And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
Parallel translations
- WEB Bathsheba bowed, and showed respect to the king. The king said, “What would you like?”
- BSB And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?”
- NKJV And Bathsheba bowed and did homage to the king. Then the king said, “What is your wish?”
- NASB Then Bathsheba bowed and prostrated herself before the king. And the king said, “What is on your mind?”
- NLT Bathsheba bowed down before the king. “What can I do for you?” he asked her.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Bathsheba bows respectfully, and David asks what she desires. Proper court protocol opens her petition.
Overview
Bathsheba shows due honor to the king before making her request, modeling respect even toward a feeble ruler. David's question gives her the opening to speak. The brief exchange sets the stage for her appeal on Solomon's behalf.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- 1 Sam 24:8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.
- 1 Sam 20:41And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, and fell on his face to the ground, and bowed himself three times: and they kissed one another, and wept one with another, until David exceeded.
- 1 Sam 25:23And when Abigail saw David, she hasted, and lighted off the ass, and fell before David on her face, and bowed herself to the ground,
- Matt 20:21And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom.
- Esth 7:2And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.
- 1 Kgs 1:23And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.
- Matt 20:32And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
- 1 Kgs 2:20Then she said, I desire one small petition of thee; I pray thee, say me not nay. And the king said unto her, Ask on, my mother: for I will not say thee nay.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 1:16 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.