1 Kings 1 · Verse 4

1 Kings 1:4

And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
1 Kings 1:4, King James Version

1 Kings 1:4 in other translations

BSBThe girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her.
WEBThe young lady was very beautiful; and she cherished the king, and served him; but the king didn’t know her intimately.
ASVAnd the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.
YLTand the young woman is very very fair, and she is to the king a companion, and serveth him, and the king hath not known her.
DARBYAnd the damsel was very fair; and cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.
BBENow she was very beautiful; and she took care of the king, waiting on him at all times; but the king had no connection with her.
WebsterAnd the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

What does 1 Kings 1:4 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 4 The king knew her not - The maxim of Bacon in his enigmatical cure is, "Take all you can from the medicine, but give nothing to it; if you give any thing, it increases the disease and hastens death." I have seen this abundantly verified; but it is a subject on which it would be improper to dilate except in a medical work. An extract from Friar Bacon's Cure of Old Age may be found at the end of the chapter.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · 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 1:4 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.

וְהַֽנַּעֲרָ֖הve.ha.na.'a.Rahand the young womanH5291
יָפָ֣הya.Fah[was] beautifulH3303
עַד\־'ad-up toH5704
מְאֹ֑דme.'OdmuchnessH3966
וַתְּהִ֨יva.te.Hiand she becameH1961
לַמֶּ֤לֶךְla.Me.lekhof the kingH4428
סֹכֶ֙נֶת֙so.Khe.neta nurseH5532
וַתְּשָׁ֣רְתֵ֔הוּva.te.Sha.re.Te.huand she served himH8334
וְהַמֶּ֖לֶךְve.ha.Me.lekhand the kingH4428
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808
יְדָעָֽהּ\׃ye.da.'Ahhe knew herH3045

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

Cross references for 1 Kings 1:4

  • Matthew 1:25

    And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
knew her not.
Mt 1:25

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

Context

  • 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.

  • 1 Kings 1:5

    Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

Read all of 1 Kings 1

1 Kings 1:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y la moza era hermosa, la cual calentaba al rey, y le servía: mas el rey nunca la conoció.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et la jeune fille était extrêmement belle; et elle soignait le roi et le servait; mais le roi ne la connut pas.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und das Mädchen war überaus schön, und sie wurde dem König eine Pflegerin und bediente ihn; aber der König erkannte sie nicht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Erat autem puella pulchra nimis, dormiebatque cum rege, et ministrabat ei: rex vero non cognovit eam.