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.
• New International Version (NIV)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!
• 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!

Context of 1 Kings 2:23

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!” Then King Solomon swore by Adonai saying: “May God do so to me and even more, if Adonijah does not pay with his own life for this request! 24Now therefore, as Adonai lives who has established me and set me on the throne of my father David, and who has made me a house as He promised, surely Adonijah shall be put to death this day.” 25Then King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada. He struck him down 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 word to him again saying, “May the gods do so to me and even more, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people at my feet.”
• Ruth 1:17Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May Adonai deal with me, and worse, if anything but death comes between me and you!”
• 1 Samuel 14:44“May God do so to me and even more,” Saul said. “You must surely die, Jonathan.”
• 2 Samuel 3:9May God do so to Abner and even more if, as Adonai has sworn to David, I don’t accomplish this for him—
• 2 Samuel 19:13‘You are my kinsmen, my bone and my flesh! Why then should you be the last to bring back the king?’
• 2 Kings 6:31Then he said, “May God do so to me and even more, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.”
• 2 Samuel 16:23Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was like inquiring for the word of God—so was all of Ahithophel’s counsel both with David and with Absalom.
• Psalms 64:8But God will shoot them with an arrow— suddenly their wounds will appear.
• Psalms 140:9Grant not, Adonai, the desires of the wicked. Do not let their evil plan succeed, or they will exalt themselves. Selah
• Proverbs 18:6The lips of a fool enter into an argument and his mouth invites a beating.
• Ecclesiastes 10:12Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but the lips of a fool destroy him.
• Luke 19:22He said to him, ‘By the words of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked slave! You knew that I am strict, taking what I did not make 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