1 Kings 2:23

THE MESSAGE

Then King Solomon swore under God , "May God do his worst to me if Adonijah doesn't pay for this with his life! As surely as God lives, the God who has set me firmly on the throne of my father David and has put me in charge of the kingdom just as he promised, Adonijah will die for this—today!"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then King Solomon took an oath by the Lord: “May God punish me and do so severely if Adonijah has not made this request at the cost of his life.

Hebrew Names Version
Then king Shlomo swore by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adoniyahu has not spoken this word against his own life.

King James Version
Then king Solomon sware by the Lord , saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

English Standard Version
Then King Solomon swore by the Lord , saying, "God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adonijah his life!

New Century Version
Then King Solomon swore by the name of the Lord , saying, "May God punish me terribly if this doesn't cost Adonijah his life!

New English Translation
King Solomon then swore an oath by the Lord , "May God judge me severely, if Adonijah does not pay for this request with his life!

Amplified Bible
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "May God do the same to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not requested this [deplorable] thing against his own life.

New American Standard Bible
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "May God do so to me and more so, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life!

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then King Salomon sware by the Lorde, saying, God doe so to me and more also, if Adoniiah hath not spoken this worde against his owne life.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then King Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, "May God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

Contemporary English Version
I swear in the name of the Lord that Adonijah will die because he asked for this! If he doesn't, I pray that God will severely punish me.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then King Shlomo swore by Adonai , "May God do terrible things to me and worse if Adoniyah hasn't condemned himself to death with this request!

Darby Translation
And king Solomon swore by Jehovah saying, God do so to me, and more also,—Adonijah has spoken this word against his own life!

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Solomon said, "By the Lord , I swear I'll make Adonijah pay for this with his life!

George Lamsa Translation
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

Good News Translation
Then Solomon made a solemn promise in the Lord 's name, "May God strike me dead if I don't make Adonijah pay with his life for asking this!

Lexham English Bible
Then King Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, "Thus may God do to me and thus may he add, if Adonijah hasn't spoken this thing at the expense of his life.

Literal Translation
And King Solomon swore by Jehovah, saying, So shall God do to me, and so shall He do more, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his life.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the kynge sware by the LORDE, and sayde: God do this and that vnto me, Adonias shall haue spoken this agaynst his lyfe.

American Standard Version
Then king Solomon sware by Jehovah, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah hath not spoken this word against his own life.

Bible in Basic English
Then King Solomon took an oath by the Lord, saying, May God's punishment be on me if Adonijah does not give payment for these words with his life.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying: God do so and so to me, if Adonia haue not spoken this worde against his owne lyfe.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then king Solomon swore by the LORD, saying: 'God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

King James Version (1611)
Then king Solomon sware by the Lord, saying, God doe so to me, and more also, if Adoniiah haue not spoken this word against his owne life.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And king Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if it be not that Adonias has spoken this word against his own life.

English Revised Version
Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life.

Berean Standard Bible
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: "May God punish me, and ever so severely, if Adonijah has not made this request at the expense of his life.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor kyng Salomon swoor bi the Lord, and seide, God do to me these thingis, and adde these thinges, for Adonie spak this word ayens his lijf.

Young's Literal Translation
And king Solomon sweareth by Jehovah, saying, `Thus doth God to me, and thus He doth add -- surely against his soul hath Adonijah spoken this word;

Update Bible Version
Then king Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then king Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah hath not spoken this word against his own life.

World English Bible
Then king Solomon swore by Yahweh, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

New King James Version
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "May God do so to me, and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life!

New Living Translation
Then King Solomon made a vow before the Lord : "May God strike me and even kill me if Adonijah has not sealed his fate with this request.

New Life Bible
Then King Solomon swore by the Lord, saying, "May God do so to me and more, if Adonijah has not asked for this against his own life.

New Revised Standard
Then King Solomon swore by the Lord , "So may God do to me, and more also, for Adonijah has devised this scheme at the risk of his life!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then swore King Solomon by Yahweh, saying, - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, at the cost of his life, Adonijah hath not spoken this word.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then king Solomon swore by the Lord, saying: So and so may God do to me, and add more, if Adonias hath not spoken this word against his own life.

