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.
• New International Version (NIV)Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman 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 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

1Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm. 2Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” 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. 4The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her. 5Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before 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

People and places in 1 Kings 1:3

• Abishag
• Israel
• Shunammites

Cross-references for 1 Kings 1:3

• Esther 2:2Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king;
• 1 Kings 2:17Then he said, “Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.”
• Joshua 19:18And their territory went to Jezreel, and included Chesulloth, Shunem,
• 1 Samuel 28:4Then the Philistines gathered together, and came and encamped at Shunem. So Saul gathered all Israel together, and they encamped at Gilboa.
• 2 Kings 4:8Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.

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