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1 Kings

David's Charge to Solomon and Death

2
Chapter 2
1 The days of David drew near to die, and he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 I am walking in the way of all the earth. Be strong and be a man. 3 And you shall keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Torah of Moses, so that you will prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. 4 so that the LORD may establish his word which he spoke to me, saying, "If your sons keep their way to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul," saying, "not a man of yours shall be cut off from upon the throne of Israel." 5 And you also know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, what he did to the two commanders of armies of Israel, to Abner son of Ner and to Amasa son of Jether, and he killed them and he placed bloods of warfare in peace and he put bloods of warfare in his belt that was on his loins and in his sandal that was on his feet. 6 And act according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down in peace to Sheol. 7 And to the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite you shall do loyal love, and they shall be among the eaters of your table, for so they drew near to me in my fleeing from the face of Absalom your brother. 8 And look, Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from the select ones, is with your people, and he cursed me with an intensified curse on the day I went down from the camp. And he descended to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, "If I put you to death by the sword." 9 Now do not acquit him, for you are a wise man and you know what to do to him and bring his gray hair down in the blood of Saul. 10 David lay down with his fathers and was buried in the city of David. 11 And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: in Hebron he reigned seven years, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years. 12 And Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established.