1 Kings 2:20

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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)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."
• 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.”

Context of 1 Kings 2:20

18And Bathsheba said, “Very well; I will speak to the king for you.” 19So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king stood to meet her, bowed to her, and sat on his throne; then he had a throne set up for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. Then she said, “I am making one small request of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you.” 21So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife.” 22But King Solomon answered and said to his mother, “And why are you requesting Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Request for him the kingdom as well--since he is my older brother--for him, for Abiathar the priest, and for Joab the son of Zeruiah!”

1 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

• Then she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I am makingשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• smallקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
• requestשְׁאֵלָהshe'êlâh shêlâh · petitionH7596
• refuseשׁוּבshûb · to return: refuseH7725
• me.” 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 to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.
• 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 18:19“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.
• Matthew 10:35For I came to turn a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
• Matthew 11:24Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you.”
• Luke 11:9“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
• John 14:13And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so 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 would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give 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

• Abishag
• Adonijah
• Bath-Sheba (Bathsheba)
• Children
• Intercession
• Shunammite

In the dictionaries

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