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[345]
Now the fourth son of David was a beautiful young man, and tall,
born to him of Haggith his wife. He was named Adonijah, and was in his
disposition like to Absalom; and exalted himself as hoping to be king,
and told his friends that he ought to take the government upon him. He
also prepared many chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.
When his father saw this, he did not reprove him, nor restrain him from
his purpose, nor did he go so far as to ask wherefore he did so. Now Adonijah
had for his assistants Joab the captain of the army, and Abiathar the high
priest; and the only persons that opposed him were Zadok the high priest,
and the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, who was captain of the guards, and
Shimei, David's friend, with all the other most mighty men. Now Adonijah
had prepared a supper out of the city, near the fountain that was in the
king's paradise, and had invited all his brethren except Solomon, and had
taken with him Joab the captain of the army, and: Abiathar, and the rulers
of the tribe of Judah, but had not invited to this feast either Zadok the
high priest, or Nathan the prophet, or Benaiah the captain of the guards,
nor any of those of the contrary party. This matter was told by Nathan
the prophet to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, that Adonijah was king, and
that David knew nothing of it; and he advised her to save herself and her
son Solomon, and to go by herself to David, and say to him, that he had
indeed sworn that Solomon should reign after him, but that in the mean
time Adonijah had already taken the kingdom. He said that he, the prophet
himself, would come after her, and when she had spoken thus to the king,
would confirm what she had said. Accordingly Bathsheba agreed with Nathan,
and went in to the king and worshipped him, and when she had desired leave
to speak with him, she told him all things in the manner that Nathan had
suggested to her; and related what a supper Adonijah had made, and who
they were whom he had invited; Abiathar the and Joab the general, and David's
sons, excepting Solomon and his intimate friends. She also said that all
the people had their eyes upon him, to know whom he would choose for their
king. She desired him also to consider how, after his departure, Adonijah,
if he were king, would slay her and her son Solomon.
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