1 Kings 1:33 "Take my servants with you," said the king. "Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

◄ 1 Kings 1:33 ►

New International Version
he said to them: “Take your lord’s servants with you and have Solomon my son mount my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

New Living Translation
the king said to them, “Take Solomon and my officials down to Gihon Spring. Solomon is to ride on my own mule.

English Standard Version
And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

Berean Standard Bible
“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

King James Bible
The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

New King James Version
The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.

New American Standard Bible
And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

NASB 1995
The king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

NASB 1977
And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

Amplified Bible
The king told them, “Take the servants of your lord with you and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to [the spring at] Gihon [in the Kidron Valley].

Christian Standard Bible
The king said to them, “Take my servants with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
The king said to them, “Take my servants with you, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.

American Standard Version
And the king said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

Contemporary English Version
he told them: Take along some of my officials and let Solomon ride my own mule to Gihon Spring.

English Revised Version
And the king, said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mute, and bring him down to Gihon:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
and he said, "Take my officials with you. Put my son Solomon on my mule, and take him to Gihon.

Good News Translation
he said to them, "Take my court officials with you; have my son Solomon ride my own mule, and escort him down to Gihon Spring,

International Standard Version
and David addressed them. "Take your lord's servants, have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon.

Majority Standard Bible
?Take my servants with you,? said the king. ?Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon.

NET Bible
and he told them, "Take your master's servants with you, put my son Solomon on my mule, and lead him down to Gihon.

New Heart English Bible
The king said to them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

Webster's Bible Translation
The king also said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

World English Bible
The king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
And the king says to them, “Take the servants of your lord with you, and you have caused my son Solomon to ride on my own mule, and caused him to go down to Gihon,

Young's Literal Translation
And the king saith to them, 'Take with you the servants of your lord, and ye have caused Solomon my son to ride on mine own mule, and caused him to go down unto Gihon,

Smith's Literal Translation
And the king will say to them, Take with you the servants of your lord and cause Solomon my son to ride upon the mule which is to me, and bring down to Gihon:

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
He said to them: Take with you the servants of your lord, and set my son Solomon upon my mule: and bring him to Gihon.

Catholic Public Domain Version
he said to them: “Take with you the servants of your lord, and place my son Solomon upon my mule. And lead him to Gihon.

New American Bible
he said to them: “Take with you the royal officials. Mount my son Solomon upon my own mule and escort him down to Gihon.

New Revised Standard Version
the king said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And the king said to them, Arise, take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon my own mule, and take him down to Shilokha;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the King said to them: “Arise, take with you the Servants of your Lord and make Solomon my son ride on my mule and bring him to Shilukha.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And the king said unto them: 'Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the king said to them, Take the servants of your lord with you, and mount my son Solomon upon my own mule, and bring him down to Gion.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Solomon Anointed King
32Then King David said, “Call in for me Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.” So they came before the king. 33“Take my servants with you,” said the king. “Set my son Solomon on my own mule and take him down to Gihon. 34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet are to anoint him king over Israel. You are to blow the ram’s horn and declare, ‘Long live King Solomon!’…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

1 Samuel 16:3
Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you are to do. You are to anoint for Me the one I indicate.”

1 Samuel 10:1
Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?

2 Samuel 2:4
Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah. And they told David, “It was the men of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul.”

2 Samuel 5:3
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where King David made with them a covenant before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel.

1 Kings 2:20
“I have just one small request of you,” she said. “Do not deny me.” “Make your request, my mother,” the king replied, “for I will not deny you.”

1 Kings 3:3
And Solomon loved the LORD and walked in the statutes of his father David, except that he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

1 Kings 4:1
So King Solomon ruled over Israel,

1 Kings 5:5
So behold, I plan to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God, according to what the LORD said to my father David: ‘I will put your son on your throne in your place, and he will build the house for My Name.’

1 Kings 8:20
Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

1 Kings 9:5
then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised your father David when I said, ‘You will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’

2 Kings 9:13
Quickly, each man took his garment and put it under Jehu on the bare steps. Then they blew the ram’s horn and proclaimed, “Jehu is king!”

