1 Kings 1:12

1 Kings 1:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.
• New International Version (NIV)Now then, let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Now therefore come, let me give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Come, please, let me now give you advice, that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

Context of 1 Kings 1:12

10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the elite warriors, or his brother Solomon. 11Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, “Has it been reported to you that Haggith’s son Adonijah has become king behind our master David’s back? Now let me give you some advice as to how you can save your life and your son Solomon’s life. 13Visit King David and say to him, ‘My master, O king, did you not solemnly promise your servant, “Surely your son Solomon will be king after me; he will sit on my throne”? So why has Adonijah become king?’ 14While you are still there speaking to the king, I will arrive and verify your report.”

1 Kings 1:12 word by word

וְעַתָּ֕ה לְכִ֛י אִיעָצֵ֥ךְ נָ֖א עֵצָ֑ה וּמַלְּטִי֙ אֶת־נַפְשֵׁ֔ךְ וְאֶת־נֶ֥פֶשׁ בְּנֵ֖ךְ שְׁלֹמֹֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Now therefore comeיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• let me, I pray thee, give thee counselעֵצָה‛êtsâh · counselH6098
• let me, I pray thee, give thee counselיָעַץyâ‛ats · to adviseH3289
• that thou mayest saveמָלַטmâlaţ · to escapeH4422
• thine own lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• of thy sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010

Cross-references for 1 Kings 1:12

• Proverbs 11:14When there is no guidance a nation falls, but there is success in the abundance of counselors.
• Proverbs 20:18Plans are established by counsel, so make war with guidance.
• Proverbs 27:9Ointment and incense make the heart rejoice, likewise the sweetness of one’s friend from sincere counsel.
• Jeremiah 38:15Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I answer you, you will certainly kill me. If I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”
• 1 Kings 1:21If a decision is not made, when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be considered state criminals.”
• Genesis 19:17When they had brought them outside, they said, “Run for your lives! Don’t look behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”
• Acts 27:31Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.”
• Judges 9:5He went to his father’s home in Ophrah and murdered his half-brothers, the seventy legitimate sons of Jerub-Baal, on one stone. Only Jotham, Jerub-Baal’s youngest son, escaped, because he hid.
• 2 Kings 11:1When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line.
• 2 Chronicles 21:4Jehoram took control of his father’s kingdom and became powerful. Then he killed all his brothers, as well as some of the officials of Israel.
• 2 Chronicles 22:10When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line of Judah.
• Matthew 21:38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’

Commentaries on 1 Kings 1:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Save thine own life, and the life of thy son - Nathan took for granted that Adonijah would put both Bath-sheba and Solomon to death as state criminals, if he got established on the throne. O cursed lust of rule! a father will destroy his son, a son depose his father, and a brother murder a brother, in order to obtain a crown! At this time the monarchy of Israel was unsettled; no man knew who was to succeed to the crown, and the minds of the people were as…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12It would have been in accordance with general Eastern custom for Solomon to suffer death, if Adonijah had succeeded in his attempt. But to have executed his mother also would have been an unusual severity. Still, such cases sometimes occurred: Cassander put to death Roxana, the widow of Alexander the Great, at the same time with her son, the young Alexander.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 11-31Verses 11-31 Observe Nathan's address to Bathsheba. Let me give thee counsel how to save thy own life, and the life of thy son. Such as this is the counsel Christ's ministers give us in his name, to give all diligence, not only that no man take our crown, Re 3:11, but that we save our lives, even the lives of our souls. David made a solemn declaration of his firm cleaving to his former resolution, that Solomon should be his successor. Even the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-14Bathsheba was Solomon’s mother and David’s favorite wife. Their affair caused the death of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah the Hittite (see 2 Samuel 11:1–27). Nathan, the prophet who shared God’s promise with David (2 Samuel 7:1–17) and announced God’s love for Solomon at his birth (2 Samuel 12:24–25), confirmed God’s choice of Solomon to become king after David (see 1 Chronicles 28:4–7). Although Nathan strongly criticized David for his affair with Bathsheba…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 11-2711-27. Nathan spake unto Bath-sheba ... let me ... give thee counsel, &c.--The revolt was defeated by this prophet, who, knowing the Lord's will (2Sa 7:12; 1Ch 22:9), felt himself bound, in accordance with his character and office, to take the lead in seeing it executed. Hitherto the succession of the Hebrew monarchy had not been settled. The Lord had reserved to Himself the right of nomination (De 17:15), which was acted upon in the appointments both of…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 1:12

• Bath-Sheba (Bathsheba)
• Civil Service
• Nathan
• Politics
• Solomon
• Statecraft

In the dictionaries

• Solomon
• Account
• Adonijah
• Assuredly
• Cherish
• David
• Abiathar
• Abishag
• 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