1 Kings 1:2

2. his servants] The word, though primarily applied to those who were occupied in servile work, had come by this time to be used regularly of those who were about a royal person, and in such a position as to venture on giving him counsel. Josephus (Ant. vii. 15.3) says they were the king’s physicians. (Cf. Gen_1:2.)

Let there be sought] Literally ‘Let them seek.’ This kind of variation is frequent in the A.V. for the sake of the English; as also the personal form of a sentence, put where the Hebrew verb is impersonal. Thus the last clause in 1Ki_1:1 is literally ‘and it grew not warm to him.’ As such literal renderings are very often noticed on the margin, no special mention will hereafter be made of them.

a young virgin] This device, whereby it was thought to communicate vital heat from a young frame to an old one, was adopted by the advice of physicians long after David’s time. See Bacon, Hist. Vitœ et Mortis, Medicamina ad longævitatem 1Ki_9:25.

and let her stand before the king] This phrase is used of those who serve or minister to another. Thus Deu_1:38, Joshua the minister of Moses is said to ‘stand before him.’ It seems clear from the language of Solomon (1Ki_2:22) that Abishag was to be counted as one of the wives of David. Polygamy was not at this time confined to kings like David and Solomon, but was practised by other Israelites, as is shewn by the history of Elkanah (1Sa_1:2).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 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.

Ver. 2. Wherefore his servants said unto him,] i.e., His physicians, his Yεραποντες θεραπευοντες.

And let her lie in thy bosom.] In a medicinal way, to work heat in thy cold body, whilst she lieth with thee as a wife or concubine: for else they would never have advised it, nor David have taken their counsel.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 1:2. Wherefore his servants — His physicians; said, Let there be sought for the king a young virgin — Whose natural heat is fresh and wholesome, and not impaired with bearing or breeding children. The same counsel is given by Galen for the cure of some cold and dry distempers. Let her stand before the king — That is, minister unto him, or wait upon him in his sickness, as occasion requires. And let her lie in his bosom — As his wife; for that she was so, may appear by divers arguments. 1st, Otherwise this had been a wicked course; which, therefore, neither his servants would have dared to prescribe, nor would David have used, especially being now in a dying condition. 2d, It appears from this phrase of lying in his bosom, which is everywhere in Scripture mentioned as the privilege of a wife. 3d, This made Adonijah’s crime, in desiring her to wife, so heinous in Solomon’s account, because he saw, that by marrying the king’s wife, he designed to revive his pretence to the kingdom.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, serve him.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 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.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Wherefore his servants said unto him,.... His physicians; so Joseph's physicians are called his servants, Gen 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 Isa 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, Mic 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, Kg1 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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

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

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Servants. Physicians. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] vii. 14.) --- People of the faculty still adopt the same sentiments; and when fire and clothes will not procure heat, they advise the application of living creatures. (Bartholin ix.; Galen vii.; Vales. Philos. c. 19.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

His servants; his physicians.

A young virgin; whose natural heat is fresh and wholesome, and not impaired with bearing or breeding of children. The same counsel doth Galen give for the cure of some cold and dry distempers.

Let her stand before the king, i.e. minister unto him, or wait upon him, (as this phrase is oft used,) in his sickness, as occasion requires. Let her lie in thy bosom, as his wife or concubine; for that she was so may appear by divers arguments. First, Otherwise this had been a wicked counsel and course; which therefore neither his servants durst have prescribed, nor would David have used, especially being now in a dying condition. And seeing this was easily prevented by his taking her for his concubine, which then was esteemed allowable, it is absurd to think that he would not choose the safer way. Secondly, That passage, 1Ki 1:4,

but the king knew her not, implies that the king might have had carnal knowledge of her without sin or scandal. Thirdly, it appears from this phrase of

lying in his bosom, which is every where in Scripture mentioned as the privilege of a wife and concubine, as Gen 16:5; Deu 13:6; 2Sa 12:8; Mic 7:5. Fourthly, This made Adonijah’s crime, in desiring her to wife, so heinous in Solomon’s account, because he wisely saw, that by marrying the king’s wife he designed to revive his pretence to the kingdom, at least in case of Solomon’s death; which pretence had been ridiculous, if she had been only the king’s handmaid.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

