1 Kings 1:31

31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king and said, "Let my lord King David live for ever."

1 Kings 1:31 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 1:31

Then Bathsheba bowed with [her] face to the earth, and did
reverence to the king
Thereby expressing her veneration of him, and thankfulness to him for his favour to her and her son, in fulfilling his promise and oath:

and said, let my lord King David live for ever;
which though a common form of salutation of kings, not only in Israel, but in other nations, is not to be considered as a mere compliment, but as expressing the real desires and affection of her heart to the king; signifying hereby that her solicitations on the behalf of her son did not arise from any desire of the king's death; she heartily wished him health to live long and easy; and all her request was, that Solomon her son might succeed him, whenever it pleased God to remove him; or seeing he was now a dying man as it were, her prayer was that his soul might live for ever in happiness in the world to come; so Kimchi interprets it.

1 Kings 1:31 In-Context

29 And the king swore, and said, "As the LORD liveth, who hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

30 even as I swore unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, `Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead,' even so will I certainly do this day."

31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king and said, "Let my lord King David live for ever."

32 And King David said, "Call to me Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." And they came before the king.

33 The king also said unto them, "Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon.