1 Kings 2 summary meaning ai explained commentary

1 Kings 2 meaning explained in AI Summary

This chapter marks the transition of power from King David to his son, Solomon. It focuses on David's final instructions to Solomon, Adjoab and Shimei's punishments, and Solomon's consolidation of power.

David's Final Instructions (verses 1-9):

David, knowing his death is near, advises Solomon to be strong and follow God's laws.
He specifically instructs Solomon to deal with Joab (commander of the army) and Shimei (who cursed David) according to their deeds.
David also reminds Solomon of the kindness Barzillai the Gileadite showed him and instructs him to show kindness to Barzillai's sons.

Solomon Secures the Throne (verses 10-46):

David dies and is buried in the City of David.
Adonijah, David's other son who previously tried to usurp the throne, approaches Bathsheba (Solomon's mother) with a seemingly innocent request to marry Abishag, one of David's concubines.
Recognizing this as a bid for power, Bathsheba informs Solomon.
Solomon sees through Adonijah's plan and orders his execution for treason.
Abiathar, the priest who supported Adonijah, is banished to his homeland, fulfilling a prophecy about Eli's descendants.
Joab, fearing for his life after supporting Adonijah, seeks sanctuary at the altar. Solomon, remembering David's instructions, orders his execution for past murders.
Shimei, who cursed David, is placed under house arrest in Jerusalem. When he disobeys this order, Solomon has him executed.
With his enemies dealt with, Solomon's kingdom is established in peace.

Key Themes:

Transition of Power: The chapter highlights the delicate and often brutal nature of power transitions, even within families.
Obedience to God: David's final instructions emphasize the importance of following God's laws for a successful reign.
Justice and Mercy: Solomon demonstrates both justice (punishing Adonijah, Joab, and Shimei) and mercy (sparing Abiathar and showing kindness to Barzillai's sons).
Consequences of Actions: The chapter illustrates how past actions have consequences, both positive and negative.

Overall, 1 Kings chapter 2 sets the stage for Solomon's reign, highlighting the challenges he faces and the choices he makes to secure his throne and establish his authority.

1 Kings 2 bible study ai commentary

The transition of the Davidic kingdom from a charismatic, warrior-king to a stable, hereditary monarchy is solidified in 1 Kings 2. The chapter documents David's final charge to Solomon, which is a mix of pious exhortation and shrewd political pragmatism, followed by Solomon's decisive, and often brutal, actions to eliminate all potential rivals. Solomon systematically purges threats from the previous generation—Adonijah, Abiathar, Joab, and Shimei—thereby securing his throne through what is presented as divinely sanctioned justice, ensuring the fulfillment of God's covenant and removing lingering bloodguilt from the house of David.

1 Kings 2 context

This chapter unfolds at a critical juncture in Israel's history: the first peaceful dynastic succession. In the Ancient Near East, the death of a king was a period of extreme vulnerability and often violent power struggles, as seen with Adonijah's attempted coup in chapter 1. David's final instructions and Solomon's subsequent actions must be understood within this context of securing the throne against all contenders. Key cultural concepts include:

Bloodguilt (dam): The responsibility for shedding innocent blood, which was believed to pollute the land and bring divine judgment upon the family or nation responsible until it was atoned for, often by the blood of the guilty party.
Kinsman Redeemer (goel): The one responsible for avenging shed blood. By executing Joab, Solomon acts as the avenger for Abner and Amasa.
Royal Harem: Possessing a king's concubine, even a former one like Abishag, was seen as a direct claim to the throne.
Sanctuary: The altar of the tabernacle/temple was a place of asylum, but this protection did not extend to those guilty of premeditated murder (Exodus 21:14).

1 Kings 2:1-4

Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying: "I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the Lord your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

In-depth-analysis

A Public and a Private Charge: This first charge is the "public" face of David's testament—spiritual, centered on God's covenant, and intended to establish Solomon's reign on a foundation of righteousness.
"Prove yourself a man": Hebrew hayah le'ish. This is not just about age but about demonstrating strength, resolve, and mature leadership. It's a call to covenantal courage.
Fourfold Law: "Statutes, commandments, judgments, testimonies" is a comprehensive way to refer to the entire Mosaic Law, emphasizing total obedience.
Conditional Blessing: David highlights the conditional aspect of the Davidic Covenant. While God's promise of a dynasty was unconditional (2 Samuel 7), the personal success and uninterrupted reign of any individual king depended on his obedience. This sets the theological standard by which Solomon's reign, and all subsequent reigns, will be judged.

