1 Now King David was old, advanced in age;

and they covered him with clothes, but he

could not keep warm. 2 So his servants said

to him, "Let them seek a young virgin for my

lord the king, and let her attend the king and

become his nurse; and let her lie in your

bosom, that my lord the king may keep

warm." 3 So they searched for a beautiful girl

throughout all the territory of Israel, and

found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought

her to the king.4 The girl was very beautiful;

and she became the king's nurse and served

him, but the king did not cohabit with her.

5 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." So he

prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him.

6 His father had never crossed him at any time by asking, "Why have you done

so?" And he was also a very handsome man, and he was born after Absalom. 7 He

had conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and

following Adonijah they helped him. 8 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.

9 Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which

is beside En-rogel; and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men

of Judah, the king's servants. 10 But he did not invite Nathan the prophet,

Benaiah, the mighty men, and Solomon his brother.

11 Then 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? 12 "So now come, please let me give you counsel and save your

life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 "Go at once to King David and say to him,

'Have you not, my lord, O king, sworn to your maidservant, saying, "Surely

Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne"? Why

then has Adonijah become king?' 14 "Behold, while you are still there speaking

with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words."

15 So Bathsheba went in to the king in the bedroom. Now the king was very old,

and Abishag the Shunammite was ministering to the king. 16 Then Bathsheba

bowed and prostrated herself before the king. And the king said, "What do you

wish?" 17 She said to him, "My lord, you swore to your maidservant by the Lord

your God, saying, 'Surely your son Solomon shall be king after me and he shall sit

on my throne.' 18 "Now, behold, Adonijah is king; and now, my lord the king, you

do not know it.

1 Kings 1:1-18 NASB