English Standard Version
1 Kings 2:20
20Then she said, "I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me." And the king said to her, "Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you."
1 Kings 2:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
- New International Version (NIV)“I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.” The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “I hope you won’t turn me down.” “What is it, my mother?” he asked. “You know I won’t refuse you.”
Context of 1 Kings 2:20
18Bathsheba said, "Very well; I will speak for you to the king." 19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat on his throne and had a seat brought for the king's mother, and she sat on his right. Then she said, "I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me." And the king said to her, "Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you." 21She said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife." 22King Solomon answered his mother, "And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also, for he is my older brother, and on his side are Abiathar the priest and Joab the son of Zeruiah."
Read all of 1 Kings 21 Kings 2:20 word by word
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שְׁאֵלָ֨ה אַחַ֤ת קְטַנָּה֙ אָֽנֹכִי֙ שֹׁאֶ֣לֶת מֵֽאִתָּ֔ךְ אַל־תָּ֖שֶׁב אֶת־פָּנָ֑י וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֤הּ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ שַׁאֲלִ֣י אִמִּ֔י כִּ֥י לֹֽא־אָשִׁ֖יב אֶת־פָּנָֽיִךְ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I desireשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- smallקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- petitionשְׁאֵלָהshe'êlâh shêlâh · petitionH7596
- sayשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- meפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- my motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:20
- Matthew 20:20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.
- John 2:3When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."
- Matthew 7:7"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
- Matthew 18:19Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
- Matthew 10:35For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
- Matthew 11:24But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."
- Luke 11:9And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
- John 14:13Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
- John 15:16You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 2:20
- 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. 19-21Solomon realized Adonijah's true intentions with his small request. Adonijah wanted to marry Abishag to strengthen his claim to the throne, regardless of her status in David's harem.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2019-20. Bath-sheba ... went unto King Solomon--The filial reverence and the particular act of respect, which Solomon rendered, were quite in accordance with the sentiments and customs of the East. The right hand is the place of honor; and as it expressly said to have been assigned to "the king's mother," it is necessary to remark that, when a husband dies, his widow acquires a higher dignity and power, as a mother over her son, than she ever possessed…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 2:20
In the dictionaries
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
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Commentaries