2 Chronicles 1:9
Now, O LORD God, let Your promise to my father David be fulfilled. For You have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.

2 Chronicles 6:10
Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

Matthew 21:5
“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

Matthew 21:7
They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

Treasury of Scripture

The king also said to them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

take

2 Samuel 20:6
And David said to Abishai, Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri do us more harm than did Absalom: take thou thy lord's servants, and pursue after him, lest he get him fenced cities, and escape us.

to ride

1 Kings 1:5,33,44
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…

Genesis 41:43
And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Esther 6:6-11
So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, What shall be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honour? Now Haman thought in his heart, To whom would the king delight to do honour more than to myself? …

Leviticus 19:19
Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee.

Gihon

1 Kings 1:38,45
So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David's mule, and brought him to Gihon…

2 Chronicles 32:30
This same Hezekiah also stopped the upper watercourse of Gihon, and brought it straight down to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all his works.

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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

Take my servants with you
This phrase indicates a directive from King David, emphasizing the importance of community and support in leadership transitions. The Hebrew word for "servants" (עֲבָדַי, avadai) implies those who are loyal and dedicated to the king's service. Historically, this reflects the practice of ensuring that a new leader is surrounded by trusted individuals who can provide counsel and support. In a spiritual sense, it underscores the value of fellowship and accountability within the body of believers.

set my son Solomon
The phrase highlights the divine and royal appointment of Solomon as king. The Hebrew root for "set" (רָכַב, rakav) can mean to mount or to place, signifying the act of establishing authority. Solomon, whose name means "peace," was chosen by God to lead Israel into a period of peace and prosperity. This reflects the biblical principle that God appoints leaders according to His purposes, and it encourages believers to trust in God's sovereign choices.

on my own mule
The mule, a symbol of royal authority and humility, was a significant choice for Solomon's procession. In ancient Israel, mules were considered valuable and were often used by royalty, as they were seen as a crossbreed that combined the strength of a horse with the sure-footedness of a donkey. The use of David's personal mule signifies the transfer of his authority and blessing to Solomon. Spiritually, it reminds believers of the humility required in leadership, echoing Christ's entry into Jerusalem on a donkey.

