Now King David had become old, advanced in years, and they covered him with garments, but he was not warm. His servants said to him, "Let them search for a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her stand before the king. Let her be of use for him, and let her lie in your lap that my lord the king may be warm." So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunnamite and brought her to the king. Now the young woman was very beautiful; she was of use for the king, and she served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.

Now Adonijah the son of Haggith was exalting himself, saying, "I will be king," so he prepared for himself a chariot and horsemen and fifty men running before him. His father did not rebuke him at any time by saying, "Why did you do so?" Now he was also very handsome of appearance; she had borne him after Absalom. He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest, and they supported Adonijah. But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and the mighty warriors were David’s; they were not with Adonijah.

And Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fattened animals near the stone of Zoheleth, which is beside En Rogel. He invited all of his brothers, the sons of the king, and all the men of Judah, the servants of the king. But he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty warriors or Solomon his brother.

Then Nathan said to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, but our lord David does not know? So then, come, let me advise you please, that you may save your life and the life of your son, Solomon. Come, go to King David and say to him, ‘Have you not, my lord the king, sworn to your servant, "Surely Solomon your son shall become king after me. And he will sit on my throne"? But why is Adonijah king?’ While you are still there speaking with the king, I will enter after you, and I will confirm your words."

So Bathsheba went to the king in the private room. Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunnamite was attending the king. Bathsheba knelt and bowed down before the king, and the king asked, "What do you want?" She said to him, "My lord, you swore by Yahweh your God to your servant, ‘Solomon your son surely shall become king after me, and he will sit upon my throne!’ But now, look! Adonijah has become king! And now, my lord the king, you do not know! He has sacrificed oxen and sheep and fattened animals in abundance, and he has invited all the sons of the king, Abiathar the priest, Joab the commander of the army, but Solomon your servant he did not invite. But as for you, my lord the king, the eyes of all of Israel are on you, to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. It shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be considered as sinners."

While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. They told the king, "Nathan the prophet is here." He came into the presence of the king and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground. Nathan said, "My lord the king, have you said, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me and he shall sit on my throne’?

"For he went down today and sacrificed oxen, sheep, and fattened animals in abundance. He invited all the sons of the king, the commanders of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and look, they are eating and drinking before him. They have also said, "Long live King Adonijah! But me, your servant, Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Solomon your servant he did not invite. If it was from my lord the king that this thing has happened, then all is well, but if not, you must let your servants know who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him." Then King David answered and said, "Summon Bathsheba for me." Then she came before the king and stood in his presence. Then the king swore and said, "As Yahweh lives, who has saved my life from all trouble, surely as I swore to you by Yahweh the God of Israel, saying, ‘Solomon your son shall surely be king after me, and he shall sit on my throne in my place,’ surely I shall do so this very day." Then Bathsheba knelt with her face to the ground and did obeisance to the king, and she said, "May my lord, King David, live forever."

Then King David said, "Summon Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada," and they came before the king. The king said to them, "Take with you all the servants of your lord, and let them make Solomon my son ride on my mule, and bring him down to Gihon. Let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there as king over Israel. Blow on the trumpet and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ Then you shall go up after him, and let him come and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place. I have appointed him to be leader over Israel and Judah." Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, "Amen! So may Yahweh, the God of my lord the king, confirm it! As Yahweh was with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David." Then Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites went down, and they let Solomon ride on the mule of King David, and they brought him to Gihon. Then Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the tent, and he anointed Solomon. They blew on the trumpet, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!" All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on the flutes and rejoicing with great joy, and the earth shook with their noise.

And Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him heard it. Now they were finished eating when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet and said, "Why is there such a noise in the city?" While he was still speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. Adonijah said, "Come, for you are a man of valor, and you bring good news." Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, "But our lord King David has made Solomon king! He sent Zadok the priest with the king, and Nathan the prophet, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites, and the Pelethites; they made him ride on the king’s mule. Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anointed him as king at Gihon, and they have gone up from there rejoicing. The city has gone wild; this is the sound which you heard. And also, Solomon sits on the throne of the kingdom! The servants of the king also came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘Your God has made the name of Solomon better than your name and his throne greater than your throne!’ So the king worshiped on the bed. What is more, the king said, ‘May Yahweh the God of Israel be blessed, who has given this day one sitting on my throne, and my eyes are seeing it!’"

Then all the invited guests who were for Adonijah trembled and got up and went, each on his way. Adonijah was afraid because of Solomon, and he got up and went and grasped the horns of the altar. Solomon was told, "Look, Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon, and he has grasped the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will surely not kill his servant with the sword!’" Solomon said, "If he is a son of noble character, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, then he will die." Then King Solomon sent and brought him down from upon the altar. He came and did obeisance to King Solomon. Solomon said to him, "Go to your house."

As for the working groups of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah the son of Kore, from the sons of Asaph. And Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, Elam the fifth, Jehohana the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. And Obed-Edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him. And to Shemaiah his son were sons born who were rulers in the house of their father, for they were mighty warriors of ability. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers were sons of ability, Elihu and Semakiah. All these from the sons of Obed-Edom, they and their sons, and their brothers were men of ability with strength for service; sixty-two of Obed-Edom. And Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, sons of ability, eighteen. And Hosah, from the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (though he was not firstborn, his father appointed him as chief), Hilkiah the second, Tabaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brothers of Hosah were thirteen.

These working groups of gatekeepers, corresponding to the chief men, had responsibilities like their brothers to serve in the house of Yahweh. And they cast lots, small and great alike, by their fathers’ houses, for their gates. And the lot fell to the east to Shelemiah. As for Zechariah his son, a wise counselor, they cast lots. And his lot came out for the north. To Obed-Edom went out the south, and to his sons, the storehouses. For Shuppim and Hosah it went out for the west, at the gate of Shalleketh, on the road that goes up, guard for guard. To the east, six Levites; to the north, four daily; to the south, four daily; and at the storerooms, two by two. For the court to the west, four at the road, two at the court. These were the working groups of the gatekeepers among the sons of the Korahites and among the sons of Merari.

And of the Levites: Ahijah was over the treasuries of the house of God and over the treasuries of the sanctified objects. The sons of Ladan: the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of the families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli. The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and Joel his brother, were over the treasuries of the house of Yahweh. Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Ozzielites: Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was commander over the treasuries. And his brothers: from Eliezer were Rehabiah his son, and Jeshaiah his son, and Joram his son, and Zikri his son, and Shelomoth his son. That Shelomoth and his brothers were over all the treasuries of the sanctified objects that King David and the heads of the families to the commanders of thousands and hundreds and the commanders of the army had dedicated. From the battles and from the spoil they had dedicated these things to strengthen the house of Yahweh. And all that Samuel the seer, and Saul the son of Kish, and Abner the son of Ner, and Joab the son of Zeruiah had dedicated—all the dedicated gifts were under the hand of Shelomith and his brothers. For the Izharites: Kenaniah and his sons were appointed to the duties outside of Israel as officials and as judges. For the Hebronites: Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand seven hundred men of ability, were over the administration of Israel beyond the Jordan westward, for all the work of Yahweh and for the service of the king. For the Hebronites: Jeriah the chief of the Hebronites for the genealogy for the families. (In the fortieth year of the reign of David they were examined, and there was found among them mighty warriors of strength at Jazer in Gilead.) And his brothers, sons of ability, were two thousand seven hundred heads of the families, and King David appointed them over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, for every matter of God and matter of the king.

And as for the number of the Israelites, the heads of families, the commanders of thousands and hundreds, and their officials who serve the king in all matters of the working groups that came and went, month by month, throughout all the months of the year, each working group: twenty-four thousand.

Over the first working group for the first month: Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. From the sons of Perez who was the chief of the commanders of the armies for the first month. And over the working groups of the second month: Dodai the Ahohite and his working group, and Mikloth the commander. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The third commander of the army for the third month was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the chief priest. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. This was Benaiah who was a mighty warrior of thirty, and over the thirty and his working group was Ammizabad his son. The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel the brother of Joab and his son Zebadiah after him. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The fifth, for the fifth month, the commander was Shamhuth the Izrahite. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, from the sons of Ephraim. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai the Hushathite of the Zerahites. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer the Anathothite of the Benjamites. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai the Netophathite of the Zerahites. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah the Pirathonite from the sons of Ephraim. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand. The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel. And he was over his working group of twenty-four thousand.

And over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites: the commander was Eliezer the son of Zikri. For the Simeonites: Shephatiah the son of Maacah. For Levi: Hashabiah the son of Kemuel. For Aaron, Zadok. For Judah: Elihu, from the brothers of David. For Issachar: Omri the son of Michael. For Zebulun: Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah. For Naphtali: Jerimoth the son of Azriel. For the Ephraimites: Hoshea the son of Azaziah. For the half-tribe of Manasseh: Joel the son of Pedaiah. For the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead: Iddo the son of Zechariah. For Benjamin: Jaasiel son of Abner. For Dan: Azarel the son of Jeroham. These were the commanders of the tribes of Israel. And David did not take a census of those twenty years old or under because Yahweh promised to make Israel more numerous than the stars of heaven. Joab the son of Zeruiah began to count, but he did not finish. But wrath came upon Israel concerning this, and the number was not included in the chronicles of King David.

And over the treasury rooms of the king was Azmaveth the son of Adiel. And over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the unwalled villages, and in the towers was Jonathan the son of Uzziah. And over those who did the work in the field to till the soil was Ezri the son of Kelub. And over the vineyards was Shemei the Ramathite. And over the produce in the vineyards for the storehouses of the wine was Zabdi the Shiphmite. And over the olive trees and the sycamore trees that were in the Shephelah was Baal-Hanan the Gederite. And over the treasury houses of olive oil was Joash. And over the cattle pastured in the Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite. And over the cattle in the valley was Shaphat the son of Adlai. And over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite. And over the female donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite. And over the sheep was Jaziz the Hagrite. All of these were officials of the property of King David.

And Jehonathan the uncle of David was an adviser, a man of insight, and he was a scribe. And Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the sons of the king. And Ahithophel was an adviser to the king, and Hushai the Arkite was a friend of the king.

And after Ahithophel came Jehoiada, the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar. And Joab was the commander of the king’s army.

Then David assembled all the commanders of Israel, the commanders of the tribes and the commanders of working groups who served the king, and the commanders of thousands, the commanders of hundreds, and the commanders over all the property of the king and his sons, with the court officials and mighty warriors, and all the mighty warriors of ability, at Jerusalem. And King David rose to his feet and said, "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I myself wanted to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of Yahweh and the footstool of our God, and I prepared to build. But God said to me, ‘You may not build a house for my name because you are a man of war, and you have shed blood.’ But Yahweh the God of Israel chose me from all of the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father he took pleasure in me to reign over all Israel. And from all my sons—for Yahweh has given many sons to me—he has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel. And he said to me, ‘Solomon your son, he himself shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him as a son to myself, and I myself will be as a father to him, and I will establish his kingdom forever if he firmly performs my commandments and my judgments as he has to this day.’ So now in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of Yahweh, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek all the commandments of Yahweh your God so that you may take possession of this good land and bestow it as an inheritance to your children after you forever."

"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every plan and all thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever. Look now, for Yahweh has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it!"

Then David gave to Solomon his son the plan of the vestibule and of its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, its inner chambers, and of the house of the lid of the ark, and the plan of all that he had in mind for the courtyards of the house of Yahweh and for all the surrounding storage rooms, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for sanctified objects, and for the working groups of the priests and the Levites, and for all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh, and for all the vessels for the service of the house of Yahweh, and for the gold, according to the weight of the gold for all the vessels of the service, and the service of all the vessels of silver according to the weight of all the vessels for every kind of service. And the weight of the golden lampstands and the golden lamps, the weight of each lampstand and each lamp, and the silver according to the weight of a lampstand and its lamp, according to the use of each lampstand, and the weight of gold for the tables of the arranged bread, each table, and silver for the tables of silver, and pure gold for the three-pronged meat forks, and the bowls and the pitchers, and for the golden bowls, by weight for each bowl, and for the silver bowls, by weight for each bowl, and for the altar of incense made of refined gold, by weight, and gold for the plan for the chariot—the cherubim with outspread and covering wings over the ark of the covenant of Yahweh. "All this I give you in writing; from the hand of Yahweh he instructed me about all the workings of this plan."

Then David said to Solomon his son, "Be strong and courageous, and do this! Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for Yahweh God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you and will not forsake you until all the work of the service of the house of Yahweh is finished. And behold, the working groups of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and with you in all the work for all those willing with the skill for every service, and the commanders and all the people for all your commands."

What therefore shall we say? Shall we continue in sin, in order that grace may increase? May it never be! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so also we may live a new way of life. For if we have become identified with him in the likeness of his death, certainly also we will be identified with him in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified together with him, in order that the body of sin may be done away with, that we may no longer be enslaved to sin. For the one who has died has been freed from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him, knowing that Christ, because he has been raised from the dead, is going to die no more, death no longer being master over him. For that death he died, he died to sin once and never again, but that life he lives, he lives to God. So also you, consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires, and do not present your members to sin as instruments of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will not be master over you, because you are not under law, but under grace.

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that to whomever you present yourselves as slaves for obedience, you are slaves to whomever you obey, whether sin, leading to death, or obedience, leading to righteousness? But thanks be to God that you were slaves of sin, but you have obeyed from the heart the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted, and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness. (I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh.) For just as you presented your members as slaves to immorality and lawlessness, leading to lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with respect to righteousness.

Therefore what sort of fruit did you have then, about which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now, having been set free from sin and having been enslaved to God, you have your fruit leading to sanctification, and its end is eternal life. For the compensation due sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.