1 Kings 2 17

1 Kings 2:17 kjv

And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

1 Kings 2:17 nkjv

Then he said, "Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife."

1 Kings 2:17 niv

So he continued, "Please ask King Solomon?he will not refuse you?to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."

1 Kings 2:17 esv

And he said, "Please ask King Solomon ? he will not refuse you ? to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."

1 Kings 2:17 nlt

He replied, "Speak to King Solomon on my behalf, for I know he will do anything you request. Ask him to let me marry Abishag, the girl from Shunem."

1 Kings 2 verses

1 Kings 2 17 Meaning

This verse describes Bathsheba, the mother of King Solomon, relaying a seemingly humble request from Adonijah. Adonijah desired to marry Abishag the Shunammite. However, within the cultural context of ancient Near Eastern monarchies, possessing a woman closely associated with a deceased king, such as Abishag who had been King David's companion in his final days, was a subtle but profound act implying a claim to the throne itself. Thus, this apparently simple marital plea was, in fact, Adonijah's final, astute, and treasonous attempt to symbolically assert his right to Solomon's kingdom.

1 Kings 2 17 Context

Chapter Context: 1 Kings chapter 2 details King David's final charge to his son Solomon, instructing him to walk in God's ways and wisely deal with various individuals. After David's death, Solomon takes the throne and swiftly begins to consolidate his power. This involves acting decisively against those who previously challenged his claim to kingship. Adonijah, who had earlier attempted to usurp the throne (1 Kgs 1), now makes a new, seemingly innocent request through Bathsheba concerning Abishag. Solomon, discerning the true intent behind this seemingly innocuous request, interprets it as a final act of rebellion, leading to Adonijah's execution and Solomon's full establishment as the undisputed monarch of Israel.

Historical/Cultural Context: In the ancient Near East, possession of a king's concubines or wives was a widely recognized symbolic act signifying legitimate succession or seizure of the former king's authority. For instance, Absalom publicly lay with David's concubines to demonstrate his claim to the throne (2 Sam 16:21-22). While Abishag was likely not a formal concubine (David had no relations with her, 1 Kgs 1:4), her intimate association with King David as his nurse and companion in his final days, sharing his bed (albeit chastely), undeniably linked her to the royal person and household. For Adonijah to take her as a wife would therefore be seen as appropriating a part of David's royal sphere, subtly declaring his own right to the king's heritage and throne, directly challenging Solomon's rule. Kings carefully guarded their harams as a significant symbol of their power and dominion.

1 Kings 2 17 Word analysis

• And she said (וַתֹּאמֶר - vattō'mer): Refers to Bathsheba, King Solomon's mother. Her role as an intermediary (Queen Mother) was highly influential and was Adonijah's strategic choice for this politically charged request.
• "Please (נָא - nā') let him speak (יְדַבֵּר־נָא - yĕdabbēr-nā') to King Solomon": This phrase emphasizes politeness and humility in the direct address to the king, giving the impression of a deferential request. This respectful framing subtly hides the profound challenge within the request.
• "that he may give him (וְיִתֶּן־לֽוֹ - vĕyitten-lō) Abishag the Shunammite": "Give him" implies a transfer of possession or authority from Solomon. "Abishag the Shunammite" identifies her as the specific object of the request. "Shunammite" denotes her origin, Shunem, but more importantly, her recent and intimate connection to King David is paramount. Her selection (1 Kgs 1:1-4) placed her firmly within the royal household, despite not being a queen or formal concubine in a sexual sense.
• "as a wife (לְאִשָּׁה - lĕʾiššāh)": The stated purpose of the request. On the surface, it is a personal marriage petition. However, its political significance overrides any pretense of a simple union.
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "Please let him speak to King Solomon": This polite address is deceptive. Adonijah uses Bathsheba's influence and proximity to Solomon to present a request that sounds humble, thereby concealing his deeper, seditious intent.
  • "that he may give him Abishag the Shunammite as a wife": This seemingly simple statement conceals a weighty political claim. The "giving" of a woman from the former king's personal care, specifically one who had shared David's chamber, to Adonijah (a former challenger for the throne), directly implied Adonijah's intention to assert his status, perhaps even his right to rule, by symbolically inheriting part of David's royal legacy.

1 Kings 2 17 Bonus section

• Abishag's Significance: Although 1 Kings 1:4 clarifies David "had no sexual relations with her," Abishag's proximity and function (keeping David warm and nursing him) placed her in a unique, quasi-royal status. She was not merely a servant but an intimate personal attendant of the monarch, residing in his most private spaces. Her possession by anyone would thus confer a degree of royal connection or inheritance, irrespective of any sexual history with the previous king.
• Bathsheba's Vulnerability: Bathsheba's agreement to present Adonijah's request might suggest a maternal compassion or a misjudgment of the depth of Adonijah's scheme. Given her previous efforts to secure Solomon's throne, it is less likely she actively supported Adonijah's ambition and more likely that Adonijah masterfully manipulated her (and King David, indirectly, by invoking him).
• Solomon's Sovereignty: This episode underscores Solomon's divine anointing and complete control over his kingdom. His immediate understanding of Adonijah's underlying motives and his swift execution demonstrate that no challenge, however subtle or seemingly benign, to his God-given authority would be tolerated. It shows that legitimate kingship, as established by God, demanded absolute loyalty and brooked no rivals.

1 Kings 2 17 Commentary

1 Kings 2:17 encapsulates a critical moment in Solomon's consolidation of power. Adonijah's request, subtly framed through Bathsheba, for Abishag as his wife, was not a plea for romantic companionship but a strategic political maneuver. In ancient Near Eastern monarchies, the wives and concubines of a king were considered part of the royal inheritance and power. For an ambitious rival like Adonijah, who had already attempted to usurp the throne, to acquire Abishag, David's intimate companion (even if chaste), would signal a direct continuation of David's line of authority and serve as a veiled challenge to Solomon's legitimacy. Solomon, possessing divine wisdom, immediately saw through this pretense of a marital request to the underlying and dangerous political challenge. His swift, uncompromising response to this apparent final threat confirmed his absolute authority and secured his kingdom against any remaining challengers to his divinely ordained rule.