1 Kings 1:17 kjv
And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.
1 Kings 1:17 nkjv
Then she said to him, "My lord, you swore by the LORD your God to your maidservant, saying, 'Assuredly Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.'
1 Kings 1:17 niv
She said to him, "My lord, you yourself swore to me your servant by the LORD your God: 'Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne.'
1 Kings 1:17 esv
She said to him, "My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, saying, 'Solomon your son shall reign after me, and he shall sit on my throne.'
1 Kings 1:17 nlt
She replied, "My lord, you made a vow before the LORD your God when you said to me, 'Your son Solomon will surely be the next king and will sit on my throne.'
1 Kings 1 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Divine Oath & Covenant | ||
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | 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 eternal dynasty for David. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with My chosen one, I have sworn to David My servant... | God's oath confirming the Davidic Covenant. |
| Ps 89:34-37 | My covenant I will not violate... once for all I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. | God's immutable promise to David's lineage. |
| Ps 132:11-12 | The Lord swore to David a sure oath... "One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne." | God's specific oath regarding a bodily heir on the throne. |
| Kingship & Succession | ||
| 1 Chr 22:9-10 | Behold, a son shall be born to you; he shall be a man of rest... his name shall be Solomon... he shall build a house for My name. | David instructed by God about Solomon's role. |
| 1 Chr 28:5-6 | Of all my sons... He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne... and said to me, 'Solomon your son shall build My house... | David acknowledges God's choice of Solomon. |
| 1 Kgs 2:24 | Now therefore, as the Lord lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father... | Solomon reaffirms God's establishment of his reign. |
| 1 Chr 29:1 | Then King David said... "My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen..." | David emphasizes God's direct selection of Solomon. |
| Ps 2:6 | "As for Me, I have installed My King on Zion, My holy mountain." | God's sovereign installation of His chosen king. |
| The Throne & Davidic Line | ||
| Jer 33:17 | For thus says the Lord: "David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel." | Prophecy of an unbroken Davidic line on the throne. |
| Lk 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High... the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. | Fulfillment in Christ, the ultimate Davidic heir. |
| Acts 2:29-30 | Brothers, I may confidently say to you... that God had sworn with an oath to him that He would seat one of his descendants on his throne. | Peter applies Davidic covenant to Jesus. |
| Isa 9:7 | There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over His kingdom... | Prophecy of the Messiah's eternal reign on David's throne. |
| Rev 3:21 | He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. | Heavenly throne shared by Christ and believers. |
| Importance of Oaths | ||
| Num 30:2 | If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath... he shall not break his word. | Law emphasizing the binding nature of vows and oaths. |
| Deut 23:21-23 | When you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay to pay it... | Imperative to fulfill oaths made to God. |
| Ps 15:4 | ...who swears to his own hurt and does not change... | Characteristic of a righteous person. |
| Ecc 5:4-5 | When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it... Better not to vow than to vow and not pay. | Caution against failing to fulfill vows. |
| Mt 5:33-37 | But I say to you, make no oaths at all... But let your statement be 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'... | Jesus' teaching on integrity in speech, fulfilling vows. |
| Jas 5:12 | But above all, my brothers, do not swear... but let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No' be 'No'. | Emphasizing truthfulness and keeping words. |
1 Kings 1 verses
1 Kings 1 17 Meaning
Bathsheba, appealing to King David, reminded him of his solemn oath sworn by the Lord, confirming that their son Solomon was designated to reign after David and sit upon his royal throne. This declaration was made at a critical moment when Adonijah was attempting to seize the kingship, highlighting the urgency and divine nature of David's earlier promise concerning Solomon's succession.
1 Kings 1 17 Context
1 Kings 1:17 is embedded within the critical opening chapter of 1 Kings, which narrates the contest for succession to David's throne. King David is old and weak, no longer actively governing. His fourth son, Adonijah, attempts to claim the throne through a lavish coronation feast, bypassing the known divine appointment of Solomon and without David's explicit approval or the counsel of key figures like Nathan the prophet or Zadok the priest. Bathsheba's visit, strategically timed and facilitated by Nathan, serves as a direct intervention. This verse is her crucial appeal, reminding David of his solemn, God-attested oath, laying the groundwork for Solomon's eventual anointing and kingship. It highlights the tension between human ambition and divine will, with the aging king's memory and will being the decisive factor in this transition of power.
