WHEN David grew old, one of his sons, named Adonijah, exalted himself,
to make himself king instead of his father.
He conferred with Joab the captain and with Abiathar the priest, and it
was arranged that all the sons of the king should be invited to a great
feast; but when the invitations were given, it was found that he had
not included his brother Solomon, nor Zadok the priest, nor Benaiah the
soldier, nor Nathan the prophet, who were all devoted friends of King
David.
So Nathan the prophet spoke to Bathsheba, the mother of Solomon, and
begged her to go to King David and tell him that Adonijah had set
himself up as king; and to remind David that he had promised her that
he would give the kingdom to Solomon his son.
David was very much troubled with what Bathsheba and Nathan told him,
and he solemnly assured them that God had promised the throne to
Solomon, and to no one else; and he then sent for Zadok, and he told
him and Nathan to anoint Solomon King over Israel at once, and to blow
with the trumpet and say, "Solomon is King!"
And he told them that Solomon was to ride on the king's own mule, and
sit on the king's throne.
So they took a horn of oil out of the Tabernacle and anointed Solomon.
And they blew the trumpet, and all the people said: "God save King
Solomon!" And the people came up after him, rejoicing with music and
great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
Thus Solomon was established in his kingdom, and reigned over all
Israel and Judah.