Bible references

2 Samuel 7:12-16: "I will set up your seed after you... and I will establish his kingdom." (The foundational promise).
Deuteronomy 17:18-20: "...he shall write for himself a copy of this law... he shall read it all the days of his life... that he may prolong his days in his kingdom..." (The King's scriptural duty).
Joshua 1:7-8: "Only be strong and very courageous... this Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth..." (Echoes of leadership transition charge).

Cross references

Deu 29:9 (Prosperity through obedience), 1 Chr 28:9 (David's charge in Chronicles), Psa 132:12 (Condition on David's sons).

1 Kings 2:5-6

“Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.”

In-depth-analysis

Private Political Charge: This begins the second, "private" part of David's will—settling old scores and eliminating threats.
"What Joab...did to me": David views Joab's actions as a personal affront and a source of political liability and bloodguilt for his house. Joab consistently acted against David's will (killing Absalom, Abner, and Amasa).
"Blood of war in peacetime": This highlights the treacherous nature of the murders. They were not honorable deaths in battle but assassinations that violated cultural norms and brought bloodguilt.
"Do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace": A Hebrew idiom for ensuring someone does not die a peaceful death of old age. It's an order for execution, framed as delayed justice.

Bible references

2 Samuel 3:27: "...Joab took him aside... and struck him there in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother." (The murder of Abner).
2 Samuel 20:10: "...Joab... struck him in the stomach... and he died." (The murder of Amasa).
Numbers 35:33: "So you shall not pollute the land... for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made... except by the blood of him who shed it." (The principle of bloodguilt).

Cross references

2 Sam 3:39 (David laments he is too weak to punish Joab), Pro 20:26 (A wise king scatters the wicked).

1 Kings 2:7

“But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.”

In-depth-analysis

Chesed (Kindness/Loyalty): This is about repaying covenant loyalty. Barzillai showed chesed to David in his moment of greatest need, and now David's dynasty must repay it.
"Eat at your table": A high honor signifying royal provision, protection, and fellowship. It integrated them into the court and ensured their welfare, publicly demonstrating the king's virtue.

Bible references

2 Samuel 17:27-29: "When David had come to Mahanaim... [they] brought beds and basins... wheat, barley... for David and the people..." (Barzillai's original act of kindness).
2 Samuel 9:7: "So David said to him [Mephibosheth], ‘...you shall eat bread at my table continually.’" (Precedent for honoring past loyalty).
Luke 22:30: "...that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom..." (The ultimate royal table fellowship).

Cross references

2 Sam 19:31-39 (David's final conversation with Barzillai), Pro 27:10 (Value of a loyal friend).

1 Kings 2:8-9

“And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the Lord, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’ Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.”

In-depth-analysis

Legalistic Loophole: David keeps the letter of his own oath ("I will not put you to death") but instructs Solomon to find a way to execute Shimei. This is a display of political pragmatism over personal forgiveness.
"For you are a wise man": A coded instruction for Solomon to orchestrate a legally plausible reason for Shimei's death rather than simply assassinating him. Shimei, from Saul's tribe, remained a potential focal point for rebellion.
"Bring his gray hair down... with blood": This contrasts sharply with Joab, who was to be prevented from a peaceful death. For Shimei, David specifically demands a bloody end. The curse Shimei uttered was not forgotten.

Bible references

2 Samuel 16:5-8: "he came out, cursing continuously... 'Come out, come out, you bloodthirsty man, you rogue!'" (Shimei's curse).
2 Samuel 19:23: "So the king said to Shimei, ‘You shall not die.’ And the king swore to him." (David's oath).
Exodus 22:28: "You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people." (The law Shimei broke).

Cross references

Rom 12:19 (Vengeance belongs to God), Pro 10:7 (Memory of the righteous is blessed).

1 Kings 2:10-12

So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David. The period that David reigned over Israel was forty years... Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.

