1 Kings 2:17

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹²So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David, and his kingdom was firmly established. ¹³Now Adonijah son of Haggith went to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, who asked, "Do you come in peace?" "Yes, in peace," he replied. ¹⁴Then he said, "I have something to tell you." "Say it," she answered. ¹⁵"You know that the kingship was mine," he said. "All Israel expected that I should reign, but the kingship has turned to my brother, for it has come to him from the LORD. ¹⁶So now I have just one request of you; do not deny me." "State your request," she told him. ¹⁷Adonijah replied, "Please speak to King Solomon, since he will not turn you down. Let him give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife."¹⁸"Very well," Bathsheba replied. "I will speak to the king for you." ¹⁹So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah. The king stood up to greet her, bowed to her, and sat down on his throne. Then the king had a throne brought for his mother, who sat down at his right hand. ²⁰"I have just one small request of you," she said. "Do not deny me." "Make your request, my mother," the king replied, "for I will not deny you." ²¹So Bathsheba said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his 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
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

Genesis 2:4
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made them.

Genesis 2:6
But springs welled up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.

Genesis 2:9
Out of the ground the LORD God gave growth to every tree that is pleasing to the eye and good for food. And in the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Genesis 2:10
Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it branched into four headwaters:

Genesis 2:12
And the gold of that land is pure, and bdellium and onyx are found there.

Genesis 2:13
The name of the second river is Gihon; it winds through the whole land of Cush.

Genesis 2:18
The LORD God also said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make for him a suitable helper."

Genesis 2:20
The man gave names to all the livestock, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

Genesis 2:21
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep, and while he slept, He took one of the man's ribs and closed up the area with flesh.

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.