¹⁵ Then Moses slaughtered it,^[a] took the blood, and applied it with his finger to the horns of the altar on all sides, purifying^(A) the altar. He poured out the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it so that atonement can be made on it.^[b](B)

¹⁸ Then he will go out to the altar that is before the Lord and make atonement for it. He is to take some of the bull’s blood and some of the goat’s blood and put it on the horns on all sides of the altar. ¹⁹ He is to sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times to cleanse and set it apart^(A) from the Israelites’ impurities.^(B)

⁵⁰ Adonijah was afraid of Solomon, so he got up and went to take hold of the horns of the altar.^(A)

⁵¹ It was reported to Solomon: “Look, Adonijah fears King Solomon, and he has taken hold of the horns of the altar, saying, ‘Let King Solomon first^[a] swear to me that he will not kill his servant with the sword.’”

Joab’s Execution

²⁸ The news reached Joab. Since he had supported Adonijah^(A) but not Absalom,^(B) Joab fled to the Lord’s tabernacle and took hold of the horns of the altar.^(C)