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Bible in 90 Days

An intensive Bible reading plan that walks through the entire Bible in 90 days.
Duration: 88 days
New International Version (NIV)
Version
2 Samuel 22:19 - 1 Kings 7:37

19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
    but the Lord was my support.(A)
20 He brought me out into a spacious(B) place;
    he rescued(C) me because he delighted(D) in me.(E)

21 “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(F)
    according to the cleanness(G) of my hands(H) he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept(I) the ways of the Lord;
    I am not guilty of turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me;(J)
    I have not turned(K) away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless(L) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(M)
    according to my cleanness[a] in his sight.

26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure(N) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(O)
28 You save the humble,(P)
    but your eyes are on the haughty(Q) to bring them low.(R)
29 You, Lord, are my lamp;(S)
    the Lord turns my darkness into light.
30 With your help I can advance against a troop[b];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

31 “As for God, his way is perfect:(T)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;(U)
    he shields(V) all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the Lord?
    And who is the Rock(W) except our God?(X)
33 It is God who arms me with strength[c]
    and keeps my way secure.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(Y)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.(Z)
35 He trains my hands(AA) for battle;
    my arms can bend a bow(AB) of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield;(AC)
    your help has made[d] me great.
37 You provide a broad path(AD) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.

38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed(AE) them completely, and they could not rise;
    they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries before me.(AF)
41 You made my enemies turn their backs(AG) in flight,
    and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help,(AH) but there was no one to save them—(AI)
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.(AJ)
43 I beat them as fine as the dust(AK) of the earth;
    I pounded and trampled(AL) them like mud(AM) in the streets.

44 “You have delivered(AN) me from the attacks of the peoples;
    you have preserved(AO) me as the head of nations.
People(AP) I did not know now serve me,
45     foreigners cower(AQ) before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.(AR)
46 They all lose heart;
    they come trembling[e](AS) from their strongholds.

47 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
    Exalted(AT) be my God, the Rock, my Savior!(AU)
48 He is the God who avenges(AV) me,(AW)
    who puts the nations under me,
49     who sets me free from my enemies.(AX)
You exalted me(AY) above my foes;
    from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing the praises(AZ) of your name.(BA)

51 “He gives his king great victories;(BB)
    he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,(BC)
    to David(BD) and his descendants forever.”(BE)

David’s Last Words

23 These are the last words of David:

“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,
    the utterance of the man exalted(BF) by the Most High,
the man anointed(BG) by the God of Jacob,
    the hero of Israel’s songs:

“The Spirit(BH) of the Lord spoke through me;
    his word was on my tongue.
The God of Israel spoke,
    the Rock(BI) of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,(BJ)
    when he rules in the fear(BK) of God,(BL)
he is like the light(BM) of morning(BN) at sunrise(BO)
    on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain(BP)
    that brings grass from the earth.’

“If my house were not right with God,
    surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,(BQ)
    arranged and secured in every part;
surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation
    and grant me my every desire.
But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,(BR)
    which are not gathered with the hand.
Whoever touches thorns
    uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
    they are burned up where they lie.”

David’s Mighty Warriors(BS)

These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:(BT)

Josheb-Basshebeth,[f](BU) a Tahkemonite,[g] was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed[h] in one encounter.

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai(BV) the Ahohite.(BW) As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim[i] for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam,(BX) while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.(BY) 14 At that time David was in the stronghold,(BZ) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.(CA) 15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured(CB) it out before the Lord. 17 “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood(CC) of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

18 Abishai(CD) the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.[j] He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19 Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

20 Benaiah(CE) son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,(CF) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

24 Among the Thirty were:

Asahel(CG) the brother of Joab,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite,(CH)

Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez(CI) the Paltite,

Ira(CJ) son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

27 Abiezer(CK) from Anathoth,(CL)

Sibbekai[k] the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite,

Maharai(CM) the Netophathite,(CN)

29 Heled[l](CO) son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah(CP) in Benjamin,

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite,(CQ)

Hiddai[m] from the ravines of Gaash,(CR)

31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Barhumite,(CS)

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Jashen,

Jonathan 33 son of[n] Shammah the Hararite,

Ahiam son of Sharar[o] the Hararite,

34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,(CT)

Eliam(CU) son of Ahithophel(CV) the Gilonite,

35 Hezro the Carmelite,(CW)

Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,(CX)

the son of Hagri,[p]

37 Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Beerothite,(CY) the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the Ithrite,(CZ)

Gareb the Ithrite

39 and Uriah(DA) the Hittite.

