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1 Kings 1:2–4

His servants said to him, “Let them search for a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her stand before the king. Let her be of use for him, and let her lie in your lap that my lord the king may be warm.” So they sought a beautiful young woman in all the territory of Israel, and they found Abishag the Shunnamite and brought her to the king. Now the young woman was very beautiful; she was of use for the king, and she served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.b

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1 Kings 1:2–4 — The New International Version (NIV)

So his attendants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to serve the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm.”

Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — English Standard Version (ESV)

Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king and be in his service. Let her lie in your arms, that my lord the king may be warm.” So they sought for a beautiful young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very beautiful, and she was of service to the king and attended to him, but the king knew her not.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

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. So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the coasts of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — New Living Translation (NLT)

So his advisers told him, “Let us find a young virgin to wait on you and look after you, my lord. She will lie in your arms and keep you warm.”

So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful, and she looked after the king and took care of him. But the king had no sexual relations with her.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

Therefore his servants said to him, “Let a young woman, a virgin, be sought for our lord the king, and let her stand before the king, and let her care for him; and let her lie in your bosom, that our lord the king may be warm.” So they sought for a lovely young woman throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The young woman was very lovely; and she cared for the king, and served him; but the king did not know her.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — New Century Version (NCV)

They said to him, “We will look for a young woman to care for you. She will lie close to you and keep you warm.” After searching everywhere in Israel for a beautiful young woman, they found a girl named Abishag from Shunam and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful, and she cared for the king and served him. But the king did not have sexual relations with her.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — American Standard Version (ASV)

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 cherish him; and let her lie in thy bosom, that my lord the king may get heat. So they sought for a fair damsel throughout all the borders of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. And the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

And his servants said to him, Let there be found 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 warm. And they sought for a fair damsel throughout the territory of Israel, and found Abishag a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. And the damsel was very fair; and cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

His officials told him, “Your Majesty, let us search for a young woman who has never been married. She can stay with you and be your servant. She can lie in your arms and keep you warm.” 

So they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful, young woman. They found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king. The woman was very beautiful. She became the king’s servant and took care of him, but the king did not make love to her. 

1 Kings 1:2–4 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

So his servants said to him: “Let us search for a young virgin for my lord the king. She is to attend the king and be his caregiver. She is to lie by your side so that my lord the king will get warm.” They searched for a beautiful girl throughout the territory of Israel; they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. The girl was of unsurpassed beauty, and she became the king’s caregiver. She served him, but he was not intimate with her.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

So his servants said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king, and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm.” So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful. She became the king’s attendant and served him, but the king did not know her sexually.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

So his servants spoke to him. They said, “You are our king and master. Please let us try to find a young virgin to help you. She can take care of you. She can lie down beside you. Then you can keep warm.”

So David’s servants looked all over Israel for a beautiful young woman. They found Abishag. She was from the town of Shunem. They brought her to the king. The woman was very beautiful. She took care of the king and served him. But the king didn’t have sex with her.

1 Kings 1:2–4 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

So his servants said to him, “Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her attend the king and become his nurse; and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm.”

So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.

The girl was very beautiful; and she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not cohabit with her.


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