1 Kings 1:3

3 Therefore they sought a young waxing virgin, fair in all the coasts of Israel; and they found Abishag of Shunem, and they brought her to the king. (And so they searched for a young, beautiful virgin in all the coasts of Israel; and they found Abishag of Shunem, and they brought her to the king.)

1 Kings 1:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 1:3

So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of
Israel
Not only a damsel, but a beautiful one, that she might be the more acceptable to the king; who otherwise, if deformed and ugly, would not have endured her in his sight, or received at her hands, and much less suffered her to lie in his bosom:

and found Abishag a Shunammite;
a native of the city Shunem, a city in the tribe of Issachar, ( Joshua 19:18 ) ;

and brought her to the king;
for his approbation of her, and to make her his concubine wife, as he did.

1 Kings 1:3 In-Context

1 And king David waxed eld (And King David grew old), and had full many days of age; and when he was covered with clothes, he was (still) not made hot.
2 Therefore his servants said to him, Seek we to our lord the king a young waxing virgin; and stand she before the king, and nurse she him, and sleep in his bosom, and make hot our lord the king. (And so his servants said to him, Let us seek for our lord the king a youthful virgin; and stand she before the king, and nurse she him, and sleep in his bosom, and make our lord the king warm.)
3 Therefore they sought a young waxing virgin, fair in all the coasts of Israel; and they found Abishag of Shunem, and they brought her to the king. (And so they searched for a young, beautiful virgin in all the coasts of Israel; and they found Abishag of Shunem, and they brought her to the king.)
4 And the damsel was full fair, and she slept with the king, and ministered to him; forsooth the king knew not her fleshly. (And the young woman was very beautiful, and she slept with the king, and ministered to him; but the king did not know her fleshly.)
5 And Adonijah, the son of Haggith, was raised up, and said, I shall reign. And he made to him a chariot, and knights, and fifty men, that ran before him (And he got himself a chariot, and horsemen/and horses, and fifty men who ran before him).
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.