There were thirty-seven in all.

David Enrolls the Fighting Men(DB)

24 Again(DC) the anger of the Lord burned against Israel,(DD) and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of(DE) Israel and Judah.”

So the king said to Joab(DF) and the army commanders[q] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba(DG) and enroll(DH) the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”

But Joab(DI) replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over,(DJ) and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”

The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.

After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer,(DK) south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.(DL) They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.(DM) Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre(DN) and all the towns of the Hivites(DO) and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba(DP) in the Negev(DQ) of Judah.

After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.

Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.(DR)

10 David was conscience-stricken(DS) after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned(DT) greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.(DU)

11 Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad(DV) the prophet, David’s seer:(DW) 12 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”

13 So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three[r] years of famine(DX) in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague(DY) in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”

14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy(DZ) is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”

15 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.(EA) 16 When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented(EB) concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord(EC) was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

17 When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,[s] have done wrong. These are but sheep.(ED) What have they done?(EE) Let your hand fall on me and my family.”(EF)

David Builds an Altar(EG)

18 On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah(EH) the Jebusite.” 19 So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20 When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.

21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”(EI)

22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen(EJ) for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 Your Majesty, Araunah[t] gives(EK) all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.”

24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”(EL)

So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels[u](EM) of silver for them. 25 David built an altar(EN) to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer(EO) in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Adonijah Sets Himself Up as King

When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.”

Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag,(EP) a Shunammite,(EQ) and brought her to the king. The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.

Now Adonijah,(ER) whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots(ES) and horses[v] ready, with fifty men to run ahead of him. (His father had never rebuked(ET) him by asking, “Why do you behave as you do?” He was also very handsome and was born next after Absalom.)

Adonijah conferred with Joab(EU) son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar(EV) the priest, and they gave him their support. But Zadok(EW) the priest, Benaiah(EX) son of Jehoiada, Nathan(EY) the prophet, Shimei(EZ) and Rei and David’s special guard(FA) did not join Adonijah.

Adonijah then sacrificed sheep, cattle and fattened calves at the Stone of Zoheleth near En Rogel.(FB) He invited all his brothers, the king’s sons,(FC) and all the royal officials of Judah, 10 but he did not invite(FD) Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the special guard or his brother Solomon.(FE)

11 Then Nathan asked Bathsheba,(FF) Solomon’s mother, “Have you not heard that Adonijah,(FG) the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? 12 Now then, let me advise(FH) you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. 13 Go in to King David and say to him, ‘My lord the king, did you not swear(FI) to me your servant: “Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Why then has Adonijah become king?’ 14 While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said.”

15 So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag(FJ) the Shunammite was attending him. 16 Bathsheba bowed down, prostrating herself before the king.

“What is it you want?” the king asked.

17 She said to him, “My lord, you yourself swore(FK) to me your servant by the Lord your God: ‘Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ 18 But now Adonijah has become king, and you, my lord the king, do not know about it. 19 He has sacrificed(FL) great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep, and has invited all the king’s sons, Abiathar the priest and Joab the commander of the army, but he has not invited Solomon your servant. 20 My lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are on you, to learn from you who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21 Otherwise, as soon as my lord the king is laid to rest(FM) with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be treated as criminals.”

22 While she was still speaking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived. 23 And the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” So he went before the king and bowed with his face to the ground.

