1 Kings 1:2 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."

◄ 1 Kings 1:2 ►

New International Version
So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.”

New Living Translation
So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.”

English Standard Version
Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.”

Berean Standard Bible
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.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.”

New American Standard Bible
So his servants said to him, “Have them search for a young virgin for my lord the king, and have her attend the king and become his nurse; and have her lie on your chest, so that my lord the king may keep warm.”

NASB 1995
So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her attend the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”

NASB 1977
So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her attend the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”

Legacy Standard Bible
So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her stand before the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”

Amplified Bible
So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be found for my lord the king and let her attend him and become his nurse; let her lie against your chest, so that my lord the king may feel warm.”

Christian Standard Bible
So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for my lord the king. She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So his servants said to him: “Let us search for a young virgin for my lord the king. She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
His officials said, "Your Majesty, we will look for a young woman to take care of you. She can lie down beside you and keep you warm."

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
His officials told him, "Your Majesty, let us search for a young woman who has never been married. She can stay with you and be your servant. She can lie in your arms and keep you warm."

Good News Translation
So his officials said to him, "Your Majesty, let us find a young woman to stay with you and take care of you. She will lie close to you and keep you warm."

International Standard Version
so his servants suggested to him, "Let's look for a young virgin woman to take care of you, your majesty. She will be of use to you if you have her lie down near you so that your majesty may keep warm."

Majority Standard Bible
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.?

NET Bible
His servants advised him, "A young virgin must be found for our master, the king, to take care of the king's needs and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you and keep our master, the king, warm."

New Heart English Bible
Therefore his servants said to him, "Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin. And let her attend the king, and care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm."

Webster's Bible Translation
Wherefore his servants said to 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.

World English Bible
Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king. Let her stand before the king, and cherish him; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and his servants say to him, “Let them seek [for] a young woman, a virgin, for my lord the king, and she has stood before the king, and is a companion to him, and has lain in your bosom, and my lord the king has heat.”

Young's Literal Translation
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.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And his servants will say to him, They shall seek for my lord the king a girl, a virgin, and she standing before the king, and she shall be to him an associate, and lying in thy bosom, and it shall be warm to my lord the king.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
His servants therefore said to him: Let us seek for our lord the king, a young virgin, and let her stand before the king, and cherish him, and sleep in his bosom, and warm our lord the king.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Therefore, his servants said to him: “Let us seek, for our lord the king, a young virgin. And let her stand before the king, and warm him, and sleep in his bosom, and provide warmth for our lord the king.”

New American Bible
His servants therefore said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought to attend my lord the king, and to nurse him. If she sleeps with you, my lord the king will be warm.”

New Revised Standard Version
So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king, and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Wherefore his servants said to him, Behold, your servants are before you, let them seek for our lord the king a young virgin; and let her wait upon the king, and let her minister to him, and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may get warm.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
His Servants said to him: “Behold your Servants before you will seek our Lord the King a virgin girl and she shall stand before the King and she shall be a Servant for him and she will lie down in your bosom and she will warm our Lord the King.”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
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 be a companion unto him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And his servants said, Let them seek for the king a young virgin, and she shall wait on the king, and cherish him, and lie with him, and my lord the king shall be warmed.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Abishag Cares for David
1Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. 2So 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.” 3Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Samuel 5:4
David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years.

1 Kings 2:22
King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”

2 Samuel 11:2-4
One evening David got up from his bed and strolled around on the roof of the palace. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing—a very beautiful woman. / So David sent and inquired about the woman, and he was told, “This is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” / Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home.

1 Kings 2:17
Adonijah replied, “Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.”

1 Kings 2:21-22
So Bathsheba said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.” / King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Since he is my older brother, you might as well request the kingdom for him and for Abiathar the priest and for Joab son of Zeruiah!”

1 Kings 2:13-25
Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, and she asked, “Do you come in peace?” “Yes, in peace,” he replied. / Then he said, “I have something to tell you.” “Say it,” she answered. / “You know that the kingship was mine,” he said. “All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD. ...

1 Samuel 16:12
So Jesse sent for his youngest son and brought him in. He was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him, for he is the one.”

1 Samuel 28:23
Saul refused, saying, “I will not eat.” But his servants joined the woman in urging him, and he heeded their voice. He got up from the ground and sat on the bed.

2 Samuel 13:1-2
After some time, David’s son Amnon fell in love with Tamar, the beautiful sister of David’s son Absalom. / Amnon was sick with frustration over his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed implausible for him to do anything to her.

2 Samuel 3:7
Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”

2 Samuel 16:21-22
Ahithophel replied, “Sleep with your father’s concubines, whom he has left to take care of the palace. When all Israel hears that you have become a stench to your father, then the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.” / So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof, and he slept with his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel.

Genesis 24:16
Now the girl was very beautiful, a virgin who had not had relations with any man. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up again.

Genesis 24:67
And Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah and took Rebekah as his wife. And Isaac loved her and was comforted after his mother’s death.

Genesis 39:6
So Potiphar left all that he owned in Joseph’s care; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate. Now Joseph was well-built and handsome,

Esther 2:2-4
Then the king’s attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king, / and let the king appoint commissioners in each province of his kingdom to assemble all the beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch in charge of the women, and let them be given beauty treatments. / Then let the young woman who pleases the king become queen in place of Vashti.” This suggestion pleased the king, and he acted accordingly.

Treasury of Scripture

Why his servants said to 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 your bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

Deuteronomy 10:8
At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.

1 Samuel 16:21,22
And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer…

2 Chronicles 29:11
My sons, be not now negligent: for the LORD hath chosen you to stand before him, to serve him, and that ye should minister unto him, and burn incense.

Genesis 16:5
And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

Deuteronomy 13:6
If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers;

2 Samuel 12:3
But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

get heat

Ecclesiastes 4:11
Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone?

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1 Kings 1

1. Abishag cherishes David in his extreme age
5. Adonijah, David's darling, usurps the kingdom
11. By the council of Nathan
15. Bathsheba moves the king
22. And Nathan seconds her
28. David renews his oath to Bathsheba
32. Solomon, by David's appointment,
38. being anointed king by Zadok and Nathan, the people triumph
41. Jonathan bringing the news, Adonijah's guests fly
50. Adonijah, flying to the horns of the altar, is dismissed by Solomon

Berean Study Bible

So his servants said to him
The phrase indicates the initiative taken by King David's servants. In the Hebrew context, "servants" (עֲבָדִים, 'avadim) often refers to those who are in a position of trust and responsibility. These are not mere menial workers but trusted advisors and attendants who are concerned for the king's well-being. Historically, this reflects the hierarchical structure of ancient Israelite society, where the king's court played a crucial role in governance and personal care.

Let us search for a young virgin
The term "young virgin" (נַעֲרָה בְתוּלָה, na'arah betulah) is significant. In ancient Israel, virginity was highly valued, symbolizing purity and suitability for marriage. The search for a virgin underscores the cultural and religious importance of purity, as well as the need for someone who could be trusted in close proximity to the king. This reflects the broader biblical theme of purity and holiness, which is a recurring motif throughout Scripture.

for my lord the king
The phrase "my lord the king" (אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ, adoni hamelech) is a term of respect and honor. It acknowledges the king's authority and status. In the biblical narrative, David is not just a political leader but also a spiritual figure, chosen by God. This phrase reflects the deep respect and loyalty that his servants have for him, recognizing his God-given role as the leader of Israel.

She will attend him and be his caregiver
The role of "caregiver" (שׁוֹכֶבֶת, shochevet) is one of service and support. In the context of ancient Near Eastern culture, attending to the king's needs was a position of honor and responsibility. This reflects the biblical principle of servanthood, where greatness is often equated with service to others, as seen in the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.

She will lie beside him
The act of lying beside the king (תִּשְׁכַּב בְּחֵיקוֹ, tishkav becheiko) is both practical and symbolic. Practically, it was a means to provide warmth, as body heat was a natural remedy for coldness. Symbolically, it represents intimacy and care, though not necessarily sexual. This reflects the biblical understanding of companionship and the importance of human connection, especially in times of vulnerability.

so that my lord the king may stay warm
The concern for warmth (יֵחַם, yecham) is a practical solution to an aging king's physical needs. In the biblical narrative, warmth is often associated with life and vitality. The servants' desire to keep David warm is not just about physical comfort but also about preserving his life and strength. This reflects the biblical theme of life as a precious gift from God, to be cherished and protected.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 2. - Wherefore [Heb. and] his servants [according to Josephus (Antiq. 7:14, 3), his physicians] said unto him, Let there be sought [lit. as marg., "let them seek"] for my lord the king [the singular pronoun is used as representing the servant who was spokesman for the rest] a young virgin [marg., "a damsel, a virgin." She must be young, to impart heat, and a virgin, as befitted a king. Though she was recommended as a nurse, they would naturally suppose she might be taken as a concubine] and let her stand before the king [i.e., as servant (Ver. 4). Cf. 1 Kings 12:6, 8; Genesis 41:46; Daniel 1:5; Deuteronomy 1:38 (with Joshua 1:1) 1 Kings 10:8. In the East, servants still stand and wait their masters' pleasure. Cf. 2 Kings 5:25], and let her cherish him [So also the LXX., καὶ ἔσται αὐτὸν θάλπουσα. But Gesenius, al, "be a companion to him"] and let her lie in thy [or "his," LXX. αυτοῦ, Vulg. sue] bosom [the expression is generally, but not invariably (see 1 Kings 3:20; Ruth 4:16) used de complexu venereo] that my lord the king may get heat. [This close embrace of youth was an obvious way of imparting animal heat to age ("Color a corpore juvenili ac sane maxime prodest senibus." Grotius), and was the more favoured because other and internal remedies were not then known. It is recognized by Galen, and is said to have been prescribed by a Jewish physician to the Emperor Frederick Bar-baressa (Bahr). It is stated by Roberts that it is still largely followed in the East.]

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

So his servants
עֲבָדָ֗יו (‘ă·ḇā·ḏāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

said
וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ (way·yō·mə·rū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to him,
ל֣וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

“Let us search for
יְבַקְשׁ֞וּ (yə·ḇaq·šū)
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1245: To search out, to strive after

a young
נַעֲרָ֣ה (na·‘ă·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5291: A girl, maiden

virgin
בְתוּלָ֔ה (ḇə·ṯū·lāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1330: A virgin, sometimes, a bride

for our lord
לַאדֹנִ֤י (la·ḏō·nî)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

the king,
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

to attend
וְעָֽמְדָה֙ (wə·‘ā·mə·ḏāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

to
לִפְנֵ֣י (lip̄·nê)
Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

[him]
הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (ham·me·leḵ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king

and
וּתְהִי־ (ū·ṯə·hî-)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

care
סֹכֶ֑נֶת (sō·ḵe·neṯ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 5532: To be familiar with, to minister to, be serviceable to, be customary

for him
ל֖וֹ (lōw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and lie
וְשָׁכְבָ֣ה (wə·šā·ḵə·ḇāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 7901: To lie down

by his side
בְחֵיקֶ֔ךָ (ḇə·ḥê·qe·ḵā)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2436: The bosom

{to keep} him
לַאדֹנִ֥י (la·ḏō·nî)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

warm.”
וְחַ֖ם (wə·ḥam)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2552: To be or become warm

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OT History: 1 Kings 1:2 Therefore his servants said to him Let (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)