In-depth-analysis

"Rested with his fathers": A standard euphemism for the death of a king who dies in divine favor.
"City of David": The part of Jerusalem that David had conquered from the Jebusites (2 Samuel 5), which became his royal and administrative center.
Forty years: A conventional number in the Bible representing a full generation or a complete and significant period of rule.
"Kingdom was firmly established": This phrase serves as an introduction to the subsequent narrative, which details how it was established—through the elimination of all rivals. It's the central theme of the chapter.

Bible references

Acts 2:29: "'Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.'" (Peter affirms David's physical death).
Acts 13:36: "'For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers...'" (Paul's summary of David's life and death).

Cross references

1 Chr 29:26-28 (Parallel account in Chronicles), 1 Ki 11:42 (Length of Solomon's reign is also 40 years).

1 Kings 2:13-25

...Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon... he said, “Please speak to King Solomon... that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”... So Bathsheba went to King Solomon... And the king said to her, “...Why do you ask Abishag... for him? Ask for him the kingdom also...!” Then King Solomon swore by the Lord... "Adonijah has spoken this word against his own life... he shall be put to death today!"... and he struck him down, and he died.

In-depth-analysis

The Request: Adonijah's request for Abishag, David's last companion, was not a romantic plea but a political power play. To possess a former king's concubine was to lay claim to his throne.
Bathsheba's Role: It is debated whether she is naive or a willing participant in a sting operation, knowing how Solomon would react. Given her history, the latter is more likely. She reports the request exactly, allowing Solomon to interpret its treasonous intent.
Solomon's Reaction: He immediately understands the political implications, equating the request for Abishag with a request for the kingdom itself. He sees it as a breach of Adonijah's implicit parole.
"Against his own life": Solomon frames the execution as Adonijah's own fault, a just consequence for a renewed attempt at rebellion. This is a key part of the narrative's political justification for the purge.

Bible references

2 Samuel 16:21-22: "So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the top of the house, and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel." (The clearest precedent for this type of power claim).
2 Samuel 12:8: Nathan tells David God "gave you your master's house and your master's wives into your keeping." (Link between wives/harem and the kingdom).

Cross references

1 Ki 1:5 (Adonijah's initial attempt to seize the throne), Pro 16:14 (The king's wrath is a messenger of death).

Polemics: This section is a classic piece of royal historiography, also known as a "royal apology." It carefully frames Solomon's execution of his half-brother not as a ruthless power grab, but as a necessary and just response to treason. It legitimizes Solomon's actions for the original audience, countering any potential accusations of tyranny.

1 Kings 2:26-27

And to Abiathar the priest the king said, “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord God before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted.” So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.

In-depth-analysis

Mercy and Judgment: Solomon balances judgment with a degree of mercy. He acknowledges Abiathar's past service and spares his life but strips him of his office and banishes him.
Prophetic Fulfillment: The narrator explicitly states this action fulfills God's long-standing judgment against the priestly line of Eli, to which Abiathar belonged. This gives Solomon's political move divine sanction. It purges the priesthood of a rival faction (Abiathar supported Adonijah) and elevates the loyal line of Zadok.
Anathoth: This town, the future home of the prophet Jeremiah (also a priest), becomes Abiathar's place of exile.

Bible references

1 Samuel 2:30-35: "...I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest... And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left in your house will come and bow down to him..." (The prophecy against Eli's house being fulfilled).
1 Samuel 22:20-23: "...Abiathar... escaped and fled after David... So David said to Abiathar, 'Stay with me...'" (Abiathar's long history with David).

Cross references

1 Ki 1:7 (Abiathar conspires with Adonijah), Jer 1:1 (Jeremiah's connection to Anathoth).

1 Kings 2:28-35

Then news came to Joab... so Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and took hold of the horns of the altar... So Solomon sent Benaiah... saying, “Go, strike him down.”... But Joab said, “No, but I will die here.”... Then the king sent Benaiah... “Go, strike him down and bury him, that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed.” ...So Benaiah... struck him down and killed him... The king put Benaiah... in his place over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.

In-depth-analysis

Flight to the Altar: Joab seeks sanctuary, a last resort for protection. The "horns of the altar" were the most sacred spot and offered legal asylum.
Overriding Sanctuary: Solomon, acting as judge, rules that the legal exception for premeditated murderers applies. He sends Benaiah, his chief executioner, to kill Joab even in the holy place.
Removing Bloodguilt: Solomon's primary stated motive is to cleanse the house of David from the bloodguilt of Joab's murders. His death is portrayed as a necessary atonement.
Solidifying the New Regime: The transfer of power is completed. Benaiah replaces Joab as military commander, and Zadok (who had anointed Solomon) officially replaces Abiathar as high priest. The new king has his own loyal men in the two most powerful positions.

Bible references

Exodus 21:14: "But if a man acts with premeditation against his neighbor, to kill him by treachery, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die." (The legal basis for Solomon's action).
Genesis 9:6: "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed..." (The foundational principle of capital punishment for murder).

Cross references

Rev 6:9 (Souls under the altar crying for justice).

1 Kings 2:36-46

Then the king sent and called for Shimei... “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere... on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain that you will surely die...” And the man said to the king, “The saying is good...” Now it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s servants ran away... So Shimei arose... and went to Gath... Then Solomon sent and called for Shimei... “Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord... You know... all the wickedness which your heart is aware of, that you did to my father David; therefore the Lord has returned your wickedness on your own head...” So the king commanded Benaiah... and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Then the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

In-depth-analysis

The Trap is Set: Solomon, acting on David's charge to use his "wisdom," devises a clever test. He places Shimei under a form of house arrest in Jerusalem, away from his tribal lands where he could stir up trouble. The terms are generous but absolute.
The Oath and the Breach: Shimei agrees to the terms under oath. When he breaks the oath three years later (a seemingly minor infraction to retrieve runaway servants), he provides Solomon with the perfect legal pretext for his execution.
Justice Declared: Solomon's final speech to Shimei makes the reason explicit: this is not about leaving Jerusalem, but divine retribution for cursing David, God's anointed. The broken oath is merely the mechanism for this justice.
"The kingdom was established": The chapter ends with this declaration, a bookend to verse 12. With all rivals eliminated, Solomon's power is now absolute and undisputed.

Bible references

Romans 13:4: For the one in authority is "God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." (Solomon acts in this capacity).
Galatians 6:7: "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." (Shimei reaps the consequences of his curse).

Cross references

Pro 25:5 (Take away the wicked from before the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness).

1 Kings 2 analysis

Justice or Political Purge?: The central tension of the chapter. The author presents Solomon's actions as righteous acts of justice that conveniently align with his political needs. He executes rivals but always with a legal or theological justification: treason (Adonijah), fulfillment of prophecy (Abiathar), bloodguilt (Joab), and a broken oath (Shimei).
The Messiness of God's Kingdom: This chapter shows that the establishment of the Davidic Kingdom on earth was a brutal, bloody affair. God works through flawed, political, and sometimes ruthless human actions to achieve His sovereign purposes. This contrasts sharply with the establishment of Christ's heavenly kingdom, whose "throne was established" not by killing His enemies, but by dying for them.
The Wisdom of Solomon: Solomon's "wisdom" is displayed here not as the dispenser of pithy proverbs, but as shrewd political acumen. He knows how to interpret a political threat (Adonijah's request) and how to engineer a situation to eliminate an enemy legally (Shimei's oath).
Completion of Transition: This chapter is the bridge between the charismatic leadership of David and the established institutional monarchy under Solomon. All loose ends from David's reign are tied up, and the new era begins on a clean, albeit blood-stained, slate.

1 Kings 2 summary

Following David's deathbed charge to uphold God's law and settle old accounts, Solomon decisively secures his throne. He executes his brother Adonijah for a treasonous request, banishes the priest Abiathar in fulfillment of prophecy, executes the murderer Joab to remove bloodguilt from his family, and executes the insurrectionist Shimei for breaking an oath. Through this systematic and justified purge, the kingdom is firmly established in Solomon's hand.