24 Nathan said, “Have you, my lord the king, declared that Adonijah shall be king after you, and that he will sit on your throne? 25 Today he has gone down and sacrificed great numbers of cattle, fattened calves, and sheep. He has invited all the king’s sons, the commanders of the army and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him and saying, ‘Long live King Adonijah!’ 26 But me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he did not invite.(FN) 27 Is this something my lord the king has done without letting his servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”

David Makes Solomon King(FO)

28 Then King David said, “Call in Bathsheba.” So she came into the king’s presence and stood before him.

29 The king then took an oath: “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble,(FP) 30 I will surely carry out this very day what I swore(FQ) to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.”

31 Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, prostrating herself before the king, and said, “May my lord King David live forever!”

32 King David said, “Call in Zadok(FR) the priest, Nathan the prophet and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” When they came before the king, 33 he said to them: “Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule(FS) and take him down to Gihon.(FT) 34 There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint(FU) him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet(FV) and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ 35 Then you are to go up with him, and he is to come and sit on my throne and reign in my place. I have appointed him ruler over Israel and Judah.”

36 Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, “Amen! May the Lord, the God of my lord the king, so declare it. 37 As the Lord was with my lord the king, so may he be with(FW) Solomon to make his throne even greater(FX) than the throne of my lord King David!”

38 So Zadok(FY) the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites(FZ) and the Pelethites went down and had Solomon mount King David’s mule, and they escorted him to Gihon.(GA) 39 Zadok the priest took the horn of oil(GB) from the sacred tent(GC) and anointed Solomon. Then they sounded the trumpet(GD) and all the people shouted,(GE) “Long live King Solomon!” 40 And all the people went up after him, playing pipes(GF) and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.

41 Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they were finishing their feast. On hearing the sound of the trumpet, Joab asked, “What’s the meaning of all the noise in the city?”(GG)

42 Even as he was speaking, Jonathan(GH) son of Abiathar the priest arrived. Adonijah said, “Come in. A worthy man like you must be bringing good news.”(GI)

43 “Not at all!” Jonathan answered. “Our lord King David has made Solomon king. 44 The king has sent with him Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites, and they have put him on the king’s mule, 45 and Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king at Gihon. From there they have gone up cheering, and the city resounds(GJ) with it. That’s the noise you hear. 46 Moreover, Solomon has taken his seat(GK) on the royal throne. 47 Also, the royal officials have come to congratulate our lord King David, saying, ‘May your God make Solomon’s name more famous than yours and his throne greater(GL) than yours!’ And the king bowed in worship on his bed 48 and said, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has allowed my eyes to see a successor(GM) on my throne today.’”

49 At this, all Adonijah’s guests rose in alarm and dispersed. 50 But Adonijah, in fear of Solomon, went and took hold of the horns(GN) of the altar. 51 Then Solomon was told, “Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon and is clinging to the horns of the altar. He says, ‘Let King Solomon swear to me today that he will not put his servant to death with the sword.’”

52 Solomon replied, “If he shows himself to be worthy, not a hair(GO) of his head will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die.” 53 Then King Solomon sent men, and they brought him down from the altar. And Adonijah came and bowed down to King Solomon, and Solomon said, “Go to your home.”

David’s Charge to Solomon(GP)

When the time drew near for David to die,(GQ) he gave a charge to Solomon his son.

“I am about to go the way of all the earth,”(GR) he said. “So be strong,(GS) act like a man, and observe(GT) what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper(GU) in all you do and wherever you go and that the Lord may keep his promise(GV) to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully(GW) before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

“Now you yourself know what Joab(GX) son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to the two commanders of Israel’s armies, Abner(GY) son of Ner and Amasa(GZ) son of Jether. He killed them, shedding their blood in peacetime as if in battle, and with that blood he stained the belt around his waist and the sandals on his feet. Deal with him according to your wisdom,(HA) but do not let his gray head go down to the grave in peace.

“But show kindness(HB) to the sons of Barzillai(HC) of Gilead and let them be among those who eat at your table.(HD) They stood by me when I fled from your brother Absalom.

