1 Kings 1:1 kjv
Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat.
1 Kings 1:1 nkjv
Now King David was old, advanced in years; and they put covers on him, but he could not get warm.
1 Kings 1:1 niv
When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him.
1 Kings 1:1 esv
Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm.
1 Kings 1:1 nlt
King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm.
1 Kings 1 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 24:1 | Abraham was old, well advanced in years... | Example of "advanced in years" denoting old age. |
| Gen 35:29 | Isaac breathed his last and died, old and full of days... | Another patriarch "full of days". |
| Josh 13:1 | Joshua was old and advanced in years... | Transition of leadership due to aging. |
| 1 Kgs 2:1-2 | David's days approached that he should die... | Direct follow-up confirming David's impending death. |
| Ps 90:10 | The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble... | Reflection on human mortality and brevity of life. |
| Ps 39:4 | Make me to know my end and what is the measure of my days... | Prayer acknowledging human limitation and lifespan. |
| Job 42:17 | And Job died, an old man, full of days. | Righteous living associated with a full lifespan. |
| 2 Sam 7:12 | When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you... | God's promise of an enduring dynasty despite David's death. |
| 1 Chr 29:28 | David died at a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor... | Summarizes David's long and prosperous life. |
| Ecc 12:1-7 | Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near... | Poetic description of aging and physical decline. |
| Isa 40:30-31 | Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength... | Contrast human frailty with divine strength. |
| 2 Cor 12:9-10 | My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness... | God's strength manifested through human weakness. |
| Heb 11:34 | ...who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness... | Spiritual strength in overcoming physical limitations. |
| Rom 5:6 | For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. | Humanity's inherent spiritual weakness. |
| 2 Sam 15:1-12 | Absalom's rebellion and usurpation attempt... | Previous challenge to David's authority/succession. |
| 1 Kgs 1:5-6 | Adonijah exalts himself, saying, "I will be king"... | Immediate context: Adonijah’s bid for the throne facilitated by David’s weakness. |
| 1 Kgs 2:12 | So Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established. | Outcome of the succession narrative. |
| Prov 16:32 | Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. | Relates to wisdom/temperament vs. physical power in leadership. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’ | God's commitment to David's line irrespective of human fragility. |
| Luke 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever... | Prophetic fulfillment in Jesus, the ultimate Davidic heir. |
| Acts 2:29-30 | Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried...But since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne... | David's mortality paving the way for the eternal king, Jesus. |
| Rev 22:16 | “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” | Jesus confirms His Davidic lineage and ultimate authority. |
1 Kings 1 verses
1 Kings 1 1 Meaning
The opening verse of 1 Kings immediately establishes the physical condition of King David, emphasizing his advanced age and severe bodily decline. He is portrayed as frail, unable even to generate or retain body heat despite being heavily clothed. This vital detail serves as the dramatic premise, signifying the end of David's vigorous reign and highlighting the urgent need for a successor, thus setting the stage for the narrative of the Davidic dynasty's continuity and the impending succession crisis.
1 Kings 1 1 Context
First Kings 1:1 immediately plunges the reader into a critical period at the end of David's lengthy and eventful reign. The verse acts as a bridge, transitioning from the Book of 2 Samuel which details David's rise, reign, and moral failures, to the intricate story of succession in 1 Kings. Historically, David had been king for 40 years, uniting the tribes and establishing Jerusalem as the capital. His powerful leadership brought peace and prosperity, yet his later years were marred by internal family strife, including rebellions from his sons (Absalom in 2 Sam 15). Now, in 1 Kgs 1, his physical frailty underscores the reality that even the greatest king is mortal and subject to the ravages of age, thus creating a power vacuum and a scramble for the throne among his sons, particularly Adonijah. The survival of the kingdom and the fulfillment of God's covenant with David (2 Sam 7) depend on a smooth, divinely-ordained transition of leadership.
1 Kings 1 1 Word analysis
- Now King David: Introduces the central figure immediately, but the "Now" (וְהַמֶּלֶךְ / vehַmmέlek) signifies continuation from the previous narrative (2 Samuel) while indicating a new phase. It sets an urgent tone.
- was old: (זָקֵן / zaqen). This Hebrew word describes old age, often implying experience and wisdom, but here it is contrasted with severe physical weakness, stripping away any positive connotation of strength or continued vitality. It emphasizes an incapacitating senility rather than a graceful decline.
- and advanced in years: (בָּא בַּיָּמִים / ba ba'yamim). This idiomatic Hebrew phrase literally means "came in days" and is commonly used in the Old Testament to describe someone who has lived a full life (e.g., Abraham, Isaac, Joshua). However, in David’s case, it directly leads to the revelation of his extreme physical debility, underlining that his time of active leadership is indeed over. This is not just natural aging but an inability to function.
- and although they covered him with clothes: This detail illustrates the attendants' efforts to alleviate his condition and highlights the severity of his inability to regulate his own body temperature. It shows the limitation of human effort in the face of natural decline and prepares the reader for the drastic solution (Abishag) introduced next.
- he could not get warm: This is the critical punchline of the verse. It depicts a state of profound physical feebleness, possibly hypothermia or severe metabolic dysfunction. It underscores his complete incapacity to fulfill his kingly duties. The king’s physical 'coldness' mirrors the spiritual or political 'chill' of uncertainty gripping the nation without a clear, vibrant leader.
1 Kings 1 1 Bonus section
This seemingly simple medical detail is potent. In ancient cultures, a king's vitality was often linked to the nation's well-being. David's chilling frailty implied a chill within the kingdom itself. This verse not only highlights the king’s mortality but also subtly underscores the human limitations within God’s overarching plan. Even the greatest king cannot escape physical decay. This contrast paves the way for understanding that true, enduring strength and stability in Israel would not ultimately come from human power but from the covenant promises of the Almighty God, culminating in the reign of the Messiah, the perfect and eternal heir to David's throne.
1 Kings 1 1 Commentary
1 Kings 1:1 serves as a stark and deliberate literary device, shifting the reader's focus from David's illustrious past to his diminished present. The raw, almost uncomfortable detail of David’s inability to get warm—a basic biological function—is crucial. It instantly conveys the profound weakness of the reigning monarch, signaling not merely a personal illness but a systemic crisis of leadership. This physical vulnerability of the king dramatically opens the door for political intrigue and the scramble for the throne, demonstrating that human strength, even that of the legendary King David, is transient. The immediate problem is David's body, which in turn reflects a problem for the 'body politic' of Israel. This vulnerability compels the divine promise (2 Sam 7) to be tested, as God’s faithfulness must ensure the continuity of the Davidic dynasty even when its earthly embodiment is fading. The stage is set for a significant transition, forcing the question: who will God raise up now to sustain the kingdom?