1 Kings 2:23

1 Kings 2:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.
• New International Version (NIV)Then King Solomon swore by the Lord: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request!
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, "God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life!
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life!

Context of 1 Kings 2:23

21So Bathsheba said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.” 22King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!” Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life. 24And now, as surely as the LORD lives—the One who established me, who set me on the throne of my father David, and who founded for me a dynasty as He promised—surely Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and he died.

1 Kings 2:23 word by word

וַיִּשָּׁבַע֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ שְׁלֹמֹ֔ה בַּֽיהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּ֣ה יַֽעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֤י אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֔יף כִּ֣י בְנַפְשׁ֔וֹ דִּבֶּר֙ אֲדֹ֣נִיָּ֔הוּ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear

• Then Kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
• sworeשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• by the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• by the LORDאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• May Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• punishכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
• punishעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• severelyיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
• ifכִּיkîy · forH3588
• Adonijahאֲדֹנִיָּ֫הוּ'ădônîyâh 'ădônîyâhû · AdonijahH138
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• has not madeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• requestדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• at the expense of his lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315

Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:23

• 1 Kings 20:10Then Ben-hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if enough dust remains of Samaria for each of my men to have a handful.”
• Ruth 1:17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD punish me, and ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”
• 1 Samuel 14:44And Saul declared, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if you, Jonathan, do not surely die!”
• 2 Samuel 3:9May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:
• 2 Samuel 19:13And say to Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me, and ever so severely, if from now on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”
• 2 Kings 6:31He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!”
• 2 Samuel 16:23Now in those days the advice of Ahithophel was like the consultation of the word of God. Such was the regard that both David and Absalom had for Ahithophel’s advice.
• Psalms 64:8They will be made to stumble, their own tongues turned against them. All who see will shake their heads.
• Psalms 140:9May the heads of those who surround me be covered in the trouble their lips have caused.
• Proverbs 18:6A fool’s lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.
• Ecclesiastes 10:12The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
• Luke 19:22His master replied, ‘You wicked servant, I will judge you by your own words. So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?

Commentaries on 1 Kings 2:23

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Against his own life - Adonijah had forfeited his life by his former conduct, and his pardon had been merely conditional 1 Kings 1:52.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-25Verses 12-25 Solomon received Bathsheba with all the respect that was owing to a mother; but let none be asked for that which they ought not to grant. It ill becomes a good man to prefer a bad request, or to appear in a bad cause. According to eastern customs it was plain that Adonijah sought to be king, by his asking for Abishag as his wife, and Solomon could not be safe while he lived. Ambitious, turbulent spirits commonly prepare death for themselves…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 22-25Adonijah broke his agreement to submit to Solomon (1 Kings 1:52–53). So the king told Benaiah to execute him (see 1 Kings 1:8, 26, 38).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 23-2523-25. God do so to me, and more also--the common form of introducing a solemn oath. if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life--Whether there was a treasonable design to conceal under this request or not, the act, according to Eastern notions, was criminal, and of dangerous consequence to the state. There is no ground of censure upon Solomon for cruelty or precipitation in this instance. He had pardoned Adonijah's former conspiracy; but…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 2:23

• Abishag
• Adonijah
• Falsehood
• Fratricide
• Government
• Homicide
• Intercession
• Oath
• Shunammite

In the dictionaries

• Adonijah
• God
• Solomon
• Abishag
• Curse
• Fail
• Gone
• Return
• Heir
• Israel, History of

Commentaries on 1 Kings 2

• 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