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1 Kings chapter 2 kjv

¹ Now the days of David drew nigh that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying,
² I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man;
³ And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
⁴ That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
⁵ Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that was about his loins, and in his shoes that were on his feet.
⁶ Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.
⁷ But show kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.
⁸ And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
⁹ Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.
¹⁰ So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.
¹¹ And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem.
¹² Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly.
¹³ And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.
¹⁴ He said moreover, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And she said, Say on.
¹⁵ And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the LORD.
¹⁶ And now I ask one petition of thee, deny me not. And she said unto him, Say on.
¹⁷ And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.
¹⁸ And Bathsheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king.
¹⁹ Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand.
²⁰ Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
²¹ And she said, Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife.
²² And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he is mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.
²³ Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.
²⁴ Now therefore, as the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.
²⁵ And king Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he fell upon him that he died.
²⁶ And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, Get thee to Anathoth, unto thine own fields; for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time put thee to death, because thou barest the ark of the LORD God before David my father, and because thou hast been afflicted in all wherein my father was afflicted.
²⁷ So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
²⁸ Then tidings came to Joab: for Joab had turned after Adonijah, though he turned not after Absalom. And Joab fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD, and caught hold on the horns of the altar.
²⁹ And it was told king Solomon that Joab was fled unto the tabernacle of the LORD; and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
³⁰ And Benaiah came to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said unto him, Thus saith the king, Come forth. And he said, Nay; but I will die here. And Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.
³¹ And the king said unto him, Do as he hath said, and fall upon him, and bury him; that thou mayest take away the innocent blood, which Joab shed, from me, and from the house of my father.
³² And the LORD shall return his blood upon his own head, who fell upon two men more righteous and better than he, and slew them with the sword, my father David not knowing thereof, to wit, Abner the son of Ner, captain of the host of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, captain of the host of Judah.
³³ Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab, and upon the head of his seed for ever: but upon David, and upon his seed, and upon his house, and upon his throne, shall there be peace for ever from the LORD.
³⁴ So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up, and fell upon him, and slew him: and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
³⁵ And the king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his room over the host: and Zadok the priest did the king put in the room of Abiathar.
³⁶ And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither.
³⁷ For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.
³⁸ And Shimei said unto the king, The saying is good: as my lord the king hath said, so will thy servant do. And Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
³⁹ And it came to pass at the end of three years, that two of the servants of Shimei ran away unto Achish son of Maachah king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, Behold, thy servants be in Gath.
⁴⁰ And Shimei arose, and saddled his ass, and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants: and Shimei went, and brought his servants from Gath.
⁴¹ And it was told Solomon that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath, and was come again.
⁴² And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Did I not make thee to swear by the LORD, and protested unto thee, saying, Know for a certain, on the day thou goest out, and walkest abroad any whither, that thou shalt surely die? and thou saidst unto me, The word that I have heard is good.
⁴³ Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?
⁴⁴ The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head;
⁴⁵ And king Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.
⁴⁶ So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

1 Kings chapter 2 nkjv

¹ Now the days of David drew near that he should die, and he charged Solomon his son, saying:
² "I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.
³ And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn;
⁴ that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,' He said, 'you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
⁵ "Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to Abner the son of Ner and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet.
⁶ Therefore do according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace.
⁷ "But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for so they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother.
⁸ "And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.'
⁹ Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood."
¹⁰ So David rested with his fathers, and was buried in the City of David.
¹¹ The period that David reigned over Israel was forty years; seven years he reigned in Hebron, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years.
¹² Then Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.
¹³ Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, "Do you come peaceably?" And he said, "Peaceably."
¹⁴ Moreover he said, "I have something to say to you." And she said, "Say it."
¹⁵ Then he said, "You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother's; for it was his from the LORD.
¹⁶ Now I ask one petition of you; do not deny me." And she said to him, "Say it."
¹⁷ Then he said, "Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife."
¹⁸ So Bathsheba said, "Very well, I will speak for you to the king."
¹⁹ Bathsheba therefore went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her and bowed down to her, and sat down on his throne and had a throne set for the king's mother; so she sat at his right hand.
²⁰ Then she said, "I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me." And the king said to her, "Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you."
²¹ So she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife."
²² And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "Now why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also?for he is my older brother?for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah."
²³ Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life!
²⁴ Now therefore, as the LORD lives, who has confirmed me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has established a house for me, as He promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today!"
²⁵ So King Solomon sent by the hand of Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him down, and he died.
²⁶ And to Abiathar the priest the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death; but I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted."
²⁷ So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, that he might fulfill the word of the LORD which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh.
²⁸ Then news came to Joab, for Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the LORD, and took hold of the horns of the altar.
²⁹ And King Solomon was told, "Joab has fled to the tabernacle of the LORD; there he is, by the altar." Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, "Go, strike him down."
³⁰ So Benaiah went to the tabernacle of the LORD, and said to him, "Thus says the king, 'Come out!' " And he said, "No, but I will die here." And Benaiah brought back word to the king, saying, "Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me."
³¹ Then the king said to him, "Do as he has said, and strike him down and bury him, that you may take away from me and from the house of my father the innocent blood which Joab shed.
³² So the LORD will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword? Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah?though my father David did not know it.
³³ Their blood shall therefore return upon the head of Joab and upon the head of his descendants forever. But upon David and his descendants, upon his house and his throne, there shall be peace forever from the LORD."
³⁴ So Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck and killed him; and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
³⁵ The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.
³⁶ Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there anywhere.
³⁷ For it shall be, on the day you go out and cross the Brook Kidron, know for certain you shall surely die; your blood shall be on your own head."
³⁸ And Shimei said to the king, "The saying is good. As my lord the king has said, so your servant will do." So Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days.
³⁹ Now it happened at the end of three years, that two slaves of Shimei ran away to Achish the son of Maachah, king of Gath. And they told Shimei, saying, "Look, your slaves are in Gath!"
⁴⁰ So Shimei arose, saddled his donkey, and went to Achish at Gath to seek his slaves. And Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath.
⁴¹ And Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had come back.
⁴² Then the king sent and called for Shimei, and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD, and warn you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and travel anywhere, you shall surely die'? And you said to me, 'The word I have heard is good.'
⁴³ Why then have you not kept the oath of the LORD and the commandment that I gave you?"
⁴⁴ The king said moreover to Shimei, "You know, as your heart acknowledges, all the wickedness that you did to my father David; therefore the LORD will return your wickedness on your own head.
⁴⁵ But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever."
⁴⁶ So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died. Thus the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

