Read the Modern Pastor’s Version

The days of King David drew near, and he knew that it was time for him to die. He called for his son Solomon and said, "I am going the way of all the earth, but I want you to be strong and walk in God's ways. Keep his statutes, commandments, ordinances, and judgments as written in the law of Moses.

"I have a promise from God that if my children follow him with all their heart and soul, they will never lack someone on Israel's throne. You know what Joab did to me and the two army captains, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. He killed them in times of peace, staining his belt and shoes with their blood.

"Do what is right and let Joab die peacefully," David said. "Show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead because they welcomed you when you fled from your brother Absalom. And take care of Shimei, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me severely, but I spared his life at the Jordan River.

"However, I swear that he will not die peacefully with an old man's death," David said. "You are wise and know what to do with him." With those words, King David died and was buried in the city of Jerusalem.

Solomon sat on David's throne and established his kingdom firmly. Adonijah, one of David's sons, came to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, and said, "I have something to ask you." She replied, "Speak on." He told her that he used to be the chosen heir for Israel's throne, but now it belonged to his brother Solomon, who had been appointed by God.

Adonijah asked Solomon's mother to speak with him on his behalf and request one favor: Abishag the Shunammite as his wife. King Solomon rose from his throne to greet Bathsheba, bowing down to her as she sat beside him.

Bathsheba said, "I want a small favor from you, my son. Please don't refuse me." The king replied, "Ask on, Mother; I will not deny you anything." She asked Solomon to give Abishag to Adonijah, and he agreed. But then the king told his mother that she should have asked for more: the kingdom itself since Adonijah was the older brother, as well as Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah.

King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, "May God do to me what is worse if Adonijah has spoken against his own life." He then ordered Benaiah the son of Jehoiada to take care of the task. As a result, King Solomon had Adonijah put to death that very day.

The king also dealt with Abiathar the priest by saying, "Go back to Anathoth and tend to your own fields; you are worthy of death." However, he spared Abiathar's life because he carried the ark of God before David and suffered with him in his afflictions. Solomon dismissed Abiathar from serving as a priest to the Lord.

News reached Joab that Adonijah had defected to him, so Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord and grasped the horns of the altar. King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada with orders to bring Joab out, but he refused to leave, saying, "I will die here." Benaiah reported back to the king as instructed.

The king said to him, "Do as Joab has asked and strike him down, then bury him. The Lord will bring his blood back upon his own head for killing two men more righteous than he was." As a result of this command, King Solomon had Joab killed by Benaiah, who buried him in his own house in the wilderness.

The king appointed Benaiah as the new leader of the army and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest. He also ordered Shimei to build himself a house in Jerusalem and live there without leaving the city. The penalty for breaking this command would be death, and the king said that if Shimei crossed the Brook Kidron, he would die.

Shimei agreed to follow the king's order and lived in Jerusalem for many days. Three years later, two of his servants escaped and fled to Gath, where they informed King Achish about their presence there. Shimei went after them but was caught by Solomon, who had him brought before him.

The king told Shimei that he should have kept the oath he made with God and followed the command he gave him. He reminded Shimei of all the evil he did to David and said that God would bring his wickedness back upon his own head. The kingdom was then firmly established under Solomon's control, and King Solomon was blessed as a result.