5. Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
6. And his father had not rebuked him at any time in saying, Why have you done so? and he also was a very handsome man; and his mother bore him after Absalom.
7. And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.
8. But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men who belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
9. And Adonijah sacrificed sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by En-rogel, and invited all his brethren the king's sons, and all the men of Judah the king's servants:
10. But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he invited not.
11. Therefore Nathan spoke unto Bath-sheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith does reign, and David our lord knows it not?
12. Now therefore come, let me, I pray you, give you counsel, that you may save your own life, and the life of your son Solomon.
13. Go and get in unto king David, and say unto him, Did not you, my lord, O king, swear unto your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then does Adonijah reign?
14. Behold, while you yet talk there with the king, I also will come in after you, and confirm your words.
15. And Bath-sheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.
16. And Bath-sheba bowed, and knelt before the king. And the king said, What would you?
17. And she said unto him, My lord, you swore by the LORD your God unto your handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
18. And now, behold, Adonijah reigns; and now, my lord the king, you know it not:
19. And he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the army: but Solomon your servant has he not called.
20. And you, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.
21. Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.