From the Death of Saul to the Death of David - Flavius Josephus

4. Now the fourth son of David was a beautiful young man, and tall,
born to him of Haggith his wife. He was named Adonijah, and was in his
disposition like to Absalom; and exalted himself as hoping to be king, and
told his friends that he ought to take the government upon him. He also
prepared many chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. When
his father saw this, he did not reprove him, nor restrain him from his
purpose, nor did he go so far as to ask wherefore he did so. Now Adonijah
had for his assistants Joab the captain of the army, and Abiathar the high
priest; and the only persons that opposed him were Zadok the high priest,
and the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah, who was captain of the guards, and
Shimei, David's friend, with all the other most mighty men. Now Adonijah
had prepared a supper out of the city, near the fountain that was in the king's
paradise, and had invited all his brethren except Solomon, and had taken
with him Joab the captain of the army, and: Abiathar, and the rulers of the
tribe of Judah, but had not invited to this feast either Zadok the high priest,
or Nathan the prophet, or Benaiah the captain of the guards, nor any of those
of the contrary party. This matter was told by Nathan the prophet to
Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, that Adonijah was king, and that David knew
nothing of it; and he advised her to save herself and her son Solomon, and to
go by herself to David, and say to him, that he had indeed sworn that
Solomon should reign after him, but that in the mean time Adonijah had
already taken the kingdom. He said that he, the prophet himself, would come
after her, and when she had spoken thus to the king, would confirm what she
had said. Accordingly Bathsheba agreed with Nathan, and went in to the king
and worshipped him, and when she had desired leave to speak with him, she
told him all things in the manner that Nathan had suggested to her; and
related what a supper Adonijah had made, and who they were whom he had
invited; Abiathar the and Joab the general, and David's sons, excepting
Solomon and his intimate friends. She also said that all the people had their
eyes upon him, to know whom he would choose for their king. She desired
him also to consider how, after his departure, Adonijah, if he were king,
would slay her and her son Solomon.
79