1 Kings 2:17 Meaning and Explanation
“And he said, Speak, I pray thee, unto Solomon the king, (for he will not say thee nay,) that he give me Abishag the Shunammite to wife.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Adonijah asks that Abishag, who had attended the aged David, be given to him as his wife.
What Does 1 Kings 2:17 Mean?
At last Adonijah names his desire: he wants Abishag the Shunammite, the young woman who had served David in his last days, given to him as wife. He asks Bathsheba to make the request, confident the king 'will not say thee nay' to his mother.
In that world, to claim a woman who had belonged to the former king was to lay claim to the king's own dignity and standing. What sounds like a modest marriage request carries the scent of a renewed bid for the throne. The verse shows how an ambition once thwarted can return in quieter dress, and why those who guard a trust must look past the surface of a request.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 2:17
What does 1 Kings 2:17 mean?
Adonijah asks that Abishag, who had attended the aged David, be given to him as his wife.