^1:1King David was very old;¹ even when they covered him with blankets,² he could not get warm. ^1:2His servants advised³ him, “A young virgin must be found for our master, the king,⁴ to take care of the king’s needs⁵ and serve as his nurse. She can also sleep with you⁶ and keep our master, the king, warm.”⁷^1:3So they looked through all Israel⁸ for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ^1:4The young woman was very beautiful; she became the king’s nurse and served him, but the king did not have sexual relations with her.⁹

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Footnotes

1 Heb “was old, coming into the days” (i.e., advancing in years).
2 Or “garments.”
3 Heb “said to.”
4 Heb “let them seek for my master, the king, a young girl, a virgin.” The third person plural subject of the verb is indefinite (see §144.f). The appositional expression, “a young girl, a virgin,” is idiomatic; the second term specifically defines the more general first term (see §12.3b).
5 Heb “and she will stand before the king.” The Hebrew phrase “stand before” can mean “to attend; to serve” ( 764 עָמַד).
6 Heb “and she will lie down in your bosom.” The expression might imply sexual intimacy (see 2 Sam 12:3 [where the lamb symbolizes Bathsheba] and Mic 7:5), though v. 4b indicates that David did not actually have sex with the young woman.
7 Heb “and my master, the king, will be warm.”
8 Heb “through all the territory of Israel.”
9 Heb “did not know her.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Now King David was old and advanced in years. And although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. 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.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

When King David was very old, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. 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.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Now King David was old and advanced in age. Although they covered him with bedclothes, he could not get warm. 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 attended to him, but he was not intimate with her.

NLTNew Living Translation

King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm. 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.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Now King David had become old, advanced in years, and they covered him with garments, but he was not warm. 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.

KJV 1900King James Version

Now king David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat. 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.

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