Study Desk

So David gave orders to Joab, the commander of his army: "Go with your officers through all the tribes of Israel from one end of the country to the other, and count the people. I want to know how many there are."

But the king made Joab and his officers obey his order; they left his presence and went out to count the people of Israel.

But after David had taken the census, his conscience began to hurt, and he said to the Lord , "I have committed a terrible sin in doing this! Please forgive me. I have acted foolishly."

When the Lord 's angel was about to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord changed his mind about punishing the people and said to the angel who was killing them, "Stop! That's enough!" The angel was by the threshing place of Araunah, a Jebusite.

Araunah looked down and saw the king and his officials coming up to him. He threw himself on the ground in front of David

Then he built an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. The Lord answered his prayer, and the epidemic in Israel was stopped.

King David was now a very old man, and although his servants covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm.

So his officials said to him, "Your Majesty, let us find a young woman to stay with you and take care of you. She will lie close to you and keep you warm."

He talked with Joab (whose mother was Zeruiah) and with Abiathar the priest, and they agreed to support his cause.

but he did not invite his half brother Solomon or Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the king's bodyguards.

So Bathsheba went to see the king in his bedroom. He was very old, and Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, was taking care of him.

As the Lord has been with Your Majesty, may he also be with Solomon and make his reign even more prosperous than yours."

As Adonijah and all his guests were finishing the feast, they heard the noise. And when Joab heard the trumpet, he asked, "What's the meaning of all that noise in the city?"

"I'm afraid not," Jonathan answered. "His Majesty King David has made Solomon king.

What is more, the court officials went in to pay their respects to His Majesty King David and said, ‘May your God make Solomon even more famous than you, and may Solomon's reign be even more prosperous than yours.' Then King David bowed in worship on his bed

Then Adonijah's guests were afraid, and they all got up and left, each going his own way.

Solomon replied, "If he is loyal, not even a hair on his head will be touched; but if he is not, he will die."

When David was about to die, he called his son Solomon and gave him his last instructions:

and do what the Lord your God orders you to do. Obey all his laws and commands, as written in the Law of Moses, so that wherever you go you may prosper in everything you do.

If you obey him, the Lord will keep the promise he made when he told me that my descendants would rule Israel as long as they were careful to obey his commands faithfully with all their heart and soul.