CHAPTER 2
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
in truth
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
to me
and 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.
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,
the Benjamite
with you
from Bahurim
who
called down bitter
curses against me
on the day
I went
to Mahanaim.
But he
came down
to meet me
at the Jordan,
and I swore
to him
by the LORD:
"I will never
kill you
with the sword."
Now therefore,
do not
hold him guiltless,
for
you
are a wise
man.
You know
what
you ought to do
to him
to bring his gray head
down
to Sheol
in blood.”
The length
of David's
reign
over
Israel
was forty
years—
seven
years
in Hebron
and thirty-three
years
in Jerusalem.
Now Adonijah
son
of Haggith
went
to
Bathsheba
the mother
of Solomon,
who asked,
“Do you come
in peace?”
“Yes, in peace,”
he replied.
“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
to him
from the LORD.
Adonijah replied,
“Please
speak
to King
Solomon,
since
he will not
turn you down.
Let him give
me
Abishag
the Shunammite
as my wife.”
So Bathsheba
went
to
King
Solomon
to speak
to him
for
Adonijah.
The king
stood up
to greet her,
bowed
to her,
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.”
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
for him
and for Abiathar
the priest
and for Joab
son
of Zeruiah."
Then King
Solomon
swore
by the LORD:
“May God
punish
me,
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
for me
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
Adonijah,
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 so fulfilled
the word
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,
“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 killed
with 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
to him,
“Build
a house
for yourself
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,
“Behold,
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.
the king
summoned
Shimei
and said
to him,
“Did I not
make you swear
by the LORD
and warn
you,
‘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.’
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.
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.