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The English Patient and The Bible

jennie549

Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2006
Messages
179
I am studying The English Patient in my English course in college, and there is a quote of scripture, 1 Kings 1:1-4 about King David and Abishag. I was wondering if anyone knows the book and more insight into this portion of scripture?

Thanks!

Jennie549
 
It seems this was a movie about 20 years ago or so. I vaguely remember seeing parts of it, but I'm not familiar with the book.

I'm not sure what the question here is.. but it seems when King David was old he had a young lady sleep with him to keep him warm at night.
However she was not a concubine, she did not live with him, and they never had sexual relations. It seems this was a plutonic relationship.

1 Kings 1:1 King David was now very old, and no matter how many blankets covered him, he could not keep warm.
1 Kings 1:2 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."
1 Kings 1:3 So they searched throughout the land of Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag from Shunem and brought her to the king.
1 Kings 1:4 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.

That last verse is translated quite differently in various versions, here are a few.

(AMP) The maiden was beautiful; and she waited on and nursed him. But the king had no intercourse with her.
(ASV) And the damsel was very fair; and she cherished the king, and ministered to him; but the king knew her not.
(GNB) She was very beautiful, and waited on the king and took care of him, but he did not have intercourse with her.
(GW) 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.
(HCSB) The girl was of unsurpassed beauty, and she became the king's caregiver. She served him, but he was not intimate with her.
(ISV) The young woman was absolutely beautiful. She served the king and was very useful to him. The king was not sexually involved with her.
(KJV) And the damsel was very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
(MKJV) And the girl was very beautiful. And she nursed the king and served him. But the king did not know her.
(MSG) The girl was stunningly beautiful; she stayed at his side and looked after the king, but the king did not have sex with her.
(NAS77) And the girl was very beautiful; and she became the king's nurse and served him, but the king did not cohabit with her.
(NASB) The girl was very beautiful; and she became the king's nurse and served him, but the king did not cohabit with her.
(NIrV) The woman was very beautiful. She took care of the king and served him. But the king didn't have sex with her.
(NIV) The woman was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had no sexual relations with her.
(NLT) 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.
 
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