Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, April 5th, 2026
Easter Sunday
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

1 Kings 2:23

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;

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Abishag;   Adonijah;   Falsehood;   Fratricide;   Government;   Homicide;   Intercession;   Oath;   Shunammite;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Altars;   Kings;   Punishments;   Widows;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Joab;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abishag;   Adonijah;   Bathsheba;   Solomon;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Preaching;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Abishag;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abner;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abishag;   Adonijah;   Court Systems;   Crimes and Punishments;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Abishag;   Adonijah;   Bathsheba;   Oaths;   Reuben;   Solomon;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abishag ;   Adonijah ;   Shimei ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Adonijah;   Talent;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Bath'-Sheba,;   Concubine;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Justice;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Heir;   Oath;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Abishag;   Adonijah;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abishag;   Bilhah;  

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.
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!
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!"
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

12 And Solomon hath sat on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom is established greatly, 13 and Adonijah son of Haggith cometh in unto Bath-Sheba, mother of Solomon, and she saith, `Is thy coming peace?' and he saith, `Peace.' 14 And he saith, `I have a word unto thee,' and she saith, `Speak.' 15 And he saith, `Thou hast known that the kingdom was mine, and towards me set their faces had all Israel for reigning, and the kingdom is turned round about, and is my brother's, for from Jehovah it was his; 16 and now, one petition I am asking of thee -- turn not back my face;' and she saith unto him, `Speak.' 17 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.' 18 And Bath-Sheba saith, `Good; I do speak for thee unto the king.' 19 And Bath-Sheba cometh in unto king Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, and the king riseth to meet her, and boweth himself to her, and sitteth on his throne, and placeth a throne for the mother of the king, and she sitteth at his right hand. 20 And she saith, `One small petition I ask of thee, turn not back my face;' and the king saith to her, `Ask, my mother, for I do not turn back thy face.' 21 And she saith, `Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother for a wife.'

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
And Jehovah God planteth a garden in Eden, at the east, and He setteth there the man whom He hath formed;
Genesis 2:9
and Jehovah God causeth to sprout from the ground every tree desirable for appearance, and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 29:14
and Laban saith to him, `Only my bone and my flesh [art] thou;' and he dwelleth with him a month of days.
Judges 9:2
`Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the masters of Shechem, Which [is] good for you -- the ruling over you of seventy men (all the sons of Jerubbaal), or the ruling over you of one man? -- and ye have remembered that I [am] your bone and your flesh.'
2 Samuel 5:1
And all the tribes of Israel come unto David, to Hebron, and speak, saying, `Lo, we [are] thy bone and thy flesh;
2 Samuel 19:13
And to Amasa say ye, Art not thou my bone and my flesh? Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add, if thou art not head of the host before me all the days instead of Joab.'

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile