And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

Pride {goeth} before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth {it} not?

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified {rather} than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chosen, {is yet} young and tender, and the work {is} great: for the palace {is} not for man, but for the LORD God.

As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

Thou shalt in any wise set {him} king over thee, whom the LORD thy God shall choose: {one} from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which {is} not thy brother.

And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.

Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour {is} humility.

Now therefore, {as} the LORD liveth, which hath established me, and set me on the throne of David my father, and who hath made me an house, as he promised, Adonijah shall be put to death this day.

Their land also is full of silver and gold, neither {is there any} end of their treasures; their land is also full of horses, neither {is there any} end of their chariots:

Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether {is} better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, {which are} threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I {am} your bone and your flesh. {Whether...: Heb. What is good? whether, etc}

And David said, Solomon my son {is} young and tender, and the house {that is} to be builded for the LORD {must be} exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will {therefore} now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:

And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him.

But he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt, to the end that he should multiply horses: forasmuch as the LORD hath said unto you, Ye shall henceforth return no more that way.

And he said, Thou knowest that the kingdom was mine, and {that} all Israel set their faces on me, that I should reign: howbeit the kingdom is turned about, and is become my brother's: for it was his from the LORD.

He loveth transgression that loveth strife: {and} he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest {it} not:

And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon: {mine...: Heb. which belongeth to me}

And Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. And she said, Comest thou peaceably? And he said, Peaceably.

And king Solomon answered and said unto his mother, And why dost thou ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? ask for him the kingdom also; for he {is} mine elder brother; even for him, and for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah.

The third, Absalom the son of Maachah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur: the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith:

And he dealt wisely, and dispersed of all his children throughout all the countries of Judah and Benjamin, unto every fenced city: and he gave them victual in abundance. And he desired many wives. {many wives: Heb. a multitude of wives}

{There is} no end of all the people, {even} of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also {is} vanity and vexation of spirit.

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint {them} for himself, for his chariots, and {to be} his horsemen; and {some} shall run before his chariots.

And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

Although my house {be} not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all {things}, and sure: for {this is} all my salvation, and all {my} desire, although he make {it} not to grow.

And the king said unto the footmen that stood about him, Turn, and slay the priests of the LORD; because their hand also {is} with David, and because they knew when he fled, and did not shew it to me. But the servants of the king would not put forth their hand to fall upon the priests of the LORD. {footmen: or, guard: Heb. runners}