1 Kings 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.
Original Language Analysis
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern medical texts, including Egyptian and Mesopotamian sources, describe similar practices of using body heat therapy for treating hypothermia and various ailments. The Hippocratic corpus also references therapeutic uses of body warmth. This wasn't unique to Israelite culture but reflects shared ancient medical understanding across Mediterranean and Near Eastern civilizations.
In royal contexts, personal attendants and physicians held significant positions. The servants mentioned here were likely senior palace officials responsible for the king's welfare. Their ability to make such proposals indicates their trusted status and the gravity of David's condition. The specification of virginity may relate to concepts of ritual purity associated with serving the king, or beliefs about the life force of young, unmarried women.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of David's declining years and increasing palace intrigue. Bathsheba's son Solomon and David's older son Adonijah represented competing factions. Any woman in intimate proximity to the king—even in a medical capacity—would be perceived as a royal consort, making her subsequent status politically significant, as demonstrated when Adonijah's request for Abishag cost him his life.
Questions for Reflection
- How does this passage affirm the value of medical care and preservation of life while also acknowledging human mortality and the limits of medical intervention?
- What does the servants' initiative teach about the responsibility of those surrounding leaders to speak honestly and act for their welfare?
- How can we navigate situations where legitimate, moral actions might be misconstrued or create unintended complications?
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Analysis & Commentary
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. The servants' proposal reflects ancient medical practice where the body heat of a young, healthy person was thought to warm and restore vitality to the elderly or infirm. The Hebrew na'arah betulah (נַעֲרָה בְתוּלָה, 'young virgin') specifies both youth and virginity, emphasizing purity and vital energy.
The term sochenet (סֹכֶנֶת, 'cherish' or 'nurse') indicates a caregiving role rather than purely sexual relationship. The phrase 'lie in thy bosom' (shakab becheikecha, שָׁכַב בְּחֵיקֶךָ) describes intimate physical proximity for therapeutic warming, though the narrative clarifies this remains non-sexual (v. 4). This medical understanding, while foreign to modern readers, was common in ancient medicine across various cultures.
The servants' initiative reveals both their concern for David's health and awareness of the delicate political situation. David's inability to maintain body temperature signals life-threatening illness. Their proposal attempts to restore the king's vitality through recognized therapeutic means, though it also becomes entangled with succession politics when Adonijah later requests Abishag as wife (1 Kings 2:13-25), revealing how even medical care of royalty carried political implications.