Revised Standard Version
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "God do so to me and more also if this word does not cost Adoni'jah his life!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "May God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.

Contextual Overview

¹³Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She said, "Do you come in peace?" He said, "In peace." And then, "May I say something to you?" "Go ahead," she said, "speak." ¹⁵"You know that I had the kingdom right in my hands and everyone expected me to be king, and then the whole thing backfired and the kingdom landed in my brother's lap— God 's doing. So now I have one request to ask of you; please don't refuse me." "Go ahead, ask," she said. ¹⁷ "Ask King Solomon—he won't turn you down—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife." ¹⁸ "Certainly," said Bathsheba. "I'll speak to the king for you." ¹⁹ Bathsheba went to King Solomon to present Adonijah's request. The king got up and welcomed her, bowing respectfully, and returned to his throne. Then he had a throne put in place for his mother, and she sat at his right hand. ²⁰ She said, "I have a small favor to ask of you. Don't refuse me." The king replied, "Go ahead, Mother; of course I won't refuse you." ²¹ She said, "Give Abishag the Shunammite to your brother Adonijah as his wife." ²² King Solomon answered his mother, "What kind of favor is this, asking that Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah? Why don't you just ask me to hand over the whole kingdom to him on a platter since he is my older brother and has Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah on his side!" ²³Then King Solomon swore under God , "May God do his worst to me if Adonijah doesn't pay for this with his life! As surely as God lives, the God who has set me firmly on the throne of my father David and has put me in charge of the kingdom just as he promised, Adonijah will die for this—today!" ²⁵ King Solomon dispatched Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck Adonijah and he died.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

God: 1 Kings 20:10, Ruth 1:17, 1 Samuel 14:44, 2 Samuel 3:9, 2 Samuel 3:35, 2 Samuel 19:13, 2 Kings 6:31

if Adonijah: We have already seen, that the whole harem of an eastern monarch was a part of the regal succession - see note on 2 Samuel 16:23, and it was treason for a subject to claim any wife or virgin who had once formed a part of it. Solomon evidently considered the request of Adonijah in this light; and was convinced that he was still aiming to seize the crown, to which he considered this as one step. But it is very doubtful, how far the plea either of policy or state necessity can justify Solomon in thus embruing his hands in his brother's blood, whatever might have been his treasonable intentions or conduct.

spoken: Psalms 64:8, Psalms 140:9, Proverbs 18:6, Proverbs 18:7, Ecclesiastes 10:12, Luke 19:22

Reciprocal: Numbers 16:38 - sinners 2 Samuel 12:10 - the sword Proverbs 12:13 - wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips Proverbs 18:19 - brother Proverbs 20:2 - sinneth Habakkuk 2:10 - sinned

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
Then God planted a garden in Eden, in the east. He put the Man he had just made in it. God made all kinds of trees grow from the ground, trees beautiful to look at and good to eat. The Tree-of-Life was in the middle of the garden, also the Tree-of-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil.

Genesis 29:14
Laban said, "You're family! My flesh and blood!" When Jacob had been with him for a month, Laban said, "Just because you're my nephew, you shouldn't work for me for nothing. Tell me what you want to be paid. What's a fair wage?"

2 Samuel 5:1
Before long all the tribes of Israel approached David in Hebron and said, "Look at us—your own flesh and blood! In time past when Saul was our king, you were the one who really ran the country. Even then God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel and you'll be the prince.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then King Solomon sware by the Lord,.... To prevent his mother pressing him to have her petition granted:

saying, God do so to me, and more also; lay such and such evils upon me, and more than I care to express:

if Adonijah have not spoken this word against his own life; to his own prejudice, and even to the loss of his life; in which Solomon suggests it would issue, being a fresh overt act of treason; he knew, from what Bathsheba said, that this was his petition, and that he had spoken of this to her, and put her upon making it for him; and who no doubt related to Solomon the whole of the conversation that passed between them, and to which he seems to have some respect in his answer.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Against his own life - Adonijah had forfeited his life by his former conduct, and his pardon had been merely conditional 1 Kings 1:52.