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The fourth was Adonijah, whose mother was Haggith. The fifth was Shephatiah, whose mother was Abital.
2 Samuel 3:4 · New Living Translation
Parallel translations
  • WEB and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
  • KJV And the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
  • BSB his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;
  • NKJV the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;
  • NASB and the fourth, Adonijah the son of Haggith; and the fifth, Shephatiah the son of Abital;

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

Adonijah and Shephatiah are named among David's sons. Adonijah will later contend for the throne.

Overview

The list includes Adonijah, who at the end of David's life will attempt to seize the kingship from Solomon. These names, recorded matter-of-factly here, point ahead to struggles over David's succession. The genealogy underscores that the security of the dynasty rested ultimately on God's choice, not merely on natural birth order.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 2

  • 1 Kgs 1:5–18Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king.” Then he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.
  • 1 Kgs 2:13–25Then Adonijah the son of Haggith came to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon. She said, “Do you come peaceably?” He said, “Peaceably.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (6)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — 2 Samuel videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on 2 Samuel 3:4YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on 2 SamuelMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.

How 2 Samuel 3:4 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.