The Meaning of 1 Kings 1:31 Explained

1 Kings 1:31

KJV: Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

YLT: And Bath-Sheba boweth -- face to the earth -- and doth obeisance to the king, and saith, 'Let my lord, king David, live to the age.'

Darby: And Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

ASV: Then Bath-sheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did obeisance to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then Bathsheba  bowed  with [her] face  to the earth,  and did reverence  to the king,  and said,  Let my lord  king  David  live  for ever. 

What does 1 Kings 1:31 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 1:28-40 - Anointing The Chosen One
David aroused himself and acted with commendable prudence and celerity. The crisis required promptness of decision and energy in execution. The whole nation was waiting to know the king's will regarding the succession to the throne, and David left no doubt as to his choice. His orders were quickly carried out by Nathan, Zadok, and Benaiah, and the royal action was also endorsed by popular acclaim.
What tumultuous joy burst over Jerusalem when Solomon was enthroned! The earth rang again with jubilant shouts which struck terror among the guests at Adonijah's feast. But all such opposition shall be forgotten in that day for which the whole creation-groaning in travail, Romans 8:22 -waits: when Jesus shall be manifested, and those who love Him shall be manifested with Him in glory, Colossians 3:4. Then we shall hear that new song, in which ten thousand times ten thousand voices shall acknowledge that Jesus is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. He must reign! Revelation 5:12.
1 Kings 1:1-53 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 1

1  Abishag cherishes David in his extreme age
5  Adonijah, David's darling, usurps the kingdom
11  By the council of Nathan
15  Bathsheba moves the king
22  And Nathan seconds her
28  David renews his oath to Bathsheba
32  Solomon, by David's appointment,
38  being anointed king by Zadok and Nathan, the people triumph
41  Jonathan bringing the news, Adonijah's guests fly
50  Adonijah, flying to the horns of the altar, is dismissed by Solomon

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 1:31 mean?

And bowed in Bathsheba with [her] face to the earth and paid homage to the king and said let live my lord King David forever -
וַתִּקֹּ֨ד בַּת־ שֶׁ֤בַע אַפַּ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וַתִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לַמֶּ֑לֶךְ וַתֹּ֕אמֶר יְחִ֗י אֲדֹנִ֛י הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ דָּוִ֖ד לְעֹלָֽם פ

וַתִּקֹּ֨ד  And  bowed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָדַד  
Sense: (Qal) to bow down.
שֶׁ֤בַע  Bathsheba 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בַּת־שֶׁבַע  
Sense: the wife of Uriah whom David had murdered, having had adulterous relations with her; subsequently wife of David and mother of Solomon, Shimea, Shobab, and Nathan.
אַפַּ֙יִם֙  with  [her]  face 
Parse: Noun, md
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
אֶ֔רֶץ  to  the  earth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
וַתִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ  and  paid  homage 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
לַמֶּ֑לֶךְ  to  the  king 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְחִ֗י  let  live 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: חָיָה  
Sense: to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health.
אֲדֹנִ֛י  my  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הַמֶּ֥לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
דָּוִ֖ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לְעֹלָֽם  forever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation