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H51 · Hebrew · Old Testament
אֲבִישַׁג
Avishag
Proper noun, feminine
Abishag

Definition

Abishag (אֲבִישַׁג) is a proper name meaning my father wanders. She was a young Shunammite woman chosen for her beauty to care for the elderly King David in his final days, serving and keeping him warm.

Usage & Theological Significance

Abishag appears briefly in the narrative but carries political weight — Adonijah's request for her as wife was interpreted as a bid for the throne (1 Kings 2:17–22), leading to his execution by Solomon. God's purposes weave through every life, even those appearing only briefly in the larger story of redemption.

Key Bible Verses

1 Kings 1:3 So they searched throughout all the territory of Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
1 Kings 1:15 Now the king was very old, and Abishag the Shunammite was serving the king.
1 Kings 2:17 He said, 'Please ask King Solomon — he will not refuse you — to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.'
1 Kings 2:21 She said, 'Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as his wife.'
1 Kings 2:22 King Solomon answered his mother, 'And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also!'

Related Words

External Resources

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