1 Kings 1 17 Word analysis
- She said: (Bathsheba) Indicates direct and active involvement in political affairs to secure her son's future. Her speaking signals a moment of critical persuasion.
- to him, 'My lord: "To him" refers to King David. "My lord" (Hebrew: ʾăḏōnî, אדֹנִי) is a formal, respectful address given to a king or superior, acknowledging David's authority even in his weakened state.
- you swore: (Hebrew: nišbaʿtā, נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ) This is the Hiphil perfect form of the verb "to swear," implying a definite and completed action. An oath, unlike a mere promise, invokes a divine witness or curse if broken, making it extremely binding. David's swearing implies a covenantal seriousness.
- by the Lord your God: (Hebrew: Yahweh ʾělōhêkā, יהוה אֱלֹהֶיךָ) Crucially, the oath was sworn not by David's own power or word, but by Yahweh, the personal covenant God of Israel. This elevates the oath to divine command and establishes God's direct involvement in the succession. It implies accountability before God for its fulfillment.
- to your servant: (Hebrew: leʾamātēḵā, לַאֲמָתֶךָ) Bathsheba refers to herself as "your maidservant" despite her intimate relationship with David as his wife and the queen mother of the presumptive heir. This humble self-designation reinforces David's royal authority and seeks to elicit his benevolent attention, strengthening her appeal. It's a calculated rhetorical move.
- saying, "Assuredly: (Hebrew: kî ʾāmōr ʾāmartā, כי אמר אמרת) This is a strong emphatic construction using the infinitive absolute ʾāmōr before the finite verb ʾāmartā, meaning "you surely said" or "you indeed said." It emphasizes the absolute certainty and irrefutability of the promise, recalling the specific content of the oath David made.
- Solomon your son: Naming Solomon specifically is vital. It eliminates any ambiguity about the successor, counteracting Adonijah's claim. The "your son" highlights the paternal promise to a direct descendant.
- shall reign after me: A direct statement of succession, establishing the next king. This is the core of the oath's political impact.
- and he shall sit on my throne: Sitting on the throne (Hebrew: kisseʾ, כִּסֵּא) is the quintessential symbol of kingship and sovereign authority. It signifies not just taking power but inheriting the legitimate position and legacy of the previous monarch, emphasizing continuity of the dynasty. This phrase connects to the enduring promise of the Davidic covenant regarding a perpetual line on the throne.
1 Kings 1 17 Bonus section
The scene involving Bathsheba's reminder, quickly followed by Nathan's identical yet separately framed reminder to David (1 Kgs 1:11-14, 20), is a sophisticated literary and rhetorical device. This double approach reinforces the urgent threat of Adonijah's rebellion and emphasizes the solemnity and divine backing of David's original promise. It effectively 'boxes in' David, compelling him to act decisively. This event is a crucial turning point, confirming Solomon's position by divine will, which was communicated through the prophet Nathan much earlier (e.g., 2 Sam 12:24-25, 1 Chr 22:9). The vulnerability of David due to old age highlights the necessity of divine intervention and fidelity to prophetic revelation for legitimate leadership.
1 Kings 1 17 Commentary
1 Kings 1:17 encapsulates Bathsheba's powerful and pivotal appeal to David. By invoking David's divinely sworn oath concerning Solomon's succession, she frames the issue not as a personal desire but as a matter of sacred promise and God's will. The use of "the Lord your God" underscores the theological weight and binding nature of David's word, challenging any alternative claims to the throne as an affront to divine order. This verse strategically uses legal, moral, and spiritual authority to confront the political crisis. It highlights the significance of keeping divine promises, especially in matters of royal lineage which were seen as crucial for the stability and well-being of the nation. It serves as a reminder that the true king is one established by God's decree, even when human machinations seek to override it.