1. King David was very old and could not keep warm. His servants covered him with blankets, but he was still cold.
2. So they said to him, “We will find a young woman to care for you. She will lie next to you and keep you warm.”
3. So the king’s servants began looking everywhere in the country of Israel for a beautiful young woman to keep the king warm. They found a young woman named Abishag, from the town of Shunem, and brought her to the king.
4. She was very beautiful. She cared for the king and served him, but King David did not have sexual relations with her.
5-6. Adonijah was the son of King David and his wife Haggith. He was born after Absalom. Adonijah was a very handsome man. King David never corrected his son Adonijah, and he never made him explain his actions. Adonijah became very proud and decided that he would be the next king. He wanted very much to be the king, so he got himself a chariot, horses, and 50 men to run ahead of him.
7. Adonijah talked with Joab son of Zeruiah and Abiathar the priest. They decided to help make him the new king,
8. but several important men did not join Adonijah. They were Zadok the priest, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and King David’s special guard.
46-47. Solomon is sitting on the king’s throne and the king’s officers are congratulating King David, saying, ‘King David, you are a great king!’ And now we pray that your God will make Solomon a great king too. We pray your God will make him even more famous than you. And we pray that his kingdom will be even greater than yours is! Even King David was there. From his bed, the king bowed before Solomon