1 Kings 1 · Verse 3

1 Kings 1:3

So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
1 Kings 1:3, King James Version

1 Kings 1:3 in other translations

BSBThen they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king.
WEBSo they sought for a beautiful young lady throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
ASVSo they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
YLTAnd they seek a fair young woman in all the border of Israel, and find Abishag the Shunammite, and bring her in to the king,
DARBYAnd they sought for a fair damsel throughout the territory of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
BBESo after searching through all the land of Israel for a fair young girl, they saw Abishag the Shunammite, and took her to the king.
WebsterSo they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunamite, and brought her to the king.

What does 1 Kings 1:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. a Shunammite--Shunem, in the tribe of Issachar (Jos 19:18), lay on an eminence in the plain of Esdraelon, five miles south of Tabor. It is now called Sulam. 1Ki 1:5-31. Adonijah Usurps the Kingdom.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 1:1-4

We have David sinking under infirmities. He was chastised for his recent sins, and felt the effects of his former toils and hardships.

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 1:1-4 →

1 Kings 1:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְבַקְשׁוּ֙vay.vak.Shuand they soughtH1245
נַעֲרָ֣הna.'a.Raha young womanH5291
יָפָ֔הya.FahbeautifulH3303
בְּכֹ֖לbe.Kholin allH3605
גְּב֣וּלge.Vul[the] territory ofH1366
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
וַֽיִּמְצְא֗וּvai.yim.tze.'Uand they foundH4672
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
אֲבִישַׁג֙'a.vi.ShagAbishagH49
הַשּׁ֣וּנַמִּ֔יתha.Shu.na.Mitthe ShunammiteH7767
וַיָּבִ֥אוּvai.ya.Vi.'uand they broughtH935
אֹתָ֖הּ'o.Tah<obj.> herH853
לַמֶּֽלֶךְ\׃la.Me.lekhto the kingH4428

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 1:3

  • Joshua 19:18

    And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem,

  • Esther 2:4

    And let the maiden which pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti. And the thing pleased the king; and he did so.

  • Esther 2:2

    Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:

  • 2 Kings 4:8

    And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

  • 1 Samuel 28:4

    And the Philistines gathered themselves together, and came and pitched in Shunem: and Saul gathered all Israel together, and they pitched in Gilboa.

  • 1 Kings 2:17-25

    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. And Bath–sheba said, Well; I will speak for thee unto the king. Bath–sheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king’s mother; and she sat on his right hand. Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay. …

  • 2 Kings 4:25

    So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
So.
Es 2:2,4
Abishag.
2:17-25
Shunammite.
Jos 19:18; 1Sa 28:4; 2Ki 4:8,25

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 1:2

    Wherefore his servants said unto him, Let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin: and let her stand before the king, and let her cherish him, and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat.

  • 1 Kings 1:3

    So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

  • 1 Kings 1:4

    And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

Read all of 1 Kings 1

1 Kings 1:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y buscaron una moza hermosa por todo el término de Israel, y hallaron á Abisag Sunamita, y trajéronla al rey.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et on chercha une belle jeune fille dans tous les confins d’Israël; et on trouva Abishag, la Sunamite, et on l’amena au roi.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und man suchte ein schönes Mädchen, in allen Grenzen Israels; und man fand Abischag, die Sunamitin, und brachte sie zu dem König.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quæsierunt igitur adolescentulam speciosam in omnibus finibus Israël, et invenerunt Abisag Sunamitidem, et adduxerunt eam ad regem.