1 ⁵ Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king"; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. 1 ⁶ His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, "Why have you done thus and so?" He was also a very handsome man; and he was born next after Absalom. 1 ⁷ He conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest; and they followed Adonijah and helped him. 1 ⁸ But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and David's mighty men were not with Adonijah.

1 ⁹ Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatlings by the Serpent's Stone, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, 1 ¹⁰ but he did not invite Nathan the prophet or Benaiah or the mighty men or Solomon his brother.