1 Kings 1:2

Contextual Overview

¹When King David was old and well advanced in years, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. ¹ When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. ¹Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm. ¹ Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm. ¹ And king Dauid was olde and stricken in yeres, so that whe they couered him with clothes, he caught no heate. ¹ And King David was old, going into days. And they covered him with garments, for he had no heat. ¹ King David was very old and could not keep warm. His servants covered him with blankets, but he was still cold. ¹ Now King David was old and advanced in years; and although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. ¹ Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he got no heat. ¹ Now King Dauid was olde, and striken in yeeres, and they couered him with clothes, but hee gate no heate.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Let there be sought: Heb. Let them seek

a young virgin: Heb. a damsel, a virgin. stand. Deuteronomy 10:8, 1 Samuel 16:21, 1 Samuel 16:22, 2 Chronicles 29:11

cherish him: Heb. be a cherisher unto him

lie: Genesis 16:5, Deuteronomy 13:6, 2 Samuel 12:3, Micah 7:5

get heat: Ecclesiastes 4:11

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 1:15 - very old 1 Kings 2:17 - Abishag 2 Kings 15:38 - Jotham Esther 2:2 - Let there be

Cross-References

Genesis 1:12
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12
And the earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12
And the earth brought forth [both] bud and hearbe apt to seede after his kynde, and tree yeeldyng fruite, whiche hath seede in it selfe, after his kynde.

Genesis 1:12
The earth grew grass and plants that made grain. And it grew trees that made fruit with seeds in it. Every plant made its own kind of seeds. And God saw that this was good.

Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12
And the erthe brouyte forth greene erbe and makynge seed bi his kynde, and a tre makynge fruyt, and ech hauynge seed by his kynde. And God seiy that it was good.

Genesis 1:12
And the earth brought foorth grasse, and herbe yeelding seed after his kinde, and the tree yeelding fruit, whose seed was in it selfe, after his kinde: and God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:12
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore his servants said unto him,.... His physicians; so Joseph's physicians are called his servants, Genesis 50:2;

let there be sought for my lord the king a young virgin; not only a young woman, but a virgin, that has more natural heat than women that have bore children have, which is abated thereby:

and let her stand before the king: minister to him, serve him with whatsoever he should want to eat or drink; and so by being in his presence, and taking things at her hand, she might be the more ingratiated into his affections:

and let her cherish him; as the husband the wife, so she her husband, as doubtless David was; and that by giving him cordials to cheer his spirits, and everything that was convenient for him, and particularly by lying with him. Kimchi interprets the word of her being profitable to him, in which sense the word is used, Job 22:2; that is, by warming him; Ben Gersom understands it of her being made mistress of his treasures, according to the sense of the word in Isaiah 22:15; that she might have the command of his purse, and provide anything proper for him, without being taken notice of or obstructed; but the Targum is better,

"and let her be near him,''

lie close unto him, and even in his bosom, as in the next clause:

and let her lie in his bosom; which shows that it was proposed that he should marry her, at least that she should become his concubine wife, since this phrase is descriptive of a wife, Micah 7:5; nor can it be thought his physicians would advise, or he agree to have a young woman admitted to his bed, without marriage; and if this had not been the case, it would not have answered the design of Adonijah in requesting her in marriage after his father's death, which was to make way to ascend the throne when opportunity should offer; nor would his request have been so much resented by Solomon as it was, 1 Kings 2:17;

that my lord the king may get heat: and somewhat similar to this, Galen, that great physician, prescribed in like cases d.

d Vid. Poli Synopsin in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Since the Jewish law allowed polygamy, David’s conduct in following - what has been said to have been - physician’s advice, was blameless.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 1:2. Let there be sought - a young virgin — This was the best remedy which in his state could be prescribed. His nearly exhausted frame would infallibly absorb from her young and healthy body an additional portion of animal heat, and consequently trim and revive the flame of animal life. This is properly, as I have elsewhere expressed it, Friar Bacon's secret for the cure of old age.