1 Kings chapter 2 niv

¹ When the time drew near for David to die, he gave a charge to Solomon his son.
² "I am about to go the way of all the earth," he said. "So be strong, act like a man,
³ and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go
⁴ and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: 'If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.'
⁵ "Now you yourself know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me?what he did to the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet.
⁶ Deal with him according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.
⁷ "But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table. They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
⁸ "And remember, you have with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: 'I will not put you to death by the sword.'
⁹ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom; you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood."
¹⁰ Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.
¹¹ He had reigned forty years over Israel?seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.
¹² So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.
¹³ Now Adonijah, the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. Bathsheba asked him, "Do you come peacefully?" He answered, "Yes, peacefully."
¹⁴ Then he added, "I have something to say to you." "You may say it," she replied.
¹⁵ "As you know," he said, "the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the LORD.
¹⁶ Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me." "You may make it," she said.
¹⁷ So he continued, "Please ask King Solomon?he will not refuse you?to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."
¹⁸ "Very well," Bathsheba replied, "I will speak to the king for you."
¹⁹ When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king's mother, and she sat down at his right hand.
²⁰ "I have one small request to make of you," she said. "Do not refuse me." The king replied, "Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you."
²¹ So she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah."
²² King Solomon answered his mother, "Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him?after all, he is my older brother?yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!"
²³ Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: "May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request!
²⁴ And now, as surely as the LORD lives?he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised?Adonijah shall be put to death today!"
²⁵ So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.
²⁶ To Abiathar the priest the king said, "Go back to your fields in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark of the Sovereign LORD before my father David and shared all my father's hardships."
²⁷ So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the LORD, fulfilling the word the LORD had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.
²⁸ When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the LORD and took hold of the horns of the altar.
²⁹ King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the LORD and was beside the altar. Then Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada, "Go, strike him down!"
³⁰ So Benaiah entered the tent of the LORD and said to Joab, "The king says, 'Come out!'?" But he answered, "No, I will die here." Benaiah reported to the king, "This is how Joab answered me."
³¹ Then the king commanded Benaiah, "Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.
³² The LORD will repay him for the blood he shed, because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them?Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of Judah's army?were better men and more upright than he.
³³ May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the LORD's peace forever."
³⁴ So Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country.
³⁵ The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab's position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.
³⁶ Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else.
³⁷ The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head."
³⁸ Shimei answered the king, "What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said." And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.
³⁹ But three years later, two of Shimei's slaves ran off to Achish son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, "Your slaves are in Gath."
⁴⁰ At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.
⁴¹ When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned,
⁴² 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 to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die'? At that time you said to me, 'What you say is good. I will obey.'
⁴³ Why then did you not keep your oath to the LORD and obey the command I gave you?"
⁴⁴ The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing.
⁴⁵ But King Solomon will be blessed, and David's throne will remain secure before the LORD forever."
⁴⁶ Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and he died. The kingdom was now established in Solomon's hands.

