David was now an old man, and he could no longer go out among his people. Day after day he lay upon his bed in the beautiful palace at Jerusalem, waiting to die. He had ruled Israel for many years, and God had blessed him with much honor and with great riches. Now his people knew that soon he must die, and they were wondering who should be the next king to sit upon his throne.
One of Solomon’s elder brothers thought he would rule the people in his father’s place. Perhaps he knew that God had chosen Solomon to be the next king; but he was proud like Absalom, and he did not care to please God. He wished to become the king instead of Solomon. So he prepared chariots for himself and appointed fifty young men to run before him as he rode through the streets of Jerusalem. People looking on would believe that he was a great ruler whom every one should respect, so he thought. Because David had always allowed him to do just as he pleased, Adonijah believed he could easily become king in his father’s stead.
One day Adonijah called his friends together and made a great feast for them in a valley just outside the walls of Jerusalem. Joab, the captain of David’s army, and Abiathar, the high priest, were with Adonijah. They planned to make him the king of Israel after the feast should be ended, and they were rejoicing together and having a very good time indeed.
But Nathan, the prophet of ‘God, was troubled. He knew God had chosen Solomon to sit upon David’s throne, and he feared that David did not know of Adonijah’s plan to take this place instead of Solomon. So Nathan came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, and told her what was happening in the valley just outside the city wall.
Now David had promised Bathsheba that her son, Solomon, should be the king after him, and she, too, was troubled when she heard about Adonijah’s doings. She hurried to David’s bedside and asked if he had forgotten about his promise to make Solomon the next king of Israel. David said that he remembered the promise very well, and that God had chosen Solomon for the throne. Then Bathsheba told the old King that Adonijah and his friends were planning to take the kingdom away from Solomon.
While Bathsheba was speaking, Nathan called to see David. He asked if David had given permission to Adonijah to take the throne after him. Then he told about the feast which was being held in the valley that very day, and he said, “The people are eating and drinking with your son Adonijah, and they are calling him their king.”
David remembered the troubles that his wicked son Absalom had caused, and he feared that Adonijah would cause much trouble, too. So he thought that before his own death it would be wise to have the young Prince Solomon anointed as king. He told his servants to bring his own mule from the stable and place Solomon upon it, then to go with him to Gihon, where the priest Zadok should anoint Solomon with oil. Then he commanded that all his servants should blow their trumpets and cry aloud, “God save King Solomon!” Afterwards they should bring him back to the city and place him on the throne.
Nathan called the priest and one of David’s brave soldiers and they quickly obeyed the King’s orders. And many people of the city saw Solomon riding on his father’s mule, with his father’s servants attending him, and they began toi shout for joy, because they knew Solomon had been made the king that day. The noise of their rejoicing was heard in the valley where Adonijah and his friends were feasting. Joab, the captain of David’s army, heard the sound of trumpets and he said, “There is an uproar in the city.” Being a brave soldier, he wished to go at once to find out the cause of the excitement in Jerusalem. But while he was speaking a messenger came to tell what had taken place.
Adonijah was frightened when he heard that his father had made Solomon to be the king of Israel. His guests, too, were afraid, and they hurriedly left the scene of their feasting and returned to their own homes. But Adonijah was afraid to go home. He knew Solomon would hear what he had been doing, and he feared the new King would cause him to be killed. So he ran to the tabernacle and caught hold; of the altar of God.
When Solomon heard that Adonijah had run to the tabernacle for safety, he sent for his brother at once. Solomon was a peace-loving man and did not intend to put any one to death. The servants told Adonijah that the new King would deal kindly with him if he would behave himself rightly, and Adonijah promised to do just as Solomon had asked. Then Solomon permitted him to return safely to his own House.
David did not live very long after these things happened. Before he died he called Solomon to his bedside and urged him to obey God always. He spoke to him about many things that should be done, and urged Solomon to carry out his plans for the temple building in Jerusalem. In all, David had reigned as a king for forty years.