“And remember, you have with you Shimei(HE) son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim, who called down bitter curses on me the day I went to Mahanaim.(HF) When he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore(HG) to him by the Lord: ‘I will not put you to death by the sword.’ But now, do not consider him innocent. You are a man of wisdom;(HH) you will know what to do to him. Bring his gray head down to the grave in blood.”

10 Then David rested with his ancestors and was buried(HI) in the City of David.(HJ) 11 He had reigned(HK) forty years over Israel—seven years in Hebron and thirty-three in Jerusalem. 12 So Solomon sat on the throne(HL) of his father David, and his rule was firmly established.(HM)

Solomon’s Throne Established

13 Now Adonijah,(HN) the son of Haggith, went to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. Bathsheba asked him, “Do you come peacefully?”(HO)

He answered, “Yes, peacefully.” 14 Then he added, “I have something to say to you.”

“You may say it,” she replied.

15 “As you know,” he said, “the kingdom was mine. All Israel looked to me as their king. But things changed, and the kingdom has gone to my brother; for it has come to him from the Lord. 16 Now I have one request to make of you. Do not refuse me.”

“You may make it,” she said.

17 So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag(HP) the Shunammite as my wife.”

18 “Very well,” Bathsheba replied, “I will speak to the king for you.”

19 When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother,(HQ) and she sat down at his right hand.(HR)

20 “I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.”

The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”

21 So she said, “Let Abishag(HS) the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”

22 King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag(HT) the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother(HU)—yes, for him and for Abiathar(HV) the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”

23 Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely,(HW) if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request! 24 And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised(HX)—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25 So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah(HY) son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.(HZ)

26 To Abiathar(IA) the priest the king said, “Go back to your fields in Anathoth.(IB) You deserve to die, but I will not put you to death now, because you carried the ark(IC) of the Sovereign Lord before my father David and shared all my father’s hardships.”(ID) 27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from the priesthood of the Lord, fulfilling(IE) the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli.

28 When the news reached Joab, who had conspired with Adonijah though not with Absalom, he fled to the tent of the Lord and took hold of the horns(IF) of the altar. 29 King Solomon was told that Joab had fled to the tent of the Lord and was beside the altar.(IG) Then Solomon ordered Benaiah(IH) son of Jehoiada, “Go, strike him down!”

30 So Benaiah entered the tent(II) of the Lord and said to Joab, “The king says, ‘Come out!(IJ)’”

But he answered, “No, I will die here.”

Benaiah reported to the king, “This is how Joab answered me.”

31 Then the king commanded Benaiah, “Do as he says. Strike him down and bury him, and so clear me and my whole family of the guilt of the innocent blood(IK) that Joab shed. 32 The Lord will repay(IL) him for the blood he shed,(IM) because without my father David knowing it he attacked two men and killed them with the sword. Both of them—Abner son of Ner, commander of Israel’s army, and Amasa(IN) son of Jether, commander of Judah’s army—were better(IO) men and more upright than he. 33 May the guilt of their blood rest on the head of Joab and his descendants forever. But on David and his descendants, his house and his throne, may there be the Lord’s peace forever.”

34 So Benaiah(IP) son of Jehoiada went up and struck down Joab(IQ) and killed him, and he was buried at his home out in the country. 35 The king put Benaiah(IR) son of Jehoiada over the army in Joab’s position and replaced Abiathar with Zadok(IS) the priest.

36 Then the king sent for Shimei(IT) and said to him, “Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. 37 The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley,(IU) you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head.”(IV)

38 Shimei answered the king, “What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said.” And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.

39 But three years later, two of Shimei’s slaves ran off to Achish(IW) son of Maakah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, “Your slaves are in Gath.” 40 At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath.

41 When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, 42 the king summoned Shimei and said to him, “Did I not make you swear by the Lord and warn(IX) you, ‘On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die’? At that time you said to me, ‘What you say is good. I will obey.’ 43 Why then did you not keep your oath to the Lord and obey the command I gave you?”

44 The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your heart all the wrong(IY) you did to my father David. Now the Lord will repay you for your wrongdoing. 45 But King Solomon will be blessed, and David’s throne will remain secure(IZ) before the Lord forever.”

46 Then the king gave the order to Benaiah(JA) son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei(JB) down and he died.

The kingdom was now established(JC) in Solomon’s hands.

Solomon Asks for Wisdom(JD)

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married(JE) his daughter.(JF) He brought her to the City of David(JG) until he finished building his palace(JH) and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places,(JI) because a temple had not yet been built for the Name(JJ) of the Lord. Solomon showed his love(JK) for the Lord by walking(JL) according to the instructions(JM) given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.(JN)

The king went to Gibeon(JO) to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared(JP) to Solomon during the night in a dream,(JQ) and God said, “Ask(JR) for whatever you want me to give you.”

Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful(JS) to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son(JT) to sit on his throne this very day.

“Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child(JU) and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,(JV) a great people, too numerous to count or number.(JW) So give your servant a discerning(JX) heart to govern your people and to distinguish(JY) between right and wrong. For who is able(JZ) to govern this great people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. 11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked(KA) for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment(KB) in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked.(KC) I will give you a wise(KD) and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not(KE) asked for—both wealth and honor(KF)—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal(KG) among kings. 14 And if you walk(KH) in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”(KI) 15 Then Solomon awoke(KJ)—and he realized it had been a dream.(KK)

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings(KL) and fellowship offerings.(KM) Then he gave a feast(KN) for all his court.

A Wise Ruling

16 Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. 17 One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. 18 The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.

19 “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. 20 So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. 21 The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”

22 The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”

But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.

23 The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”

24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. 25 He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

26 The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved(KO) out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

27 Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”

28 When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom(KP) from God to administer justice.

Solomon’s Officials and Governors

So King Solomon ruled over all Israel. And these were his chief officials:(KQ)

Azariah(KR) son of Zadok—the priest;

Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha—secretaries;(KS)

Jehoshaphat(KT) son of Ahilud—recorder;

Benaiah(KU) son of Jehoiada—commander in chief;

Zadok(KV) and Abiathar—priests;

Azariah son of Nathan—in charge of the district governors;

Zabud son of Nathan—a priest and adviser to the king;

Ahishar—palace administrator;(KW)

Adoniram(KX) son of Abda—in charge of forced labor.(KY)

Solomon had twelve district governors(KZ) over all Israel, who supplied provisions for the king and the royal household. Each one had to provide supplies for one month in the year. These are their names:

Ben-Hur—in the hill country(LA) of Ephraim;

Ben-Deker—in Makaz, Shaalbim,(LB) Beth Shemesh(LC) and Elon Bethhanan;

10 Ben-Hesed—in Arubboth (Sokoh(LD) and all the land of Hepher(LE) were his);

11 Ben-Abinadab—in Naphoth Dor(LF) (he was married to Taphath daughter of Solomon);

12 Baana son of Ahilud—in Taanach and Megiddo, and in all of Beth Shan(LG) next to Zarethan(LH) below Jezreel, from Beth Shan to Abel Meholah(LI) across to Jokmeam;(LJ)

13 Ben-Geber—in Ramoth Gilead (the settlements of Jair(LK) son of Manasseh in Gilead(LL) were his, as well as the region of Argob in Bashan and its sixty large walled cities(LM) with bronze gate bars);

14 Ahinadab son of Iddo—in Mahanaim;(LN)

15 Ahimaaz(LO)—in Naphtali (he had married Basemath daughter of Solomon);

16 Baana son of Hushai(LP)—in Asher and in Aloth;

17 Jehoshaphat son of Paruah—in Issachar;

18 Shimei(LQ) son of Ela—in Benjamin;

19 Geber son of Uri—in Gilead (the country of Sihon(LR) king of the Amorites and the country of Og(LS) king of Bashan). He was the only governor over the district.

