21
She said, "Let your brother Adonijah get married to Abishag, the Shunammite."
1 Kings 2:21 Meaning and Commentary
1 Kings 2:21
And she said, let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah thy brother to wife. ] For so Adonijah was by his father's side; and Bathsheba makes use of the relation, the more to move upon him to grant the request.
19
When Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him for Adonijah, the king stood up to meet her, bowed down to her and sat down on his throne. He had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat down at his right hand.
20
“I have one small request to make of you,” she said. “Do not refuse me.” The king replied, “Make it, my mother; I will not refuse you.”
21
So she said, “Let Abishag the Shunammite be given in marriage to your brother Adonijah.”
22
King Solomon answered his mother, “Why do you request Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? You might as well request the kingdom for him—after all, he is my older brother—yes, for him and for Abiathar the priest and Joab son of Zeruiah!”
23
Then King Solomon swore by the LORD: “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if Adonijah does not pay with his life for this request!