The following is the standard Haftorah for this week's Torah reading. However, various calendar-based considerations occasionally cause different Haftorahs to be substituted for the standard ones.

I Kings

Chapter 1

1. And king David was old, he came into his old age, and they covered him with clothes, but he was not warmed. 2. And his servants said to him, "Let them seek for my lord the king a young girl, a virgin, and she shall stand before the king, and she shall be to him a warmer, and she shall lie in your lap, and it shall be warm for my lord the king." 3. And they sought a beautiful young girl throughout the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunemitess and brought her to the king. 4. And the young girl was very beautiful, and she was a warmer to the king, and she ministered to him, but the king did not know her. 5. And Adoniahu the son of Haggith exalted himself saying: 'I will be king,' and he made for himself chariots and horsemen and fifty men to run before him. 6. And his father had not angered him all his days saying, "Why have you done so?" And he too was of very handsome appearance, and she bore him after Absalom. 7. And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah and with Abiathar the priest and they helped [by following] after Adoniahu. 8. And Zadok the priest and Benaiahu the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei and Rei, and the mighty men, who were with David, were not with Adoniahu. 9. And Adoniahu slew sheep and oxen and fatlings, by the stone of Zoheleth which is beside En-Rogel, and he called all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the men of Judah, the kings servants. 10. And Nathan the prophet and Benaiahu and the mighty men and his brother, Solomon, he did not call. 11. And Nathan said to Bath-Sheba, Solomon's mother, saying, "You have surely heard that Adoniahu the son of Haggith has reigned, and our lord, David, did not know [it]. 12. And now come and I shall council you with advice, and you shall save your life and the life of your son Solomon. 13. Go and come to king David, and you shall say to him, 'Surely, you, my lord the king, did swear to your maid saying that, 'Solomon your son will reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne,' Now why did Adoniahu reign?" 14. Behold, you are talking there with the king, and I shall come in after you and I shall complete your words." 15. And Bath Sheba came in unto the king, into the chamber; and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunemitess ministered the king. 16. And Bath-Sheba bowed her head, and prostrated herself unto the king, and the king said, "What is your [wish]?" 17. And she said to him, "My lord, you swore by the Lord your God to your maid, that, 'Solomon, your son, shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.' 18. And now, behold Adoniahu has reigned, and now my lord the king, you did not know. 19. And he has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance and he called all the king's sons and Abiathar the priest and Joab the general of the army, but Solomon, your servant, he did not call. 20. And you, my lord the king, the eyes of all Israel are upon you, that you should tell them, who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 21. And [otherwise] when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, and I and my son Solomon shall be [considered] offenders." 22. And behold, she was still speaking with the king, and Nathan the prophet came. 23. And they told the king saying, "Behold, Nathan the prophet." And he came in before the king and he prostrated himself unto the king upon his face, to the ground. 24. And Nathan said, "My lord the king, did you say 'Adoniahu shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my throne?'" 25. For he has gone down this day and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and he called all the King's sons, and the officers of the army, and Abiathar the priest, and behold they eat and drink before him, and they said, "Long live King Adoniahu." 26. And me, [even] me your servant, and Zadok the priest and Benaiahu the son of Yehoiada and Solomon, your servant, he did not call. 27. If this matter stems from my lord the king, [I wonder that] you have not informed your servant who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. 28. And king David answered and said, "Call Bath Sheba to me. And she came before the king and stood before the king. 29. And he swore and said, "[I swear as] God lives who redeemed my soul from all distress. 30. Indeed, as I swore to you by the Lord God of Israel saying, 'Surely Solomon, your son, shall reign after me and he shall sit on my throne in my stead,' surely, so will I do this day." 31. And Bath-Sheba bowed [her] face to the earth, and she prostrated herself to the king and said, "Let my lord King David live forever."

 

Please note: These Haftorah texts follow Chabad custom. Other communities could possibly read more, less, or a different section of the Prophets altogether. Please consult with your rabbi.