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“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ
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(Romans
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Abishag
– David’s Servant – Wikipedia
Abishag
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In the Hebrew Bible, Abishag (/ˈćbɪʃćɡ/;
Hebrew: אֲבִישַׁג,
romanized: ʾăb̲išag̲, lit. 'My Father is a wanderer')
was a beautiful young woman of Shunem chosen to be a helper and servant to King
David in his old age.[1] Among Abishag's duties was to lie next to David and
pass along her body heat and vigor because "they put covers on him, but he
could not get warm".[2]
Biblical narrative
When brought to David, she was a naʿarā (נַעֲרָ֣ה),
which indicates youth but not specifically a virgin.[3][4][5] However, in the
preceding verse (1 Kings 1:2), it specifies that they are looking for a betulah
(בְתוּלָ֔ה) 'a virgin' to
warm David. 1 Kings 1:4 states that David did not engage in sexual intercourse
with her.[6] Nonetheless, there are elements of Jewish exegetical tradition
which maintain that David engaged in anal sex with Abishag and he was not
totally impotent. It is speculated that King David engaged in a multicoital act
of intercourse with his wife Bathsheba in his old age precisely to prove his
continued virility.[7]
After David's death, Adonijah, David's fourth and eldest
surviving son, persuaded Bathsheba, King Solomon's mother, to entreat the king
to permit him to marry Abishag. Solomon suspected in this request an aspiration
to the throne, since Abishag was considered David's concubine,[8][9] and so
ordered Adonijah's assassination in 1 Kings 2:17–25. In the earlier story of
Absalom's rebellion, it is noted that having sexual relations with the former
king's concubine is a way of proclaiming oneself to be the new king. Adonijah
may have asked to marry her at the suggestion of his mother.[6]
Some scholars point to the possibility that Abishag is the
female protagonist in the Song of Songs.[10]
Later Jewish midrashic and Christian traditions paid little
attention to Abishag's role.[11] Rashi refers to her as a meḥomemet, or
"warmer". Modern commentaries and translators have variously
described her as a "housekeeper", "hot-water bottle",
"heating pad", "attendant" or "bedfellow", though
she is twice referred to as a soḵeneṯ in the text of Kings. This
term, when applied to a man (soḵēn), is often translated
"administrator" or "palace steward", as in Isaiah 22:15,
leading some to believe she may have had a broader role and
responsibilities.[12] Other commentaries describe her role as being a nurse to
the frail King David.[13]
Abishag's experiences have provided inspiration for
contemporary writers including Rainer Maria Rilke, Itzik Manger, Louise Gluck
and Shirley Kaufman.[11] The story is referred to allegorically at the end of
the first part of the final volume (The Cross or in the original Norwegian,
Korset) of Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. Abishag's name, although not
her story, is invoked to begin Robert Frost's poem "Provide,
Provide."[14]