Common English Bible

1 Kings 2:25-42 Common English Bible (CEB)

25. So King Solomon sent Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son. He attacked Adonijah, and Adonijah died.

26. The king said to the priest Abiathar, "Go to your fields at Anathoth, because you are a condemned man. However, I won’t kill you today because you carried the Lord’s chest in front of my father David and because you shared in all my father’s sufferings."

27. So Solomon expelled Abiathar from the Lord’s priesthood in order to fulfill the Lord’s word that was spoken against Eli’s family at Shiloh.

28. Now the news reached Joab because he had supported Adonijah, though he hadn’t supported Absalom. Joab ran to the Lord’s tent and grabbed the horns of the altar.

29. King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the Lord’s tent and was now beside the altar. So Solomon sent Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, instructing him, "Go. Attack Joab!"

30. Benaiah came to the Lord’s tent and said to Joab, "The king says, ‘Come out!’"Joab said, "No! I’d rather die here."Benaiah sent a report back to the king: "This is what Joab said and how he answered me."

31. The king said to him, "Do as he said. Attack him and then bury him. In doing this, you will remove from me and from my father’s royal house the guilt over the innocent blood that Joab shed.

32. May the Lord return that bloodguilt back on his own head for attacking the two men who were better and more righteous than he was. He murdered those two with the sword: Abner, Ner’s son and Israel’s general, and Amasa, Jether’s son and Judah’s general. But my father David didn’t know about it.

33. May the bloodguilt for their deaths return on Joab’s head and on the head of his family line forever. But may the Lord’s peace be on David, his family, and his royal house forever."

34. So Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son, went and attacked Joab and killed him.Joab was buried at his home in the wilderness.

35. In his place, the king gave leadership of the army to Benaiah, Jehoiada’s son. The king put the priest Zadok in Abiathar’s position.

36. Then he sent for Shimei and said, "Build a house for yourself in Jerusalem and stay in the city. Don’t leave to go anywhere else.

37. If you try to leave, be advised that on the day you cross the Kidron Valley you will most certainly die. Your bloodguilt will be on your own head."

38. Shimei said to the king, "This is a good idea. Your servant will do just what my master the king said." So Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

39. After three years, two of Shimei’s servants fled to the king of Gath, Achish, Maacah’s son. Shimei was informed, "Your servants are now in Gath."

40. Shimei saddled his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to look for his servants. Shimei then brought his servants back from Gath.

41. Solomon was told that Shimei had left Jerusalem for Gath and then returned.

42. The king sent for Shimei and asked him, "Didn’t I make you swear a solemn pledge by the Lord? And didn’t I swear to you, ‘If you try to leave and go anywhere, be advised that on that very day you will most certainly die’? You said to me, ‘This is a good idea. I agree to it.’