1 Kings chapter 2 esv

¹ When David's time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying,
² "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man,
³ and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn,
⁴ that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
⁵ "Moreover, you also know what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner, and Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed, avenging in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist and on the sandals on his feet.
⁶ Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his gray head go down to Sheol in peace.
⁷ But deal loyally with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table, for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from Absalom your brother.
⁸ And there is also with you Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim. But when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.'
⁹ Now therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man. You will know what you ought to do to him, and you shall bring his gray head down with blood to Sheol."
¹⁰ Then David slept with his fathers and was buried in the city of David.
¹¹ And the time that David reigned over Israel was forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
¹² So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
¹³ Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, "Do you come peacefully?" He said, "Peacefully."
¹⁴ Then he said, "I have something to say to you." She said, "Speak."
¹⁵ He said, "You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel fully expected me to reign. However, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother's, for it was his from the LORD.
¹⁶ And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me." She said to him, "Speak."
¹⁷ And he said, "Please ask King Solomon ? he will not refuse you ? to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."
¹⁸ Bathsheba said, "Very well; I will speak for you to the king."
¹⁹ So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right.
²⁰ Then she said, "I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me." And the king said to her, "Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you."
²¹ She said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife."
²² King Solomon answered his mother, "And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah."
²³ Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life!
²⁴ Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death today."
²⁵ So King Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he struck him down, and he died.
²⁶ And to Abiathar the priest the king said, "Go to Anathoth, to your estate, for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before David my father, and because you shared in all my father's affliction."
²⁷ So Solomon expelled Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, thus fulfilling the word of the LORD that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
²⁸ When the news came to Joab ? for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom ? Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and caught hold of the horns of the altar.
²⁹ And when it was told King Solomon, "Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD, and behold, he is beside the altar," Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, "Go, strike him down."
³⁰ So Benaiah came to the tent of the LORD and said to him, "The king commands, 'Come out.'" But he said, "No, I will die here." Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, "Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me."
³¹ The king replied to him, "Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him, and thus take away from me and from my father's house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause.
³² The LORD will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner the son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.
³³ So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever. But for David and for his descendants and for his house and for his throne there shall be peace from the LORD forevermore."
³⁴ Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and put him to death. And he was buried in his own house in the wilderness.
³⁵ The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the army in place of Joab, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar.
³⁶ Then the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and dwell there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever.
³⁷ For on the day you go out and cross the brook Kidron, know for certain that you shall die. Your blood shall be on your own head."
³⁸ And Shimei said to the king, "What you say is good; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem many days.
³⁹ But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei's servants ran away to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. And when it was told Shimei, "Behold, your servants are in Gath,"
⁴⁰ Shimei arose and saddled a donkey and went to Gath to Achish to seek his servants. Shimei went and brought his servants from Gath.
⁴¹ And when Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned,
⁴² the king sent and summoned Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and solemnly warn you, saying, 'Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die'? And you said to me, 'What you say is good; I will obey.'
⁴³ Why then have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the commandment with which I commanded you?"
⁴⁴ The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the LORD will bring back your harm on your own head.
⁴⁵ But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD forever."
⁴⁶ Then the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck him down, and he died. So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