Solomon’s Daily Provisions

20 The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand(LT) on the seashore; they ate, they drank and they were happy.(LU) 21 And Solomon ruled(LV) over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates River(LW) to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt.(LX) These countries brought tribute(LY) and were Solomon’s subjects all his life.

22 Solomon’s daily provisions(LZ) were thirty cors[w] of the finest flour and sixty cors[x] of meal, 23 ten head of stall-fed cattle, twenty of pasture-fed cattle and a hundred sheep and goats, as well as deer, gazelles, roebucks and choice fowl.(MA) 24 For he ruled over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River, from Tiphsah(MB) to Gaza, and had peace(MC) on all sides. 25 During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba,(MD) lived in safety,(ME) everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.(MF)

26 Solomon had four[y] thousand stalls for chariot horses,(MG) and twelve thousand horses.[z]

27 The district governors,(MH) each in his month, supplied provisions for King Solomon and all who came to the king’s table. They saw to it that nothing was lacking. 28 They also brought to the proper place their quotas of barley and straw for the chariot horses and the other horses.

Solomon’s Wisdom

29 God gave Solomon wisdom(MI) and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand(MJ) on the seashore. 30 Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East,(MK) and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.(ML) 31 He was wiser(MM) than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Kalkol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. 32 He spoke three thousand proverbs(MN) and his songs(MO) numbered a thousand and five. 33 He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop(MP) that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. 34 From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings(MQ) of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.[aa]

Preparations for Building the Temple(MR)

[ab]When Hiram(MS) king of Tyre heard that Solomon had been anointed king to succeed his father David, he sent his envoys to Solomon, because he had always been on friendly terms with David. Solomon sent back this message to Hiram:

“You know that because of the wars(MT) waged against my father David from all sides, he could not build(MU) a temple for the Name of the Lord his God until the Lord put his enemies under his feet.(MV) But now the Lord my God has given me rest(MW) on every side, and there is no adversary(MX) or disaster. I intend, therefore, to build a temple(MY) for the Name of the Lord my God, as the Lord told my father David, when he said, ‘Your son whom I will put on the throne in your place will build the temple for my Name.’(MZ)

“So give orders that cedars(NA) of Lebanon be cut for me. My men will work with yours, and I will pay you for your men whatever wages you set. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians.”

When Hiram heard Solomon’s message, he was greatly pleased and said, “Praise be to the Lord(NB) today, for he has given David a wise son to rule over this great nation.”

So Hiram sent word to Solomon:

“I have received the message you sent me and will do all you want in providing the cedar and juniper logs. My men will haul them down from Lebanon to the Mediterranean Sea(NC), and I will float them as rafts by sea to the place you specify. There I will separate them and you can take them away. And you are to grant my wish by providing food(ND) for my royal household.”

10 In this way Hiram kept Solomon supplied with all the cedar and juniper logs he wanted, 11 and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand cors[ac] of wheat as food(NE) for his household, in addition to twenty thousand baths[ad][ae] of pressed olive oil. Solomon continued to do this for Hiram year after year. 12 The Lord gave Solomon wisdom,(NF) just as he had promised him. There were peaceful relations between Hiram and Solomon, and the two of them made a treaty.(NG)

13 King Solomon conscripted laborers(NH) from all Israel—thirty thousand men. 14 He sent them off to Lebanon in shifts of ten thousand a month, so that they spent one month in Lebanon and two months at home. Adoniram(NI) was in charge of the forced labor. 15 Solomon had seventy thousand carriers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hills, 16 as well as thirty-three hundred[af] foremen(NJ) who supervised the project and directed the workers. 17 At the king’s command they removed from the quarry(NK) large blocks of high-grade stone(NL) to provide a foundation of dressed stone for the temple. 18 The craftsmen of Solomon and Hiram(NM) and workers from Byblos(NN) cut and prepared the timber and stone for the building of the temple.