and take him down to Gihon
Gihon, a spring located near Jerusalem, was a strategic and symbolic location for Solomon's anointing. The name "Gihon" (גִּיחוֹן) means "bursting forth," which can symbolize the outpouring of God's blessing and the beginning of a new era. Historically, Gihon was a vital water source for Jerusalem, representing life and sustenance. In a spiritual context, it signifies the flow of God's provision and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, essential for any God-ordained leadership. This act of taking Solomon to Gihon underscores the importance of grounding leadership in divine provision and blessing.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(33) Gihon ("breaking forth") is clearly a place in the valley, under the walls of Jerusalem, mentioned as having a watercourse, or torrent, diverted by He?ekiah in his preparation of the city for siege (2Chronicles 32:30), and as forming one end of a new wall "up to the fish gate," built by Manasseh; but whether it is on the west of the city, near the present Jaffa gate, or (as seems more probable) on the south, at the end of the valley called the Tyrop?on, running through the city, has been doubted. The Targums here read Siloam; and this agrees with the latter supposition, which is also supported by the proximity to Adonijah's feast at En-rogel, implied in the narrative.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 33. - The king also said [Heb. "And the king said," which is everyway preferable. The "also" is somewhat confusing], Take with you the servants [i.e., the Cherethites and Pelethites, ver. 38] of your lord, [Hebrews lords; probably a pluralis majestatis (cf. Genesis 39:2; Genesis 42:30; 2 Kings 2:3, 5, 16), suggested to David by the usus loquendi of the court. This expression seems at first a strange periphrasis for "my servants." But David naturally adopts the language those around him were always using. See ver. 43; also 2 Samuel 11:11, and 2 Sam 20:6. Note: The latter passage, which refers to the king, has the plur.; the former, referring to Joab, the sing.] and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, [lit., "the she mule" (the most prized in the East. Cf. Judges 5:10, Hebrews) "which is mine." This was not merely a mark of honour (cf. Genesis 41:43; Esther 6:8, 9), but a public and very significant indication of David's will respecting his successor. The populace would perceive at once who was destined to sit in David's seat. "The Rabbins tell us that it was death to ride on the king's mule without his permission" (Rawlinson). פִרְדָּה, the fem. form is only found here and in vers. 38, 44. The mule would seem to have been a recent importation into Palestine - we never read of them before the time of David - and the Israelites were forbidden to breed them (Leviticus 19:19). Their use, consequently, was naturally restricted to royal or distinguished personages (2 Samuel 13:29). Wordsworth sees in the word a proof that David had not disobeyed God by multiplying horses to himself], and bring him down to Gihon. [Not Gibeon, which Thenius most arbitrarily would substitute for the received text. Where was Gihon? The popular belief (accepted by Bahr and Keil, as well as by some geographers) is that it was in the valley of the Son of Hinnom, a part of which still bears the name of Gihon, i.e., to the west of Jerusalem, and not far from the Jaffa gate. By many indeed the present Birket-es-Sultan is identified with the Lower Pool of Gihon. But others (Ferguson, Rawlinson, etc.) see in it the ancient name of the Tyropaeon. Scripture does not speak of it as a spring, though the "source of the waters of Gihon" is mentioned 2 Chronicles 32:30, Hebrews The text shows that it was below the city ("bring him down upon Gihon," ver. 33. Cf. also ver. 40). 2 Chronicles 33:14, speaks of "Gihon in the valley," where it is very noticeable that the word used is Nachal (i.e. Wady, watercourse). But this "is the word always employed for the valley of the Kedron, east of Jerusalem, the so called valley of Jehoshaphat; ge (ravine or glen) being as constantly employed for the valley of Hinnom, south and west of the town" (Grove," Dict. Bible," art. Gihon). It is also to be noticed that the text last cited mentions Gihon in connection with Ophel, which lies southeast of Jerusalem.. The Chald., Arab., and Syr. are probably right, therefore, in identifying Gihon here with Siloam (which lies at the foot of Ophel), in favour of which it may further be said that it would be admirably suited for David's purpose - of a counter demonstration - and that whether En-Rogel is to be found at the Well of the Virgin or the Well of Job. Siloam is at no great distance from either, and quite within earshot, whereas the traditional Gihon is altogether out of the way. It must be borne in mind that this procession to and from Gihon was ordained, not because there was any special reason for anointing Solomon there ? for it was not a holy place - but purely as a demonstration to the populace, and to checkmate the conspirators. It was probably a public place, and would accommodate a large concourse (Poole).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“Take
קְח֤וּ (qə·ḥū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

my servants
עַבְדֵ֣י (‘aḇ·ḏê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

with you,”
עִמָּכֶם֙ (‘im·mā·ḵem)
Preposition | second person masculine plural
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

said
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

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

“Set
וְהִרְכַּבְתֶּם֙ (wə·hir·kaḇ·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 7392: To ride, to place upon, to despatch

my son
בְנִ֔י (ḇə·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1121: A son

Solomon
שְׁלֹמֹ֣ה (šə·lō·mōh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 8010: Solomon -- David's son and successor to his throne

on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

my own mule
הַפִּרְדָּ֖ה (hap·pir·dāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 6506: A female mule

and take him down
וְהוֹרַדְתֶּ֥ם (wə·hō·w·raḏ·tem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural
Strong's 3381: To come or go down, descend

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Gihon.
גִּחֽוֹן׃ (gi·ḥō·wn)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1521: Gihon -- 'a bursting forth', one of the rivers of Eden, also a spring near Jerusalem

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OT History: 1 Kings 1:33 The king said to them Take (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)