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 mighty men, or Solomon. 11But Nathan spoke to Bath-sheba, Solomon’s mother, saying: “Haven’t you heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has assumed the kingship—and our lord David doesn’t know it? Now come, please let me give you advice. Save your own life and the life of your son Solomon! 13Go at once to King David, and say to him: ‘My lord the king, haven’t you sworn to your handmaid, saying: “Surely your son Solomon will become king after me, and he will sit on my throne”? Then why does Adonijah reign?’ 14Behold, while you are still there talking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.”

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 11:14Without guidance people fall, with many counselors there is deliverance.
• Proverbs 20:18Plans are made by counsel, so wage war with guidance.
• Proverbs 27:9As ointment and perfume gladden the heart, so the sweetness of one’s friend comes from his sincere counsel.
• Jeremiah 38:15Jeremiah said to Zedekiah: “If I tell you, won’t you surely put me to death? Besides, if I give you counsel, you won’t listen to me.”
• 1 Kings 1:21Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered traitors.”
• Genesis 19:17When they brought them outside, one said, “Flee for your life! Do not look behind you, and do not stop anywhere in the surrounding area! Escape to the hills, or else you’ll be swept away!”
• Acts 27:31Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men remain on the ship, you cannot be saved!”
• Judges 9:5Then he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and slew his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, 70 men, on top of one stone. But Jotam, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, for he hid himself.
• 2 Kings 11:1Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring.
• 2 Chronicles 21:4Now when Jehoram had risen over his father’s kingdom and made himself strong, he slew all his brothers with the sword, along with some of the officers of Israel.
• 2 Chronicles 22:10Now when Athaliah, Azaiah’s mother, saw that her son had died, she arose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah.
• Matthew 21:38“But when the tenants saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir! Come on, 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