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 she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife.” 22King Solomon answered his mother, “Why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my elder brother, you might as well ask the kingship for him, for the priest Abiathar, and for Joab son of Zeruiah.” Then King Solomon took an oath by the Lord: “May God punish me and do so severely if Adonijah has not made this request at the cost of his life. 24And now, as the Lord lives — the one who established me, seated me on the throne of my father David, and made me a dynasty as he promised — I swear Adonijah will be put to death today!” 25Then King Solomon dispatched Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
• swareשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• by the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• so to me, and more alsoיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
• if Adonijahאֲדֹנִיָּ֫הוּ'ădônîyâh 'ădônîyâhû · AdonijahH138
• have not spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• this wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• against his own lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315

Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:23

• 1 Kings 20:10Then Ben-hadad sent messengers to him and said, “May the gods punish me and do so severely if Samaria’s dust amounts to a handful for each of the people who follow me.”
• Ruth 1:17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.
• 1 Samuel 14:44Saul declared to him, “May God punish me and do so severely if you do not die, Jonathan!”
• 2 Samuel 3:9May God punish Abner and do so severely if I don’t do for David what the Lord swore to him:
• 2 Samuel 19:13And tell Amasa, ‘Aren’t you my flesh and blood? May God punish me and do so severely if you don’t become commander of my army from now on instead of Joab! ’”
• 2 Kings 6:31He announced, “May God punish me and do so severely if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.”
• 2 Samuel 16:23Now the advice Ahithophel gave in those days was like someone asking about a word from 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 work against them. All who see them will shake their heads.
• Psalms 140:9When those who surround me rise up, may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them.
• Proverbs 18:6A fool’s lips lead to strife, and his mouth provokes a beating.
• Ecclesiastes 10:12The words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, but the lips of a fool consume him.
• Luke 19:22“He told him, ‘I will condemn you by what you have said, you evil servant! If you knew I was a harsh man, collecting what I didn’t deposit and reaping what I didn’t 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
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Abishag
• Curse
• Fail
• Gone
• Return
• Heir

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