am about to go the way of all the earth. So be strong and prove yourself a man.
And keep - the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes , commandments , ordinances , and decrees , as is written in the Law of Moses , so that you may prosper - in all you do - and wherever - - you turn , ...
and so that the LORD - may fulfill His promise - - to me : ... ‘ If your descendants - - take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart ... and soul , ... you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel. ’
Moreover , you know - what Joab son of Zeruiah did what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether , the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them in peacetime to avenge the blood of war. He stained with the blood of war the belt - around his waist and the sandals - on his feet.
So act according to your wisdom , and do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.
But show loving devotion to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite , and let them be among those who eat at your table , because ... they stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera , vvv the Benjamite from Bahurim (who is) with you. He called down bitter curses against me ... on the day I went to Mahanaim , but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan , I swore by the LORD : ... ‘ I will never put you to the sword. ’
Now therefore , do not hold him guiltless , for you are a wise man. You know - what you ought to do to bring his gray head down - to Sheol in blood. ”
Then David rested with his fathers and was buried in the City of David.
The length - of David’s reign over Israel (was) forty years — - seven years in Hebron and thirty-three ... years in Jerusalem -.
So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David , and his kingdom was firmly established.
Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to vvv Bathsheba the mother of Solomon , and she asked , “ Do you come in peace ? ” “ Yes, in peace , ” he replied.
Then he said , have something (to tell) you. ” “ Say it , ” she answered.
“ You know that the kingship was mine , ” he said. “ All Israel expected ... ... that I should reign , but the kingship has turned to my brother , for it has come from the LORD.
So now I ... have just one request of you ; do not deny - me. ” “ State (your request) , ” she told him.
(Adonijah) replied , “ Please speak to King Solomon , since he will not turn you down - -. Let him give - Abishag the Shunammite as my wife. ”
“ Very well , ” Bathsheba replied . “ I will speak to the king for you. ”
So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak for Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her , bowed and sat down on his throne. Then (the king) had a throne brought for (his) mother , (who) sat down at his right hand.
“ I have just one small request of you , ” she said. “ Do not deny - me. ” “ Make your request , ... my mother , ” the king ... replied “ for I will not deny - you. ”
So (Bathsheba) said , “ Let Abishag the Shunammite be given - to your brother Adonijah as his wife. ”
King Solomon ... answered his mother , “ Why do you request - Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah ? Since he is my older ... brother , you might as well request - the kingdom and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah ! ”
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD : ... “ May God punish ... and ever so severely , if Adonijah - has not made this request at the expense of his life.
And now , as surely as the LORD lives — the One who established me , who set me on the throne of my father David , and who founded a dynasty - as He promised — surely Adonijah shall be put to death today ! ”
So King Solomon sent the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada , who struck down and he died.
Then the king said to Abiathar the priest , “ Go back to your fields in Anathoth. Even though ... you deserve to die , I will not put you to death at this time , since you carried - the ark of the Lord GOD before my father ... David , and you suffered through all that my father suffered. ”
So Solomon - banished Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD and thus fulfilled - the word that the LORD had spoken at Shiloh against the house of Eli.
When the news reached ... Joab , - (who) had conspired with Adonijah but not with Absalom , (he) fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
It was reported to King Solomon : ... “ Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and is now beside the altar. ” So Solomon - sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada , saying , “ Go , strike him down
And Benaiah entered ... the tent of the LORD and said to Joab , “ vvv The king says , ‘ Come out ! ’” But Joab replied , “ No , - I will die here. ” So Benaiah - relayed the message ... to the king , saying , “ This is how Joab - - answered me. ”
And the king replied “ Do just as he says. Strike him down and bury him , and so remove from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood that Joab shed.
The LORD - will bring his bloodshed back upon his own head , for without the knowledge of my father David he struck down two men more righteous and better than he when he put to the sword - Abner son of Ner , commander of Israel’s - army , and Amasa son of Jether , commander of Judah’s army.
Their blood will come back upon the heads of Joab (and) his descendants forever ... ; but for David , his descendants , his house , and his throne , there shall be peace from the LORD forever .... ”
So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up , struck down Joab and killed him. He was buried at his own home in the wilderness.
And the king - appointed Benaiah son of Jehoiada in Joab’s place over the army , - and he appointed ... Zadok the priest in Abiathar’s place.
Then the king summoned ... Shimei and said “ Build a house in Jerusalem and live there , but do not go - anywhere else ....
On the day you go out and cross - the Kidron Valley , know for sure ... that you will die ... ; your blood will be on your own head. ”
“ The sentence is fair , ” Shimei replied -. “ Your servant will do as my lord the king ... has spoken. ” And Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
After three years , however , two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to Achish son of Maacah , king of Gath. And Shimei ... was told , “ Look , your slaves are in Gath. ”
- So Shimei saddled - his donkey and set out to Achish at Gath in search of - his slaves , - - and he brought them back - from Gath.
When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned ,
the king summoned ... Shimei and said to him , “ Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn , ‘ On the day you leave and go elsewhere ... , know for sure ... that you will die ... ’ ? And you told me , ‘ The sentence is fair ; I will comply. ’
So why have you not kept - your oath to the LORD and the command that I gave you ? ” ...
The king ... ... also said , “ You know in your heart - - all the evil that ... you did to my father David. Therefore the LORD - will bring your evil back upon your head.
But King Solomon will be blessed and David’s throne will remain secure before the LORD forever .... ”
Then the king - commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada , and he went out and struck (Shimei) down and he died. Thus the kingdom was firmly established in the hand of Solomon.