The Meaning of 1 Kings 1:47 Explained

1 Kings 1:47

KJV: And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

YLT: and also the servants of the king have come into bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God doth make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and his throne greater than thy throne; and the king boweth himself on the bed,

Darby: And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God make the name of Solomon more excellent than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne! And the king bowed himself on the bed.

ASV: And moreover the king's servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, Thy God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne: and the king bowed himself upon the bed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And moreover the king's  servants  came  to bless  our lord  king  David,  saying,  God  make the name  of Solomon  better  than thy name,  and make  his throne  greater  than thy throne.  And the king  bowed  himself upon the bed. 

What does 1 Kings 1:47 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 1:41-53 - Justice And Brotherhood The Foundations Of The State
According to popular usage, Adonijah was the rightful heir to the throne. He was handsome and kingly in appearance and behavior. He was also in his prime, while Solomon was just out of his teens. So plausible was his address that the nation was bewildered, and old retainers of David's throne were seduced. We are reminded in all this of the god of this world, 2 Corinthians 4:4, who blinds the eyes of those who believe not, lest the light of the glorious knowledge of God should shine in upon them.
Solomon displayed remarkable clemency in dealing with Adonijah. He was willing to let bygones be bygones. He promised that if Adonijah proved himself a worthy man, no harm should befall him. But as the following chapter records, the evil that wrought in Adonijah came out in a further plot to secure the throne, and he paid the death penalty. Let us see to it that we walk, not according to the course of this world or the spirit that works in the children of disobedience, but, remembering that we have been quickened together with Christ and made to sit with Him in heavenly places, let us walk worthy of our high calling.
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 1:47 mean?

And moreover have gone servants of the king to bless - our lord King David saying May make better - God the name of Solomon than your name and may He make greater his throne than your throne And bowed himself the king on the bed
וְגַם־ בָּ֜אוּ עַבְדֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ לְ֠בָרֵךְ אֶת־ אֲדֹנֵ֜ינוּ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִד֮ לֵאמֹר֒ יֵיטֵ֨ב [אלהיך] (אֱלֹהִ֜ים) שֵׁ֤ם שְׁלֹמֹה֙ מִשְּׁמֶ֔ךָ וִֽיגַדֵּ֥ל כִּסְא֖וֹ מִכִּסְאֶ֑ךָ וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־ הַמִּשְׁכָּֽב

וְגַם־  And  moreover 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
בָּ֜אוּ  have  gone 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
עַבְדֵ֣י  servants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ  of  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
לְ֠בָרֵךְ  to  bless 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲדֹנֵ֜ינוּ  our  lord 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ  King 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
דָּוִד֮  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
לֵאמֹר֒  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יֵיטֵ֨ב  May  make  better 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: יָטַב  
Sense: to be good, be pleasing, be well, be glad.
[אלהיך]  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
(אֱלֹהִ֜ים)  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
שֵׁ֤ם  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
שְׁלֹמֹה֙  of  Solomon 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁלֹמֹה  
Sense: son of David by Bathsheba and 3rd king of Israel; author of Proverbs and Song of Songs.
מִשְּׁמֶ֔ךָ  than  your  name 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
וִֽיגַדֵּ֥ל  and  may  He  make  greater 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
כִּסְא֖וֹ  his  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
מִכִּסְאֶ֑ךָ  than  your  throne 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֥חוּ  And  bowed  himself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
הַמִּשְׁכָּֽב  the  bed 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁכָּב  
Sense: a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying.