After being advised by Nâ•tânꞋ ha-Nâ•viꞋ, Queen Bat-ShëvꞋa went to the bedroom of the mëlꞋëkh. Because he was very old, he was being attended by Av•i•shagꞋ.
"How are you doing?" asked the mëlꞋëkh.
"A•don•iꞋ," Queen Bat-ShëvꞋa replied, "you swore by ä', your Ël•oh•imꞋ, to your maidservant saying, 'Only ShᵊlomꞋoh, your son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' Yet, look, A•don•iꞋyâhꞋu, has become mëlꞋëkh and you, a•don•iꞋ ha-mëlꞋëkh, didn't know. He has made his coronation banquet, sacrificing an ox and a fatling tzon for all of bᵊn•eiꞋ-ha-mëlꞋëkh, the Chief of Staff of the TzaꞋh"l, 4-star General Yo•âvꞋ and Ëv•yâ•târꞋ the Ko•heinꞋ ha-Jâ•dolꞋ — but your servant, Prince ShᵊlomꞋoh he didn't call. Now, a•don•iꞋ ha-mëlꞋëkh, every eye in Yi•sᵊr•â•eilꞋ is on you to reveal to them who will sit on the throne of a•don•iꞋ ha-mëlꞋëkh after you. As things are now, when a•don•iꞋ ha-mëlꞋëkh lies with his fathers, my son, ShᵊlomꞋoh, and I are kha•tâ•imꞋ."
While she was still speaking with the mëlꞋëkh, one of the servants announced the arrival of Nâ•tânꞋ ha-Nâ•viꞋ; so Queen Bat-ShëvꞋa left the room.
Then Nâ•tânꞋ ha-Nâ•viꞋ came in and bowed to the mëlꞋëkh saying, "A•don•iꞋ ha-mëlꞋëkh, did you authorize A•don•iꞋyâhꞋu, to reign after you and sit on your throne? For today he has gone down to make his coronation banquet, sacrificing an ox and a fatling tzon for all of bᵊn•eiꞋ-ha-mëlꞋëkh, the Chief of Staff of the TzaꞋh"l, 4-star General Yo•âvꞋ and Ëv•yâ•târꞋ the Ko•heinꞋ ha-Jâ•dolꞋ. And look, they're all eating and drinking before him and they've proclaimed 'Long live A•don•iꞋyâhꞋu, ha-mëlꞋëkh!' But, he didn't call me, your servant, nor Tzâ•doqꞋ the Ko•heinꞋ, nor Bᵊnâ•yâhꞋu Bën-Yᵊho•yâ•dâꞋ nor your son, ShᵊlomꞋoh. Can it be that this matter has come before A•don•iꞋ ha-mëlꞋëkh and you just didn't tell me, your servant, who shall sit on the throne of a•don•iꞋ ha-mëlꞋëkh after him?"
Then Dâ•widꞋ ha-MëlꞋëkh ordered that Queen Bat-ShëvꞋa be summoned to him. When she stood before him, ha-mëlꞋëkh swore saying, " ä' lives Who redeemed me from every trouble. For when I swore to you by ä' Ëlo•heiꞋ Yi•sᵊrâ•eilꞋ saying 'ShᵊlomꞋoh you son shall reign after me and he will sit on my throne in my place,' so — today — I shall fulfill it!"
Queen Bat-ShëvꞋa bowed before the mëlꞋëkh and said, "May a•don•iꞋ ha-mëlꞋëkh Dâ•widꞋ live forever."
Optional parental preparation:
Questions you might anticipate that your child might raise and be prepared to discuss: