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.
• 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!
• New Living Translation (NLT)Then King Solomon made a vow before the Lord: “May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request.

Context of 1 Kings 2:23

21So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.” 22King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother—yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!” 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! 24And now, as surely as the Lord lives—he who has established me securely on the throne of my father David and has founded a dynasty for me as he promised—Adonijah shall be put to death today!” 25So King Solomon gave orders to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he struck down Adonijah and 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• Solomonשְׁלֹמֹהshelômôh · SolomonH8010
• swareשָׁבַעshâba‛ · to swearH7650
• by the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• so to me, and more alsoיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
• if Adonijahאֲדֹנִיָּ֫הוּ'ădônîyâh 'ădônîyâhû · AdonijahH138
• have not spokenדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• this wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• against his own lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315

Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:23

• 1 Kings 20:10Then Ben-Hadad sent another message to Ahab: “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if enough dust remains in Samaria to give each of my men a handful.”
• Ruth 1:17Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”
• 1 Samuel 14:44Saul said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you do not die, Jonathan.”
• 2 Samuel 3:9May God deal with Abner, be it ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the Lord promised him on oath
• 2 Samuel 19:13And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my own flesh and blood? May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if you are not the commander of my army for life in place of Joab.’ ”
• 2 Kings 6:31He said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”
• 2 Samuel 16:23Now in those days the advice Ahithophel gave was like that of one who inquires of God. That was how both David and Absalom regarded all of Ahithophel’s advice.
• Psalms 64:8He will turn their own tongues against them and bring them to ruin; all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
• Psalms 140:9Those who surround me proudly rear their heads; may the mischief of their lips engulf them.
• Proverbs 18:6The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.
• Ecclesiastes 10:12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
• Luke 19:22“His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, 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