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Tuesday, July 15th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Bible in Basic English

1 Kings 1:52

And Solomon said, If he is seen to be a man of good faith, not a hair of him will be touched; but if any wrongdoing is seen in him, he is to be put to death.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Thompson Chain Reference - Courage-Fear;   Justice;   Justice-Injustice;   Manliness;   Mercifulness;   Mercifulness-Unmercifulness;   Social Duties;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Nathan;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Adonijah;   Solomon;   Easton Bible Dictionary - David;   Zoheleth;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Nathan;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Adonijah;   Bathsheba;   Firstborn;   Israel;   Nathan;   Solomon;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Hair;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Adonijah;   David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Adoni'jah;   Da'vid;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Altar;   Games;   Hair;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Solomon said, “If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, he dies.”
Hebrew Names Version
Shlomo said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the eretz; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.
King James Version
And Solomon said, If he will shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.
English Standard Version
And Solomon said, "If he will show himself a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth, but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die."
New Century Version
So Solomon answered, "Adonijah must show that he is a man of honor. If he does that, I promise he will not lose even a single hair from his head. But if he does anything wrong, he will die."
New English Translation
Solomon said, "If he is a loyal subject, not a hair of his head will be harmed, but if he is found to be a traitor, he will die."
Amplified Bible
Solomon said, "If he [proves he] is a worthy man, not even one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die."
New American Standard Bible
And Solomon said, "If he is a worthy man, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he will die."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then Salomon sayd, If he will shewe him selfe a worthy man, there shall not an heare of him fall to the earth, but if wickednes be found in him, he shall dye.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Solomon said, "If he is a worthy man, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if evil is found in him, he will die."
Contemporary English Version
Solomon answered, "If Adonijah doesn't cause any trouble, I won't hurt him. But if he does, I'll have him killed."
Complete Jewish Bible
Shlomo said, "If he will demonstrate that he is a worthy man, not a hair of his will fall to the earth. But if he is found making trouble, he will die."
Darby Translation
And Solomon said, If he be a worthy man, there shall not one of his hairs fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.
Easy-to-Read Version
So Solomon answered, "If Adonijah shows that he is a good man, I promise that not a hair on his head will be hurt. But if he does anything wrong, he will die."
George Lamsa Translation
And Solomon said, If he will show himself to be a worthy man, there shall not a hair of his head fall to the earth; but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.
Good News Translation
Solomon replied, "If he is loyal, not even a hair on his head will be touched; but if he is not, he will die."
Lexham English Bible
Solomon said, "If he is a son of noble character, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, but if evil is found in him, then he will die."
Literal Translation
And Solomon said, If he becomes a son of virtue, not a hair of his head shall fall to the earth. But if evil is found in him, then he shall die.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Salomon sayde: Yf he wil be an honest man, there shall not one heer fall from him vpon the earth: but yf there be euell founde in him, he shall dye.
American Standard Version
And Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Solomo said: If he wil shew him selfe a worthy ma, ther shal not an heer of hym fal to the earth: But & if wickednesse be founde in him, he shall dye.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Solomon said: 'If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.'
King James Version (1611)
And Solomon sayd, If hee will shewe himselfe a worthy man, there shall not an haire of him fall to the earth: but if wickednesse shall be found in him, he shall die.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Solomon said, If he should be a valiant man, there shall not a hair of his fall to the ground; but if evil be found in him, he shall die.
English Revised Version
And Solomon said, If he shall shew himself a worthy man, there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.
Berean Standard Bible
And Solomon replied, "If he is a man of character, not a single hair of his will fall to the ground. But if evil is found in him, he will die."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Salomon seide, If he is a good man, sotheli not oon heer of hym schal falle in to erthe; but if yuel be foundun in hym, he schal die.
Young's Literal Translation
And Solomon saith, `If he becometh a virtuous man -- there doth not fall of his hair to the earth, and if evil is found in him -- then he hath died.'
Update Bible Version
And Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, not a hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Solomon said, If he will show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth: but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die.
World English Bible
Solomon said, If he shall show himself a worthy man, there shall not a hair of him fall to the earth; but if wickedness be found in him, he shall die.
New King James Version
Then Solomon said, "If he proves himself a worthy man, not one hair of him shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die."
New Living Translation
Solomon replied, "If he proves himself to be loyal, not a hair on his head will be touched. But if he makes trouble, he will die."
New Life Bible
Solomon said, "If he will be a man of worth, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground. But if he is found to be bad, he will die."
New Revised Standard
So Solomon responded, "If he proves to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said Solomon, If he will be a man of worth, there shall not one hair of him fall to the earth, - but, if mischief be found in him, then shall he die.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Solomon said: If he be a good man, there shall not so much as one hair of his head fall to the ground: but if evil be found in him, he shall die.
Revised Standard Version
And Solomon said, "If he prove to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the earth; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die."
THE MESSAGE
Solomon then said, "If he proves to be a man of honor, not a hair of his head will be hurt; but if there is evil in him, he'll die." Solomon summoned him and they brought him from the Altar. Adonijah came and bowed down, honoring the king. Solomon dismissed him, "Go home."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Solomon said, "If he is a worthy man, not one of his hairs will fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he will die."