Solomon Builds the Temple(NO)

In the four hundred and eightieth[ag] year after the Israelites came out of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month,(NP) he began to build the temple of the Lord.(NQ)

The temple(NR) that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty wide and thirty high.[ah] The portico(NS) at the front of the main hall of the temple extended the width of the temple, that is twenty cubits,[ai] and projected ten cubits[aj] from the front of the temple. He made narrow windows(NT) high up in the temple walls. Against the walls of the main hall and inner sanctuary he built a structure around the building, in which there were side rooms.(NU) The lowest floor was five cubits[ak] wide, the middle floor six cubits[al] and the third floor seven.[am] He made offset ledges around the outside of the temple so that nothing would be inserted into the temple walls.

In building the temple, only blocks dressed(NV) at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool(NW) was heard at the temple site while it was being built.

The entrance to the lowest[an] floor was on the south side of the temple; a stairway led up to the middle level and from there to the third. So he built the temple and completed it, roofing it with beams and cedar(NX) planks. 10 And he built the side rooms all along the temple. The height of each was five cubits, and they were attached to the temple by beams of cedar.

11 The word of the Lord came(NY) to Solomon: 12 “As for this temple you are building, if you follow my decrees, observe my laws and keep all my commands(NZ) and obey them, I will fulfill through you the promise(OA) I gave to David your father. 13 And I will live among the Israelites and will not abandon(OB) my people Israel.”

14 So Solomon(OC) built the temple and completed(OD) it. 15 He lined its interior walls with cedar boards, paneling them from the floor of the temple to the ceiling,(OE) and covered the floor of the temple with planks of juniper.(OF) 16 He partitioned off twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place.(OG) 17 The main hall in front of this room was forty cubits[ao] long. 18 The inside of the temple was cedar,(OH) carved with gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; no stone was to be seen.

19 He prepared the inner sanctuary(OI) within the temple to set the ark of the covenant(OJ) of the Lord there. 20 The inner sanctuary(OK) was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.(OL) 21 Solomon covered the inside of the temple with pure gold, and he extended gold chains across the front of the inner sanctuary, which was overlaid with gold. 22 So he overlaid the whole interior with gold. He also overlaid with gold the altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary.

23 For the inner sanctuary he made a pair of cherubim(OM) out of olive wood, each ten cubits high. 24 One wing of the first cherub was five cubits long, and the other wing five cubits—ten cubits from wing tip to wing tip. 25 The second cherub also measured ten cubits, for the two cherubim were identical in size and shape. 26 The height of each cherub was ten cubits. 27 He placed the cherubim(ON) inside the innermost room of the temple, with their wings spread out. The wing of one cherub touched one wall, while the wing of the other touched the other wall, and their wings touched each other in the middle of the room. 28 He overlaid the cherubim with gold.

29 On the walls(OO) all around the temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved cherubim,(OP) palm trees and open flowers. 30 He also covered the floors of both the inner and outer rooms of the temple with gold.

31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors out of olive wood that were one fifth of the width of the sanctuary. 32 And on the two olive-wood doors(OQ) he carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid the cherubim and palm trees with hammered gold. 33 In the same way, for the entrance to the main hall he made doorframes out of olive wood that were one fourth of the width of the hall. 34 He also made two doors out of juniper wood, each having two leaves that turned in sockets. 35 He carved cherubim, palm trees and open flowers on them and overlaid them with gold hammered evenly over the carvings.

36 And he built the inner courtyard(OR) of three courses(OS) of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams.

37 The foundation of the temple of the Lord was laid in the fourth year, in the month of Ziv. 38 In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details(OT) according to its specifications.(OU) He had spent seven years building it.

Solomon Builds His Palace

It took Solomon thirteen years, however, to complete the construction of his palace.(OV) He built the Palace(OW) of the Forest of Lebanon(OX) a hundred cubits long, fifty wide and thirty high,[ap] with four rows of cedar columns supporting trimmed cedar beams. It was roofed with cedar above the beams that rested on the columns—forty-five beams, fifteen to a row. Its windows were placed high in sets of three, facing each other. All the doorways had rectangular frames; they were in the front part in sets of three, facing each other.[aq]

He made a colonnade fifty cubits long and thirty wide.[ar] In front of it was a portico, and in front of that were pillars and an overhanging roof.

