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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• 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

1When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. 2So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.” Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. 4The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her. 5Now Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith, put himself forward and said, “I will be king.” So he got chariots and horses ready, with fifty men to run ahead of 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 personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.
• 1 Kings 2:17So he continued, “Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”
• Joshua 19:18Their territory included: Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem,
• 1 Samuel 28:4The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.
• 2 Kings 4:8One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat.

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