1 Kings 2:20

1 Kings 2:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
• New International Version (NIV)“I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.” The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then she said, "I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me." And the king said to her, "Make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then she said, “I desire one small petition of you; do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “Ask it, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”

Context of 1 Kings 2:20

18“Very well,” said Bath-sheba, “I will speak to the king for you.” 19So Bath-sheba went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah. The king rose up to greet her and bowed down to her. Then he sat down on his throne and had a throne set up for the king’s mother, and she sat at his right hand. Then she said: “I ask one small petition of you; do not deny.” “Ask, my mother,” the king said to her, “for I will not turn you down.” 21So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as wife.” 22King Solomon answered and said to his mother: “So why are you asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom as well—for he is my older brother—for him and for Abiathar the kohen, and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”

1 Kings 2:20 word by word

וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שְׁאֵלָ֨ה אַחַ֤ת קְטַנָּה֙ אָֽנֹכִי֙ שֹׁאֶ֣לֶת מֵֽאִתָּ֔ךְ אַל־תָּ֖שֶׁב אֶת־פָּנָ֑י וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֤הּ הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ שַׁאֲלִ֣י אִמִּ֔י כִּ֥י לֹֽא־אָשִׁ֖יב אֶת־פָּנָֽיִךְ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• I desireשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• smallקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
• petitionשְׁאֵלָהshe'êlâh shêlâh · petitionH7596
• sayשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• meפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• And the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• my motherאֵם'êm · motherH517

Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:20

• Matthew 20:20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came with her sons to Yeshua, and she was kneeling down and asking something from Him.
• John 2:3When the wine ran out, Yeshua’s mother said to Him, “They don’t have any wine!”
• Matthew 7:7“Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you.
• Matthew 18:19Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father in heaven.
• Matthew 10:35For I have come to set ‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
• Matthew 11:24Nevertheless I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you.”
• Luke 11:9“So I say to you, ‘Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you.
• John 14:13And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
• John 15:16“You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I selected you so that you would go and produce fruit, and your fruit would remain. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 2:20

• 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. 19-21Solomon realized Adonijah's true intentions with his small request. Adonijah wanted to marry Abishag to strengthen his claim to the throne, regardless of her status in David's harem.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2019-20. Bath-sheba ... went unto King Solomon--The filial reverence and the particular act of respect, which Solomon rendered, were quite in accordance with the sentiments and customs of the East. The right hand is the place of honor; and as it expressly said to have been assigned to "the king's mother," it is necessary to remark that, when a husband dies, his widow acquires a higher dignity and power, as a mother over her son, than she ever possessed…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 2:20

• Abishag
• Adonijah
• Bath-Sheba (Bathsheba)
• Children
• Intercession
• Shunammite

In the dictionaries

• Abishag
• Adonijah
• Curse
• Fail
• Gone
• Return
• Solomon
• Heir
• Israel, History of
• Kings, Books 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