He built the throne hall, the Hall of Justice, where he was to judge,(OY) and he covered it with cedar from floor to ceiling.[as](OZ) And the palace in which he was to live, set farther back, was similar in design. Solomon also made a palace like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had married.(PA)

All these structures, from the outside to the great courtyard and from foundation to eaves, were made of blocks of high-grade stone cut to size and smoothed on their inner and outer faces. 10 The foundations were laid with large stones of good quality, some measuring ten cubits[at] and some eight.[au] 11 Above were high-grade stones, cut to size, and cedar beams. 12 The great courtyard was surrounded by a wall of three courses(PB) of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams, as was the inner courtyard of the temple of the Lord with its portico.

The Temple’s Furnishings(PC)(PD)

13 King Solomon sent to Tyre and brought Huram,[av](PE) 14 whose mother was a widow from the tribe of Naphtali and whose father was from Tyre and a skilled craftsman in bronze. Huram was filled with wisdom,(PF) with understanding and with knowledge to do all kinds of bronze work. He came to King Solomon and did all(PG) the work assigned to him.

15 He cast two bronze pillars,(PH) each eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference.[aw] 16 He also made two capitals(PI) of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars; each capital was five cubits[ax] high. 17 A network of interwoven chains adorned the capitals on top of the pillars, seven for each capital. 18 He made pomegranates in two rows[ay] encircling each network to decorate the capitals on top of the pillars.[az] He did the same for each capital. 19 The capitals on top of the pillars in the portico were in the shape of lilies, four cubits[ba] high. 20 On the capitals of both pillars, above the bowl-shaped part next to the network, were the two hundred pomegranates(PJ) in rows all around. 21 He erected the pillars at the portico of the temple. The pillar to the south he named Jakin[bb] and the one to the north Boaz.[bc](PK) 22 The capitals on top were in the shape of lilies. And so the work on the pillars(PL) was completed.

23 He made the Sea(PM) of cast metal, circular in shape, measuring ten cubits from rim to rim and five cubits high. It took a line(PN) of thirty cubits[bd] to measure around it. 24 Below the rim, gourds encircled it—ten to a cubit. The gourds were cast in two rows in one piece with the Sea.

25 The Sea stood on twelve bulls,(PO) three facing north, three facing west, three facing south and three facing east. The Sea rested on top of them, and their hindquarters were toward the center. 26 It was a handbreadth[be] in thickness, and its rim was like the rim of a cup, like a lily blossom. It held two thousand baths.[bf]

27 He also made ten movable stands(PP) of bronze; each was four cubits long, four wide and three high.[bg] 28 This is how the stands were made: They had side panels attached to uprights. 29 On the panels between the uprights were lions, bulls and cherubim—and on the uprights as well. Above and below the lions and bulls were wreaths of hammered work. 30 Each stand(PQ) had four bronze wheels with bronze axles, and each had a basin resting on four supports, cast with wreaths on each side. 31 On the inside of the stand there was an opening that had a circular frame one cubit[bh] deep. This opening was round, and with its basework it measured a cubit and a half.[bi] Around its opening there was engraving. The panels of the stands were square, not round. 32 The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand. The diameter of each wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like chariot wheels; the axles, rims, spokes and hubs were all of cast metal.

34 Each stand had four handles, one on each corner, projecting from the stand. 35 At the top of the stand there was a circular band half a cubit[bj] deep. The supports and panels were attached to the top of the stand. 36 He engraved cherubim, lions and palm trees on the surfaces of the supports and on the panels, in every available space, with wreaths all around. 37 This is the way he made the ten stands. They were all cast in the same molds and were identical in size and shape.

New International Version (NIV)

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