2. His servants — Josephus calls them his physicians.

Let her cherish him — Literally, let her be to him a female nurse. It was one part of her service to attend to his private wants, to perform the various little items of nursing expected of a familiar attendant. All this is comprehended in the word סכנת, a female attendant. Another part of her service was to lie in the king’s bosom, that is, sleep with him, and thus communicate to him animal heat and vigour. This method of recruiting the wasted vigour of age is natural and well known; but while it benefits the old, it must needs take away from the strength of the young. The too common practice of young persons sleeping with aged aunts, uncles, or grandparents is the ruin of many a naturally vigorous and healthy constitution.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Wherefore Heb. and his servants according to Josephus (Antiq. 7:14, 3), his physicians said unto him, Let there be sought lit. as marg., let them seek" for my lord the king the singular pronoun is used as representing the servant who was spokesman for the rest a young virgin marg., a damsel, a virgin. " She must be young, to impart heat, and a virgin, as befitted a king. Though she was recommended as a nurse, they would naturally suppose she might be taken as a concubine and let her stand before the king i.e., as servant (Ver. 4). Cf. 1Ki_12:6, Gen_41:46; Dan_1:5; Deu_1:38 with Jos_1:1 1Ki_10:8. In the East, servants still stand and wait their masters" pleasure. Cf., 2Ki_5:25 and let her cherish him So also the LXX, kai estai aujtolpousa. But Gesenius, al, "be a companion to him" and let her lie in thy or "his," LXX autou, Vulg. sue bosom the expression is generally, but not invariably (see 1 Kings Rth_4:16) used de complexu venereo that my lord the king may get heat. This close embrace of youth was an obvious way of imparting animal heat to age ("Color a corpore juvenili ac sane maxime prodest senibus." Grotius), and was the more favoured because other and internal remedies were not then known. It is recognized by Galen, and is said to have been prescribed by a Jewish physician to the Emperor Frederick Bar-baressa (Bahr). It is stated by Roberts that it is still largely followed in the East.

Only The word perhaps signifies "that there was one exception to the flourishing condition of things which the writer has been describing" (Rawlinson), though the people are nowhere blamed for sacrificing on the high places, and Solomon"s sacrifice at "the great high place "was full of blessing. The idea rather is that just as he was obliged to bring his Egyptian wife into the city of David, because his palace was not yet finished, so the people were compelled to sacrifice on the high places, because the temple was not yet built (Keil), and "the place" where God would put His name had only just been chosen (1Ch_22:1) the people sacrificed Heb. were sacrificing, i.e., habitually, constantly in high places All nations have chosen hill tops for acts of worship, perhaps as being nearer heaven. "Even Abraham built an altar to the Lord on a mountain near Bethel." (Gen_12:7, Gen_12:8; cf. 22:2, 9; 31:54) And the use of high places for this purpose was not distinctly condemned in the Law. It is true the Hebrews were commanded to have but one place of sacrifice (Leviticus Deu_12:5, Deu_12:11, Deu_12:13, Deu_12:26, Deu_12:27; cf., Jos_22:29) and this no doubt was, if not an indirect prohibition, a discouragement of such sanctuaries. It has been held, however, that this command was purely prospective, and it is certainly remarkable that even when the Israelites were settled in the promised land, and the tabernacle was set up, (Jos_18:1) altars were constantly built and sacrifices offered on high places, and sometimes, as in the case of Gideon, (Jud_1:6:26) and Manoah, (Jud_1:13:19, 20) by express Divine command. Later on we find Samuel, (1Sa_7:9, 10 11:15 16:5) Saul (13:9; 14:35), David, (1Ch_21:26) Solomon and Elijah, (1Ki_18:30) offering sacrifices in various places, which they could not possibly have done had it seemed to them that this was condemned beforehand by the Law. It is highly probable, therefore, that though the contemporaries of Joshua took a different view (as, Jos_22:15-31 proves) the men of a later age excused themselves on the ground stated in the text, that "there was no house built unto the name of the Lord." It has been held by some that "had they not sacrificed and burnt incense on high places, they could not have sacrificed or burnt incense at all" (Bp. Horsley); but this seems to overlook the fact that there was one place provided for sacrifices the door of the tabernacle and that for some reason or other they sacrificed elsewhere. And the reason, no doubt, was the one assigned by the historian. It should be added that this term "high place" (hm; B;) came to be used of all places of worship, not only on heights, but even those in valleys (2 Kings. Jer_7:31 Jer_32:35) The Bamah sometimes consisted of an altar only, but as a rule, there was a shrine or sanctuary, erected hard by (1Ki_13:32; 2Ki_17:29 2Ki_23:19) the Beth-Bamah, for which the word Bamah is sometimes loosely employed (1Ki_11:7 1Ki_14:23 2Ki_21:3) because there was no house built unto the name of the Lord until those days.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Servants - His physicians. Virgin - Whose natural heat is fresh and wholesome, and not impaired with bearing or breeding of children. The same counsel doth Galen give for the cure of some cold and dry distempers. Stand - That is, minister unto him, or wait upon him, in his sickness, as occasion requires. Lie in his bosom - As his wife: for that she was so, may appear by divers arguments. First, otherwise this had been a wicked course; which therefore neither his servants durst have prescribed, nor would David have used, especially being now in a dying condition. Secondly, it appears from this phrase of lying in his bosom, which is everywhere in scripture mentioned as the privilege of a wife. Thirdly, this made Adonijah's crime in desiring her to wife, so heinous in Solomon's account, because he saw, that by marrying the king's wife he designed to revive his pretense to the kingdom.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Virgin girl. Her virginity warms her flesh.

A warmer. “A warmer,” and similarly, “and he who chops wood will be warmed [יסכן] by them.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.