1 Kings 1:21

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be regarded as criminals.”

Hebrew Names Version
Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Shlomo shall be counted offenders.

King James Version
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

English Standard Version
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders."

New Century Version
As soon as you die, Solomon and I will be treated as criminals."

New English Translation
If a decision is not made, when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, my son Solomon and I will be considered state criminals."

Amplified Bible
"Otherwise it will come about when my lord the king lies down [in death] with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered political enemies."

New American Standard Bible
"Otherwise it will come about, as soon as my lord the king lies down with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered offenders."

Geneva Bible (1587)
For els when my lord the King shall sleepe with his fathers, I and my sonne Salomon shalbe reputed vile.

Legacy Standard Bible
Otherwise it will be, as soon as my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered offenders."

Contemporary English Version
If you don't, they will say that Solomon and I have rebelled. They will treat us like criminals and kill us as soon as you die.

Complete Jewish Bible
If you don't, then, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Shlomo will be considered criminals."

Darby Translation
Otherwise it shall come to pass when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders.

Easy-to-Read Version
If you don't decide, then after you are buried, these men will say that Solomon and I are criminals."

George Lamsa Translation
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers in peace, I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

Good News Translation
If you don't, as soon as you are dead, my son Solomon and I will be treated as traitors."

Lexham English Bible
It shall be that when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, I and my son Solomon will be considered as sinners."

Literal Translation
And it will be, when my lord the king lies with his fathers, that I, my son Solomon and I, shall be offenders.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And wha my lorde the kynge slepeth with his fathers then shal I and my sonne Salomon be fayne to be synners.

American Standard Version
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

Bible in Basic English
For as things are, it will come about, when my lord the king is sleeping with his fathers, that I and Solomon my son will be made outlaws.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For els when my lorde the king shall sleepe with his fathers, I & my sonne Solomon shalbe synners.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.'

King James Version (1611)
Otherwise it shall come to passe, when my lord the king shal sleepe with his fathers, that I and my sonne Solomon shall be counted offenders.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and Solomon my son shall be offenders.

English Revised Version
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

Berean Standard Bible
Otherwise, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, I and my son Solomon will be counted as criminals."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and it schal be, whanne my lord the kyng hath slepte with hise fadris, Y and my sone Salomon schulen be synneris.

Young's Literal Translation
and it hath been, when my lord the king lieth with his fathers, that I have been, I and my son Solomon -- [reckoned] sinners.'

Update Bible Version
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

Webster's Bible Translation
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

World English Bible
Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

New King James Version
Otherwise it will happen, when my lord the king rests with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted as offenders."

New Living Translation
If you do not act, my son Solomon and I will be treated as criminals as soon as my lord the king has died."

New Life Bible
Or else as soon as my lord the king is dead, I and my son Solomon will be thought of as wrong-doers."

New Revised Standard
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, that my son Solomon and I will be counted offenders."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, then shall I and my son Solomon be counted, offenders.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king sleepeth with his fathers, that I, and my son, Solomon, shall be accounted offenders.

Revised Standard Version
Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be counted offenders."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Otherwise it will come about, as soon as my lord the king sleeps with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon will be considered offenders."

Contextual Overview

¹¹Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother, "Did you know that Adonijah, Haggith's son, has taken over as king, and our master David doesn't know a thing about it? Quickly now, let me tell you how you can save both your own life and Solomon's. Go immediately to King David. Speak up: ‘Didn't you, my master the king, promise me, "Your son Solomon will be king after me and sit on my throne"? So why is Adonijah now king?' While you're there talking with the king, I'll come in and corroborate your story." ¹⁵Bathsheba went at once to the king in his palace bedroom. He was so old! Abishag was at his side making him comfortable. As Bathsheba bowed low, honoring the king, he said, "What do you want?" ¹⁷"My master," she said, "you promised me in God 's name, ‘Your son Solomon will be king after me and sit on my throne.' And now look what's happened—Adonijah has taken over as king, and my master the king doesn't even know it! He has thrown a huge coronation feast—cattle and grain-fed heifers and sheep—inviting all the king's sons, the priest Abiathar, and Joab head of the army. But your servant Solomon was not invited. My master the king, every eye in Israel is watching you to see what you'll do—to see who will sit on the throne of my master the king after him. If you fail to act, the moment you're buried my son Solomon and I are as good as dead." ²²Abruptly, while she was telling the king all this, Nathan the prophet came in and was announced: "Nathan the prophet is here." He came before the king, honoring him by bowing deeply, his face touching the ground. ²⁴"My master the king," Nathan began, "did you say, ‘Adonijah shall be king after me and sit on my throne'? Because that's what's happening. He's thrown a huge coronation feast—cattle, grain-fed heifers, sheep—inviting all the king's sons, the army officers, and Abiathar the priest. They're having a grand time, eating and drinking and shouting, ‘Long live King Adonijah!' But I wasn't invited, nor was the priest Zadok, nor Benaiah son of Jehoiada, nor your servant Solomon. Is this something that my master the king has done behind our backs, not telling your servants who you intended to be king after you?" ²⁸ King David took action: "Get Bathsheba back in here." She entered and stood before the king. ²⁹The king solemnly promised, "As God lives, the God who delivered me from every kind of trouble, I'll do exactly what I promised in God 's name, the God of Israel: Your son Solomon will be king after me and take my place on the throne. And I'll make sure it happens this very day." ³¹ Bathsheba bowed low, her face to the ground. Kneeling in reverence before the king she said, "Oh, may my master, King David, live forever!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sleep: 1 Kings 2:10, Genesis 15:15, Deuteronomy 31:16

that I: That is, when Adonijah is established on the throne, I and my son Solomon shall be put to death as state criminals. The history of the world demonstrates, that the lust of dominion has tempted men to commit the most enormous crimes. A father has destroyed his son, a son deposed a father, and a brother murdered a brother, in order to obtain a crown!

offenders: Heb. sinners, 1 Kings 2:15, 1 Kings 2:22-24

Reciprocal: Genesis 43:9 - will be 1 Samuel 10:24 - God save the king 2 Samuel 7:12 - sleep 1 Kings 1:12 - save 1 Kings 11:43 - slept 2 Kings 10:35 - Jehu slept 2 Kings 13:13 - slept 2 Kings 14:16 - Jehoash 1 Chronicles 17:11 - go to be 2 Chronicles 9:31 - slept 2 Chronicles 32:33 - slept 1 Thessalonians 4:13 - which are

Cross-References

Genesis 1:24
God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds." And there it was: wild animals of every kind, Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug. God saw that it was good.

Genesis 1:26
God spoke: "Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth." God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God's nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth."

Genesis 1:31
God looked over everything he had made; it was so good, so very good! It was evening, it was morning— Day Six.

Job 26:5
"All the buried dead are in torment, and all who've been drowned in the deep, deep sea. Hell is ripped open before God, graveyards dug up and exposed. He spreads the skies over unformed space, hangs the earth out in empty space. He pours water into cumulus cloud-bags and the bags don't burst. He makes the moon wax and wane, putting it through its phases. He draws the horizon out over the ocean, sets a boundary between light and darkness. Thunder crashes and rumbles in the skies. Listen! It's God raising his voice! By his power he stills sea storms, by his wisdom he tames sea monsters. With one breath he clears the sky, with one finger he crushes the sea serpent. And this is only the beginning, a mere whisper of his rule. Whatever would we do if he really raised his voice!"

Jonah 1:17
Then God assigned a huge fish to swallow Jonah. Jonah was in the fish's belly three days and nights.

Jonah 2:10
Then God spoke to the fish, and it vomited up Jonah on the seashore.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers,.... That is, shall die, and be buried in the sepulchre of his ancestors, where he shall lie till he awakes in the morning of the resurrection:

that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders; or "sinners" g; not as if she would be reckoned an adulteress, and her son as illegitimate, as some think, and so be branded and treated as such; but as being traitors, making pretensions to the throne, she on the behalf of her son, and he for himself, when he had no right to it, being the younger son, and not declared successor by his father.

g הטאים "peccatores", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Shall sleep - This euphemism for death, rare in the early Scriptures - being found only once in the Pentateuch (margin reference.), and once also in the historical books before Kings 2 Samuel 7:12 - becomes in Kings and Chronicles the ordinary mode of speech (see 1 Kings 2:10; 1 Kings 11:43, etc.; 2Ch 9:31; 2 Chronicles 12:16, etc.). David uses the metaphor in one psalm Psalms 13:3. In the later Scriptures it is, of course, common. (Jeremiah 51:39; Daniel 12:2; Matthew 9:24; John 11:11; 1 Corinthians 11:30; 1Co 15:51; 1 Thessalonians 4:14, etc.)

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 1:21. Shall be counted offenders. — When Adonijah and his party shall find that I and my son have had this promise from thee by oath, he will slay us both.