1 Kings 2:17

Amplified Bible

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

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
He replied, “Please speak to King Solomon since he won’t turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife.”

Hebrew Names Version
He said, Please speak to Shlomo the king (for he will not tell you 'no'), that he give me Avishag the Shunammite as wife.

King James Version
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.

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

New Century Version
"I know King Solomon will do anything you ask him," Adonijah continued. "Please ask him to give me Abishag the Shunammite to be my wife."

New English Translation
He said, "Please ask King Solomon if he would give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife, for he won't refuse you."

New American Standard Bible
Then he said, "Please speak to Solomon the king—for he will not refuse you—that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife."

Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayd, Speake, I pray thee, vnto Salomon ye King, (for he will not say thee nay) that he giue me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said, "Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not turn you away, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife."

Contemporary English Version
"Please ask Solomon to let me marry Abishag. He won't say no to you."

Complete Jewish Bible
He said, "Please speak to Shlomo the king — for he won't say ‘No' to you — and ask him to give me Avishag the Shunamit as my wife."

Darby Translation
And he said, Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king—for he will not refuse thee—that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.

Easy-to-Read Version
Adonijah said, "I know that King Solomon will do whatever you ask. So please ask him to let me marry Abishag, the woman from Shunem."

George Lamsa Translation
And he said to her, Speak to King Solomon (for he will not refuse you) that he give me Abishag the Shilommite to wife.

Good News Translation
He answered, "Please ask King Solomon—I know he won't refuse you—to let me have Abishag, the young woman from Shunem, as my wife."

Lexham English Bible
He said, "Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you, so that he will give to me Abishag the Shunnamite as wife."

Literal Translation
And he said, Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not turn away your face, that he give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
He sayde: Speake vnto kynge Salomon (for he shall not shame thy face) that he maye geue me Abisag to wyfe.

American Standard Version
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.

Bible in Basic English
Then he said, Will you go to Solomon the king (for he will not say, No, to you) and put before him my request that he will give me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he said: Speake I pray thee, vnto Solomo the king (for he wil not say thee nay) that he geue me Abisag the Sunamite to wyfe.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'

King James Version (1611)
And hee saide, Speake, I pray thee, vnto Solomon the king (for hee will not say thee nay) that he giue me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to her, Speak, I pray thee, to king Solomon, for he will not turn away his face from thee, and let him give me Abisag the Somanite for a wife.

English Revised Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
Adonijah replied, "Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that thou seie to Salomon the king; for he may not denye ony thing to thee; that he yyue to me Abisag of Sunam wijf.

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, `Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king, for he doth not turn back thy face, and he doth give to me Abishag the Shunammite for a wife.'

Update Bible Version
And he said, Speak, I pray you, to Solomon the king (for he will not say no to you), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, Speak, I pray thee, to Solomon the king, (for he will not say to thee no,) that he give me Abishag the Shunamite for a wife.

World English Bible
He said, Please speak to Solomon the king (for he will not tell you 'no'), that he give me Abishag the Shunammite as wife.

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

New Living Translation
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."

New Life Bible
He said, "I beg you, speak to Solomon the king. For he will not say no to you. Ask him to give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife."

New Revised Standard
He said, "Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And she said unto him - Say on. And he said - Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, for he will not turn away thy face, - that he give me Abishag the Shunammite, to wife.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said I pray thee speak to king Solomon (for he cannot deny thee any thing) to give me Abisag, the Sunamitess, to wife.

Revised Standard Version
And he said, "Pray ask King Solomon--he will not refuse you--to give me Ab'ishag the Shu'nammite as my wife."

THE MESSAGE
"Ask King Solomon—he won't turn you down—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he said, "Please speak to Solomon the king, for he will not refuse you, that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife."

