1 Kings 1:3

1 Kings 1:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
• New International Version (NIV)Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
• New Living Translation (NLT)So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king.

Context of 1 Kings 1:3

1Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. 2Therefore 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." So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not. 5Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." And he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

1 Kings 1:3 word by word

וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙ נַעֲרָ֣ה יָפָ֔ה בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֣וּל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיִּמְצְא֗וּ אֶת־אֲבִישַׁג֙ הַשּׁ֣וּנַמִּ֔ית וַיָּבִ֥אוּ אֹתָ֖הּ לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• So they soughtבָּקַשׁbâqash · to seekH1245
• for a fairיָפֶהyâpheh · beautifulH3303
• damselנַעֲרָהna‛ărâh · maidenH5291
• throughout all the coastsגְּבוּלgebûl gebûl · border: areaH1366
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• and foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• Abishagאֲבִישַׁג'ăbîyshag · AbishagH49
• a Shunammiteשׁוּנַמִּיתshûnammîyth · ShunammiteH7767
• and broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• her to the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428

Cross-references for 1 Kings 1:3

• Esther 2:2Then the king's young men who attended him said, "Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king.
• 1 Kings 2:17And he said, "Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."
• Joshua 19:18Their territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem,
• 1 Samuel 28:4The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem. And Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa.
• 2 Kings 4:8One day Elisha went on to Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to eat some food. So whenever he passed that way, he would turn in there to eat food.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 1:3

• 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. 33. a Shunammite--Shunem, in the tribe of Issachar (Jos 19:18), lay on an eminence in the plain of Esdraelon, five miles south of Tabor. It is now called Sulam. 1Ki 1:5-31. Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 1:3

• Abishag
• David
• Diplomacy
• Shunammite
• Shunem

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Abishag
• Account
• Assuredly
• Cherish
• Shunammite
• Solomon
• Adonijah
• Chronicles, Books of
• En-Rogel

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