1 Kings 1:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

NIV: Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

NASB: So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

CSB: They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.

NLT: So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king.

KJV: So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

NKJV: So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

In his old age and failing health, David can't get warm despite the many layers and blankets on his bed (1 Kings 1:1). An apparent common practice in that time was to find a nurse and companion. This helper could tend to his health needs and lie with him, using her body heat to keep him warm.

David's servants don't suggest recruiting one of David's current wives or concubines to fill this role, perhaps because this woman will be a servant. Instead, they find a beautiful "young woman" or an unbetrothed virgin.

Abishag's beauty is mentioned frequently. The implication may be that she's expected to have sex with David. Or, that his servants want to create the illusion that David's health is vigorous and he's still adding attractive women to his harem. If it becomes common knowledge that the king is unable to get out of bed, David's enemies might be emboldened to attack. The following verse specifically adds that David did not have sex with Abishag (1 Kings 1:4).

Abishag is a Shunammite from modern-day Sulam, about seven miles from Nazareth. Since "Shulammite" is another spelling for Shunammite, some commentators speculate that Abishag would later become the famously beautiful focus of Solomon's affection in Song of Songs (Song 6:13). No direct evidence supports this, however.

First Kings 1:1–4 finds David, the once mighty warrior-king, weak and homebound. His broken body has failed him to the point that his servants assign him a concubine, Abishag, just to keep him warm. Though she's beautiful and carries out the assignment faithfully, David never has sex with her. As David nears the end of his life, he's forgotten one last vital task: to publicly affirm his successor.

First Kings 1 records Solomon's first anointing as king. David is weak. His fourth son, Adonijah, convinces Joab, Abiathar, and the officials of Judah to declare him king. Nathan the prophet and Bathsheba convince David to crown Solomon. With the help of Zadok the priest and Benaiah the royal guard commander, Solomon becomes king. His first act is to pardon his brother, although the truce doesn't last long. After David dies, Solomon must execute Adonijah for rebellion and Joab for murder, as well as banish Abiathar the priest (1 Kings 2:13–35).

First Kings 1 picks up the story of David's kingship several years after the events at the end of 2 Samuel. David has protected the kingdom, gathered supplies for the temple, and purchased the land (2 Samuel 24:18–25; 1 Chronicles 21:2–5; 29:1–9). It's time for Solomon to take over and build the temple. First, however, David must ensure Solomon is king and that the throne does not fall to Solomon's brother Adonijah. Once crowned, Solomon solidifies his hold by executing Adonijah, Joab, and David's nemesis, Shimei. He also banishes Abiathar, the priest who supported Adonijah. With Nathan, Benaiah, and Zadok beside him, Solomon is ready to rule (1 Kings 2).

This was originally the first half of a combined text. First Kings records the end of David's reign and the rule of Solomon. After this, the kingdom is split in two. The northern nation of Israel no longer submits to the king of the southern nation, called Judah. The prophet Elijah first appears in this book. The kings mostly fail to honor the Lord. They participate in idolatry and other sins. This will eventually result in their conquest and exile, as depicted throughout the books of Chronicles.