Contextual Overview

¹²Then Solomon sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established. ¹³Now Adonijah the son of [David and] Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, "Do you come in peace?" And he said, "In peace." ¹⁴Then he said, "I have something to say to you." And she said, "Speak." ¹⁵So he said, "You know that the kingdom belonged to me [as the eldest living son] and all Israel looked to me and expected me to be king. However, the kingdom has passed [from me] and became my brother's, for it was his from the LORD. ¹⁶"So now I am making one request of you; do not refuse me." And she said to him, "Speak." ¹⁷He said, "Please speak to King Solomon, for he will not refuse you; ask that he may give me Abishag the Shunammite as a wife." ¹⁸Bathsheba replied, "Very well; I will speak to the king for you." ¹⁹So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. And the king rose to meet her, bowed before her, and sat down on his throne; then he had a throne set for her, the king's mother, and she sat on his right. ²⁰Then she said, "I am making one small request of you; do not refuse me." And the king said to her, "Ask, my mother, for I will not refuse you." ²¹So she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as a wife."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Abishag: 1 Kings 1:2-4, 2 Samuel 3:7, 2 Samuel 12:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 23:8 - entreat Joshua 19:18 - Shunem 2 Samuel 16:21 - unto thy 1 Kings 1:3 - Abishag

Cross-References

Genesis 2:1
So the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts (inhabitants).

Genesis 2:4
This is the history of [the origin of] the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day [that is, days of creation] that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens—

Genesis 2:6
but a mist (fog, dew, vapor) used to rise from the land and water the entire surface of the ground—

Genesis 2:9
And [in that garden] the LORD God caused to grow from the ground every tree that is desirable and pleasing to the sight and good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the [experiential] knowledge (recognition) of [the difference between] good and evil.

Genesis 2:10
Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four [branching] rivers.

Genesis 2:12
The gold of that land is good; bdellium (a fragrant, valuable resin) and the onyx stone are found there.

Genesis 2:13
The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the entire land of Cush [in Mesopotamia].

Genesis 2:18
Now the LORD God said, "It is not good (beneficial) for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [one who balances him—a counterpart who is] suitable and complementary for him."

Genesis 2:20
And the man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for Adam there was not found a helper [that was] suitable (a companion) for him.

Genesis 2:21
So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam; and while he slept, He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king,.... He owns him to be king, and which he the rather did to engage her to take his suit in hand, and to cover his design:

for he will not say thee nay; or turn away thy face, or deny thy request; she being his mother, for whom he had a great affection, and to whom he was under obligation on all accounts:

that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife; which was contrary to the law of God, Leviticus 18:8; which surely Adonijah must have been ignorant of, and Bathsheba likewise; or the one would never have made such a request, nor the other have undertaken to try to obtain it; but perhaps they did not take her to be David's wife, or the marriage to be consummated, because he knew her not: but yet not being returned to her father's house, and being at the dispose of Solomon, prove that she must be a concubine wife, and which became the property of the next heir and successor; see 2 Samuel 12:8; nor did Adonijah apply to her or her friends; which, if he was really in love with her, he would have done, if at her own or their disposal; but this he knew, that she was solely at the disposal of Solomon, to whom he did not care to apply himself, but makes use of his mother.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 2:17. That he give me Abishag - to wife. — He cheerfully gives up all right to the kingdom, and only desires to have this young woman, who, though she had been his father's wife or concubine, was still in a state of virginity. Some think that Joab and Abiathar had advised Adonijah to make this application, not doubting, if he got Abishag, that the popular tide would again turn in his favour, and that Solomon, whom they did not like, might soon be deposed; and that it was on this account that Solomon was so severe. But there is little evidence to support these conjectures. It does not appear that Adonijah by desiring to have Abishag had any thought of the kingdom, or of maintaining any right to it, though Solomon appears to have understood him in this sense. But without farther evidence, this was a flimsy pretext to imbrue his hands in a brother's blood. The fable of the wolf and lamb is here very applicable, and the old English proverb not less so: It is an easy thing to find a staff to beat a dog with. We readily find an excuse for whatever we are determined to do. He who attempts to varnish over this conduct of Solomon by either state necessity or a Divine command, is an enemy, in my mind, to the cause of God and truth. See on 1 Kings 2:25.