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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>1 Kings 2 GNT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/1_kings/2.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/1_kings/2-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">GNT</a> > 1 Kings 2</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../1_kings/1.htm" title="1 Kings 1">◄</a> 1 Kings 2 <a href="../1_kings/3.htm" title="1 Kings 3">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Good News Translation</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s">David's Last Instructions to Solomon</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_1"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.1" class="v11_2_1">1</span>When David was about to die, he called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions: </span><span class="v11_2_2"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.2" class="v11_2_2">2</span>“My time to die has come. Be confident and determined, </span><span class="v11_2_3"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.3" class="v11_2_3">3</span>and do what the <span class="nd">Lord</span> your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses, so that wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do. </span><span class="v11_2_4"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.4" class="v11_2_4">4</span>If you obey him, the <span class="nd">Lord</span> will keep the promise he made when he told me that my descendants would rule Israel as long as they were careful to obey his commands faithfully with all their heart and soul.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_5"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.5" class="v11_2_5">5</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.5!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> “There is something else. You remember what Joab did to me by killing the two commanders of Israel's armies, Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether. You remember how he murdered them in time of peace as revenge for deaths they had caused in time of war. He killed innocent men,<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.5!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> and now I bear the responsibility for what he did, and I suffer<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.5!f.3" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> the consequences. </span><span class="v11_2_6"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.6" class="v11_2_6">6</span>You know what to do; you must not let him die a natural death.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_7"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.7" class="v11_2_7">7</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.7!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> “But show kindness to the sons of Barzillai from Gilead and take care of them, because they were kind to me when I was fleeing from your brother Absalom.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_8"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.8" class="v11_2_8">8</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.8!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> “There is also Shimei son of Gera, from the town of Bahurim in Benjamin. He cursed me bitterly the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he met me at the Jordan River, I gave him my solemn promise in the name of the <span class="nd">Lord</span> that I would not have him killed. </span><span class="v11_2_9"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.9" class="v11_2_9">9</span>But you must not let him go unpunished. You know what to do, and you must see to it that he is put to death.”</span></p><h3 class="s">The Death of David</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_10"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.10" class="v11_2_10">10</span>David died and was buried in David's City. </span><span class="v11_2_11"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.11" class="v11_2_11">11</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.11!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> He had been king of Israel for forty years, ruling seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. </span><span class="v11_2_12"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.12" class="v11_2_12">12</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.12!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Solomon succeeded his father David as king, and his royal power was firmly established.</span></p><h3 class="s">The Death of Adonijah</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_13"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.13" class="v11_2_13">13</span>Then Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, went to Bathsheba, who was Solomon's mother. “Is this a friendly visit?” she asked.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_13">“It is,” he answered, </span><span class="v11_2_14"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.14" class="v11_2_14">14</span>and then he added, “I have something to ask of you.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_14">“What is it?” she asked.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_15"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.15" class="v11_2_15">15</span>He answered, “You know that I should have become king and that everyone in Israel expected it. But it happened differently, and my brother became king because it was the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s will. </span><span class="v11_2_16"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.16" class="v11_2_16">16</span>And now I have one request to make; please do not refuse me.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_16">“What is it?” Bathsheba asked.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_17"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.17" class="v11_2_17">17</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.17!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> He answered, “Please ask King Solomon—I know he won't refuse you—to let me have Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, as my wife.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_18"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.18" class="v11_2_18">18</span>“Very well,” she answered. “I will speak to the king for you.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_19"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.19" class="v11_2_19">19</span>So Bathsheba went to the king to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king stood up to greet his mother and bowed to her. Then he sat on his throne and had another one brought in on which she sat at his right. </span><span class="v11_2_20"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.20" class="v11_2_20">20</span>She said, “I have a small favor to ask of you; please do not refuse me.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_20">“What is it, mother?” he asked. “I will not refuse you.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_21"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.21" class="v11_2_21">21</span>She answered, “Let your brother Adonijah have Abishag as his wife.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_22"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.22" class="v11_2_22">22</span>“Why do you ask me to give Abishag to him?” the king asked. “You might as well ask me to give him the throne too. After all, he is my older brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab are on his side!”<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.22!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v11_2_23"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.23" class="v11_2_23">23</span>Then Solomon made a solemn promise in the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s name, “May God strike me dead if I don't make Adonijah pay with his life for asking this! </span><span class="v11_2_24"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.24" class="v11_2_24">24</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> has firmly established me on the throne of my father David; he has kept his promise and given the kingdom to me and my descendants. I swear by the living <span class="nd">Lord</span> that Adonijah will die this very day!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_25"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.25" class="v11_2_25">25</span>So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah, who went out and killed Adonijah.</span></p><h3 class="s">Abiathar's Banishment and Joab's Death</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_26"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.26" class="v11_2_26">26</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.26!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Then King Solomon said to Abiathar the priest, “Go to your country home in Anathoth. You deserve to die, but I will not have you put to death now, for you were in charge of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s Covenant Box while you were with my father David, and you shared in all his troubles.” </span><span class="v11_2_27"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.27" class="v11_2_27">27</span><a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.27!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Then Solomon dismissed Abiathar from serving as a priest of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>, and so made come true what the <span class="nd">Lord</span> had said in Shiloh about the priest Eli and his descendants.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_28"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.28" class="v11_2_28">28</span>Joab heard what had happened. (He had supported Adonijah, but not Absalom.) So he fled to the Tent of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s presence and took hold of the corners of the altar.<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.28!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v11_2_29"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.29" class="v11_2_29">29</span>When the news reached King Solomon that Joab had fled to the Tent and was by the altar, Solomon sent a messenger to Joab to ask him why he had fled to the altar. Joab answered that he had fled to the <span class="nd">Lord</span> because he was afraid of Solomon. So King Solomon sent Benaiah<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.29!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> to kill Joab. </span><span class="v11_2_30"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.30" class="v11_2_30">30</span>He went to the Tent of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s presence and said to Joab, “The king orders you to come out.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_30">“No,” Joab answered. “I will die here.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_30">Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_31"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.31" class="v11_2_31">31</span>“Do what Joab says,” Solomon answered. “Kill him and bury him. Then neither I nor any other of David's descendants will any longer be held responsible for what Joab did when he killed innocent men. </span><span class="v11_2_32"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.32" class="v11_2_32">32</span>The <span class="nd">Lord</span> will punish Joab for those murders, which he committed<a href="#fn" id="link_1Kgs.2.32!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> without my father David's knowledge. Joab killed two innocent men who were better men than he: Abner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa, commander of the army of Judah. </span><span class="v11_2_33"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.33" class="v11_2_33">33</span>The punishment for their murders will fall on Joab and on his descendants forever. But the <span class="nd">Lord</span> will always give success to David's descendants who sit on his throne.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_34"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.34" class="v11_2_34">34</span>So Benaiah went to the Tent of the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s presence and killed Joab, and he was buried at his home in the open country. </span><span class="v11_2_35"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.35" class="v11_2_35">35</span>The king made Benaiah commander of the army in Joab's place and put Zadok the priest in Abiathar's place.</span></p><h3 class="s">The Death of Shimei</h3><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_36"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.36" class="v11_2_36">36</span>Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, “Build a house for yourself here in Jerusalem. Live in it and don't leave the city. </span><span class="v11_2_37"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.37" class="v11_2_37">37</span>If you ever leave and go beyond Kidron Brook, you will certainly die—and you yourself will be to blame.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_38"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.38" class="v11_2_38">38</span>“Very well, Your Majesty,” Shimei answered. “I will do what you say.” So he lived in Jerusalem a long time.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_39"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.39" class="v11_2_39">39</span>Three years later, however, two of Shimei's slaves ran away to the king of Gath, Achish son of Maacah. When Shimei heard that they were in Gath, </span><span class="v11_2_40"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.40" class="v11_2_40">40</span>he saddled his donkey and went to King Achish in Gath, to find his slaves. He found them and brought them back home. </span><span class="v11_2_41"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.41" class="v11_2_41">41</span>When Solomon heard what Shimei had done, </span><span class="v11_2_42"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.42" class="v11_2_42">42</span>he sent for him and said, “I made you promise in the <span class="nd">Lord</span>'s name not to leave Jerusalem. And I warned you that if you ever did, you would certainly die. Did you not agree to it and say that you would obey me? </span><span class="v11_2_43"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.43" class="v11_2_43">43</span>Why, then, have you broken your promise and disobeyed my command? </span><span class="v11_2_44"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.44" class="v11_2_44">44</span>You know very well all the wrong that you did to my father David. The <span class="nd">Lord</span> will punish you for it. </span><span class="v11_2_45"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.45" class="v11_2_45">45</span>But he will bless me, and he will make David's kingdom secure forever.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v11_2_46"><span class="reftext" id="1Kgs.2.46" class="v11_2_46">46</span>Then the king gave orders to Benaiah, who went out and killed Shimei. Solomon was now in complete control.</span></p><a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.5: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Some ancient translations </char><char style="fq" closed="false">innocent men; </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew </char><char style="fq" closed="false">men in battle.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.5: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Some ancient translations </char><char style="fq" closed="false">I bear … and I suffer; </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew </char><char style="fq" closed="false">he bears … and he suffers.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.22: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Some ancient translations </char><char style="fq" closed="false">and Abiathar the priest … on his side; </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew unclear.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.28: </char><char style="fk" closed="false">corners of the altar: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">See 1.50.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.29: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">One ancient translation </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Solomon sent a messenger … sent Benaiah; </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Solomon sent Benaiah.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">2.32: </char><char style="fq" closed="false">will punish … committed; </char><char style="ft" closed="false">or </char><char style="fq" closed="false">will kill Joab, because he committed those murders.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 1992 American Bible Society. 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