1 Kings chapter 2 nlt

¹ As the time of King David's death approached, he gave this charge to his son Solomon:
² "I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.
³ Observe the requirements of the LORD your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go.
⁴ If you do this, then the LORD will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, 'If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.'
⁵ "And there is something else. You know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me when he murdered my two army commanders, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He pretended that it was an act of war, but it was done in a time of peace, staining his belt and sandals with innocent blood.
⁶ Do with him what you think best, but don't let him grow old and go to his grave in peace.
⁷ "Be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. Make them permanent guests at your table, for they took care of me when I fled from your brother Absalom.
⁸ "And remember Shimei son of Gera, the man from Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me with a terrible curse as I was fleeing to Mahanaim. When he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, I swore by the LORD that I would not kill him.
⁹ But that oath does not make him innocent. You are a wise man, and you will know how to arrange a bloody death for him. "
¹⁰ Then David died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David.
¹¹ David had reigned over Israel for forty years, seven of them in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem.
¹² Solomon became king and sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.
¹³ One day Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, came to see Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. "Have you come with peaceful intentions?" she asked him. "Yes," he said, "I come in peace.
¹⁴ In fact, I have a favor to ask of you." "What is it?" she asked.
¹⁵ He replied, "As you know, the kingdom was rightfully mine; all Israel wanted me to be the next king. But the tables were turned, and the kingdom went to my brother instead; for that is the way the LORD wanted it.
¹⁶ So now I have just one favor to ask of you. Please don't turn me down." "What is it?" she asked.
¹⁷ He replied, "Speak to King Solomon on my behalf, for I know he will do anything you request. Ask him to let me marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem."
¹⁸ "All right," Bathsheba replied. "I will speak to the king for you."
¹⁹ So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak on Adonijah's behalf. The king rose from his throne to meet her, and he bowed down before her. When he sat down on his throne again, the king ordered that a throne be brought for his mother, and she sat at his right hand.
²⁰ "I have one small request to make of you," she said. "I hope you won't turn me down." "What is it, my mother?" he asked. "You know I won't refuse you."
²¹ "Then let your brother Adonijah marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem," she replied.
²² "How can you possibly ask me to give Abishag to Adonijah?" King Solomon demanded. "You might as well ask me to give him the kingdom! You know that he is my older brother, and that he has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side."
²³ Then King Solomon made a vow before the LORD: "May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request.
²⁴ The LORD has confirmed me and placed me on the throne of my father, David; he has established my dynasty as he promised. So as surely as the LORD lives, Adonijah will die this very day!"
²⁵ So King Solomon ordered Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him, and Adonijah was put to death.
²⁶ Then the king said to Abiathar the priest, "Go back to your home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not kill you now, because you carried the Ark of the Sovereign LORD for David my father and you shared all his hardships."
²⁷ So Solomon deposed Abiathar from his position as priest of the LORD, thereby fulfilling the prophecy the LORD had given at Shiloh concerning the descendants of Eli.
²⁸ Joab had not joined Absalom's earlier rebellion, but he had joined Adonijah's rebellion. So when Joab heard about Adonijah's death, he ran to the sacred tent of the LORD and grabbed on to the horns of the altar.
²⁹ When this was reported to King Solomon, he sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada to execute him.
³⁰ Benaiah went to the sacred tent of the LORD and said to Joab, "The king orders you to come out!" But Joab answered, "No, I will die here." So Benaiah returned to the king and told him what Joab had said.
³¹ "Do as he said," the king replied. "Kill him there beside the altar and bury him. This will remove the guilt of Joab's senseless murders from me and from my father's family.
³² The LORD will repay him for the murders of two men who were more righteous and better than he. For my father knew nothing about the deaths of Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and of Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah.
³³ May their blood be on Joab and his descendants forever, and may the LORD grant peace forever to David, his descendants, his dynasty, and his throne."
³⁴ So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned to the sacred tent and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the wilderness.
³⁵ Then the king appointed Benaiah to command the army in place of Joab, and he installed Zadok the priest to take the place of Abiathar.
³⁶ The king then sent for Shimei and told him, "Build a house here in Jerusalem and live there. But don't step outside the city to go anywhere else.
³⁷ On the day you so much as cross the Kidron Valley, you will surely die; and your blood will be on your own head."
³⁸ Shimei replied, "Your sentence is fair; I will do whatever my lord the king commands." So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
³⁹ But three years later two of Shimei's slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When Shimei learned where they were,
⁴⁰ he saddled his donkey and went to Gath to search for them. When he found them, he brought them back to Jerusalem.
⁴¹ Solomon heard that Shimei had left Jerusalem and had gone to Gath and returned.
⁴² So the king sent for Shimei and demanded, "Didn't I make you swear by the LORD and warn you not to go anywhere else or you would surely die? And you replied, 'The sentence is fair; I will do as you say.'
⁴³ Then why haven't you kept your oath to the LORD and obeyed my command?"
⁴⁴ The king also said to Shimei, "You certainly remember all the wicked things you did to my father, David. May the LORD now bring that evil on your own head.
⁴⁵ But may I, King Solomon, receive the LORD's blessings, and may one of David's descendants always sit on this throne in the presence of the LORD."
⁴⁶ Then, at the king's command, Benaiah son of Jehoiada took Shimei outside and killed him. So the kingdom was now firmly in Solomon's grip.