1 Kings 1:31 Made Simple

KJV ORIGINAL

Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

Close to the original. Clear modern English.

✦ MADE SIMPLE

Then Bathsheba bowed down with her face to the ground, showing respect to the king, and said, 'May my lord King David live forever.'

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

Bathsheba is showing deep respect and honor to King David while expressing her wish for his long life and continued reign.

📚 Historical Context

In the biblical narrative of 1 Kings 1, King David is elderly and his throne is in jeopardy as his son Adonijah attempts to claim it without David's approval. Bathsheba, David's wife and Solomon's mother, approaches the king to remind him of his promise to make Solomon the successor, amid the political intrigue surrounding the royal succession. Her act of bowing and wishing David to live forever is a cultural expression of respect and loyalty in ancient Near Eastern courts, where such gestures affirmed allegiance to a ruler.

Explore Similar Verses

1 Kings 1:16

Bathsheba bowed down and showed deep respect to the king. The king asked her, 'What do you want?'

1 Kings 2:19

So Bathsheba went to King Solomon to speak to him about Adonijah's request. When the king saw her coming, he stood up to greet her and bowed down to show her respect. Then he sat back down on his throne and had a special seat brought for his mother, and she sat down at his right side.

1 Kings 1:15

So Bathsheba went into the king's private room. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was taking care of him.

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