Contextual Overview

41 And it came to the ears of Adonijah and all the guests who were with him, when their meal was ended. And Joab, hearing the sound of the horn, said, What is the reason of this noise as if the town was worked up? 42 And while the words were on his lips, Jonathan, the son of Abiathar the priest, came; and Adonijah said, Come in; for you are a man of good faith and the news which you have for us will be good. 43 And Jonathan, answering, said to Adonijah, Not so, but our lord King David has made Solomon king: 44 And he sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they put him on the king's beast: 45 And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet put the holy oil on him and made him king in Gihon; and they came back from there with joy, and the town was all worked up. This is the noise which has come to your ears. 46 And now Solomon is seated on the seat of the kingdom. 47 And the king's servants came to our lord King David, blessing him and saying, May God make the name of Solomon better than your name, and the seat of his authority greater than your seat; and the king was bent low in worship on his bed. 48 Then the king said, May the God of Israel be praised, who has given one of my seed to be king in my place this day and has let my eyes see it. 49 And all the guests of Adonijah got up in fear and went away, every man to his place. 50 And Adonijah himself was full of fear because of Solomon; and he got up and went to the altar, and put his hands on its horns.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

there shall: 1 Samuel 14:45, 2 Samuel 14:11, Matthew 10:30, Luke 21:18, Acts 27:34

wickedness: 1 Kings 2:21-25, Job 15:22, Proverbs 13:6, Proverbs 21:12

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 2:24 - put

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Solomon said, if he will show himself a worthy man,.... Will behave himself well as a good subject, and be careful not to offend for the future, or appear to be one that fears sin, as the Targum; particularly the crimes of sedition, rebellion, and treason:

there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth; not the least harm should be done him:

but if wickedness shall be found in him, he shall die; that is, if any crime worthy of death be committed by him, or any overt act of treason, and the like, he should surely be put to death, and find no mercy, notwithstanding the present general pardon. This was very wisely done by Solomon, to begin his reign without shedding blood even of delinquents; and especially of his brother, and his elder brother too; and by granting his life for the future on his good behaviour.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

There shalt not an hair ... - This was a proverbial expression, meaning “he shall suffer no hurt at all.” Solomon’s clemency in pardoning Adonijah is very remarkable. In the East not only are pretenders almost always punished with death, but it has often been the custom for each king upon his accession to put to death all his brothers as mere possible pretenders.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 1:52. If he will show himself a worthy man — If, from henceforth, he behave well, show himself to be contented, and not endeavour to make partisans, or stir up insurrections among the people, he shall be safe; but if wickedness be found in him - if he act at all contrary to this - he shall die; his blood shall be upon him.


 
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