VERSE STUDY • KJV

1 Kings 1:1-4

¹ Now king David was old [and] stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. ² Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. ³ So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ⁴ And the damsel [was] very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

Read it in 5 translations

KJV King James Version

¹ Now king David was old [and] stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. ² Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. ³ So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ⁴ And the damsel [was] very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

BSB Berean Standard Bible

¹ Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. ² So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.” ³ Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. ⁴ The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.

WEB World English Bible

¹ Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he couldn’t keep warm. ² Therefore his servants said to him, “Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin. Let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.” ³ So they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ⁴ The young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king didn’t know her intimately.

ASV American Standard Version

¹ Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. ² Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. ³ So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ⁴ And the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

¹ And king David is old, entering into days, and they cover him with garments, and he hath no heat, ² and his servants say to him, ‘Let them seek for my lord the king a young woman, a virgin, and she hath stood before the king, and is to him a companion, and hath lain in thy bosom, and my lord the king hath heat.’ ³ And they seek a fair young woman in all the border of Israel, and find Abishag the Shunammite, and bring her in to the king, ⁴ and the young woman is very very fair, and she is to the king a companion, and serveth him, and the king hath not known her.

Surrounding context — 1 Kings 1

1 Now king David was old [and] stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.

2 Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

3 So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

4 And the damsel [was] very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

5 Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

6 And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also [was a] very goodly [man]; and [his mother] bare him after Absalom.

7 And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped [him].

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