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 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!” Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, “May God do so to me and more so, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life! 24Now then, as the Lord lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and has made me a house just as He promised, Adonijah certainly shall be put to death today!” 25Then King Solomon sent the order by Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; and he struck him so that 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
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• May Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• soכֹּהkôh · thusH3541
• to me and moreיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
• ifכִּיkîy · forH3588
• Adonijahאֲדֹנִיָּ֫הוּ'ădônîyâh 'ădônîyâhû · AdonijahH138
• not spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• thisזֶהzeh · thisH2088
• wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315

Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:23

• 1 Kings 20:10Ben-hadad sent word to him and said, “May the gods do so to me and more so, if the dust of Samaria will be enough for handfuls for all the people who follow me.”
• Ruth 1:17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord do so to me, and worse, if anything but death separates me from you.”
• 1 Samuel 14:44And Saul said, “May God do the same to me and more also, for you shall certainly die, Jonathan!”
• 2 Samuel 3:9May God do so to me, and more so, if as the Lord has sworn to David, I do not accomplish this for him:
• 2 Samuel 19:13And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more so, if you will not be commander of the army for me continually, in place of Joab.’”
• 2 Kings 6:31Then he said, “May God do so to me and more so, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.”
• 2 Samuel 16:23Now the advice of Ahithophel, which he gave in those days, was taken as though one inquired of the word of God; so was all the advice of Ahithophel regarded by both David and Absalom.
• Psalms 64:8So they will make him stumble; Their own tongue is against them; All who see them will shake their heads.
• Psalms 140:9“As for the head of those who surround me, May the harm of their lips cover them.
• Proverbs 18:6A fool’s lips bring strife, And his mouth invites beatings.
• Ecclesiastes 10:12Words from the mouth of a wise person are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him;
• Luke 19:22He said to him, ‘From your own lips I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down, 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