I Kings 1.1-31
Now King David was old and advanced in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not become warm.
So his servants said to him, “Let them seek for my lord the king a young virgin; and let her wait upon the king, and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord king may become warm.:
So they sought a beautiful maiden throughout the territory of Israel, and found Avishag the Shhunammite, whom they brought to the king. The maiden was very beautiful, and she attended the king, and ministered to him; but the king had no intimacy with her.
Then Adoniyah the son of Chaggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he provided chariots and horsemen for himself and fifty men to run before him. His father had never grieved him saying, “Why have you done so?” Moreover, he was a very good-looking man; and he was born next after Abshalom. So he conferred with Joab the son of Tzuruya, and with Evyathar the priest; and they followed Adoniyah and helped him. But Tzadok the priest, Benayahu the son of Yehoyada, Nathan the prophet, Shim’i and Re’i, and David’s warriors were not with Adoniyah.
Adoniyah slaughtered sheep and oxen and fatlings by the stone of Zicheketh, at En-rogel’ and he called his brethren, the king’s sons and all the men of Judah, the king’s servants. But Nathan the prophet, Benayahu, the warriors, and Solomon his brother, he did not invite.
Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, saying, “Have you not heard that Adoniyah the son of Chaggith reigns, and David our lord does not know it? Now, therefore, let me give you counsel, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go in at once to King David, and say to him: Did you not swear, my lord the king, to your maidservant, saying, ‘Indeed, Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne? Why then does Adoniyah reign? Then while you are still talking with the king, I will come in after you, and confirm your words.”
Then Bathsheba went to the king in his chamber: The king was very old and Avishag the Shunammite was ministering to him. Bathsheba bowed, and prostrated herself before the king, and the king said, “What do you want?”
She said to him, “My lord, you swore to your maidservant by God the Lord, ‘Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne.’ And now, see, Adoniyah reigns, and my lord the king does not know it.
He slaughtered oxen, fatlings and sheep in abundance, and he has called the king’s sons, Evyathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host; but your servant Solomon he has not called. And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, to tell them who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. Otherwise, when my lord the king will sleep with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders.”
While she was talking with the king, Nathan the prophet came in. They told the king, “Here is Nathan the prophet.” When he had come in before the king, he bowed before the king with his face to the ground.
And Nathan said, “My lord, the king, have you said ‘Adoniyah will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne?’ For he has gone down this day, and slaughtered oxen, fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s sons, the captains of the host, Evyathar the priest; and behold they are eating and drinking before him, saying: ‘Long live King Adoniyah.’ But me, your servant, Tzadok the priest, Benayahu the son of Yehoyada, and your servant Solomon, he has not invited.
Has this thing been done by my lord the king, and have you not informed your servant who will sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?”
Then King David answered, “Call Bathsheba.” So she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.
And the king swore and said, “As God lives, who has redeemed my soul out of adversity, as I swore to you by God, the Lord of Israel, saying, ‘Indeed Solomon your son will reign after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place.’ Do it today!”
Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and prostrated herself to the king saying, “May my lord, King David, live forever.”