1 Kings 2:13-25

¹³Now Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. So she said, “Do you come peacefully?” And he said, “Peacefully.” ¹⁴Then he said, “I have something to say to you.” And she said, “Speak.” ¹⁵So he said, “You yourself know that the kingdom was mine and that all Israel intended for me to be king; however, the kingdom has turned around and become my brother’s, for it was his from the Lord. ¹⁶So now I am making one request of you; do not refuse me.” And she said to him, “Speak.” ¹⁷Then he said, “Please speak to Solomon the king—for he will not refuse you—that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.” ¹⁸And Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king for you.”

¹⁹So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king stood to meet her, bowed to her, and sat on his throne; then he had a throne set up for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. ²⁰Then she said, “I am making one small request of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” ²¹So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.” ²²But King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Request for him the kingdom as well—since he is my older brother—for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!” ²³Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me and more so, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life! ²⁴Now then, as the Lord lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and has made me a house just as He promised, Adonijah certainly shall be put to death today!” ²⁵Then King Solomon sent the order by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him so that he died.