KJV ORIGINAL
Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Then Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, promoted himself and declared, 'I will be king!' He got chariots and cavalry ready, along with fifty men to run ahead of him as bodyguards.
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
Adonijah was making a power grab for the throne by declaring himself king and gathering an impressive military display to support his claim.
📚 Historical Context
This occurred near the end of King David's life when he was old and weak, creating uncertainty about succession. Adonijah was David's fourth son and felt he had a legitimate claim to the throne. However, David had already privately promised the kingdom to Solomon, his son with Bathsheba.
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