Berean Standard Bible
1 Kings 1:2
2So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.”
1 Kings 1:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.
- New International Version (NIV)So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Therefore his servants said to him, "Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm."
- New King James Version (NKJV)Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.”
Context of 1 Kings 1:2
1Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.” 3Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. 4The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.
Read all of 1 Kings 11 Kings 1:2 word by word
וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ ל֣וֹ עֲבָדָ֗יו יְבַקְשׁ֞וּ לַאדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ נַעֲרָ֣ה בְתוּלָ֔ה וְעָֽמְדָה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וּתְהִי־ל֖וֹ סֹכֶ֑נֶת וְשָׁכְבָ֣ה בְחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וְחַ֖ם לַאדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear
- So his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Let us search forבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
- a youngנַעֲרָהna‛ărâh · maidenH5291
- virginבְּתוּלָהbethûlâh · virginH1330
- for our lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- to attendעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- toפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- andהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- careסָכַןsâkan · be usefulH5532
- and lieשָׁכַבshâkab · to lie down: lay downH7901
- by his sideחֵיקchêyq chêq chôq · bosom: embraceH2436
- warmחָמַםchâmam · to warmH2552
Cross-references for 1 Kings 1:2
- Deuteronomy 10:8At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him, and to pronounce blessings in His name, as they do to this day.
- 1 Samuel 16:21When David came to Saul and entered his service, Saul loved him very much, and David became his armor-bearer.
- 2 Chronicles 29:11Now, my sons, do not be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to serve Him, to minister before Him, and to burn incense.”
- Genesis 16:5Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”
- Deuteronomy 13:6If your very own brother, or your son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your closest friend secretly entices you, saying, “Let us go and worship other gods” (which neither you nor your fathers have known,
- 2 Samuel 12:3but the poor man had nothing except one small ewe lamb that he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food and drank from his cup; it slept in his arms and was like a daughter to him.
- Micah 7:5Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
- Ecclesiastes 4:11Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?
Commentaries on 1 Kings 1:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Let there be sought - a young virgin - This was the best remedy which in his state could be prescribed. His nearly exhausted frame would infallibly absorb from her young and healthy body an additional portion of animal heat, and consequently trim and revive the flame of animal life. This is properly, as I have elsewhere expressed it, Friar Bacon's secret for the cure of old age.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Since the Jewish law allowed polygamy, David‘s conduct in following - what has been said to have been - physician‘s advice, was blameless.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3David was seventy years old (2 Samuel 5:4–5). He was weak, likely due to years of war and stress. He needed a young person to provide warmth. This was a medical remedy also mentioned in Josephus’s Antiquities and by the Greek doctor Galen. David's weakening strength encouraged Adonijah to try to make himself king.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-4Commentary by Robert Jamieson 1Ki 1:1-4. Abishag Cherishes David in His Extreme Age. 1-2. Now king David was old--He was in the seventieth year of his age (2Sa 5:4, 5). But the wear and tear of a military life, bodily fatigue, and mental care, had prematurely, if we may say it, exhausted the energies of David's strong constitution (1Sa 16:12). In modern Palestine and Egypt the people, owing to the heat of the climate, sleep each in a "separate" bed. They…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 1:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries