Bible Strands
1 Kings 1:16
And Bathsheba bowed down in homage to the king, who asked, “What is your desire?”
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Bathsheba enters the king’s bedroom and prostrates herself before the aging David. The king then addresses her directly, asking what she wants.
The words — The Hebrew וַתִּקֹּד (va.ti.kod) means “she bowed low,” and וַתִּשְׁתַּחוּ (va.tish.ta.chu) means “she bowed down.” Both verbs denote physical prostration or homage offered to the monarch.
The thread — This specific act of royal homage recurs in the David narratives, notably in 1 Samuel 20:41 when David bows, and in 1 Samuel 25:23 when Abigail falls facedown before him.
Why it lands — The text records a formal petition to a ruling monarch, requiring the reader to note the cultural protocol of royal audience. It places the burden on the reader to observe how Bathsheba positions herself to invoke a prior covenant promise.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Bath–sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?
Cross-references
- 1 Samuel 20:41 When the young man had gone, David got up from the south side of the stone, fell facedown, and bowed three times. Then he and Jonathan kissed each other and wept together—though David wept more.
- 1 Samuel 24:8 After that, David got up, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed facedown in reverence
- 1 Samuel 25:23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off the donkey, fell facedown, and bowed before him.
- 1 Kings 1:23 So the king was told, “Nathan the prophet is here.” And Nathan went in and bowed facedown before the king.
- 1 Kings 2:20 “I have just one small request of you,” she said. “Do not deny me.” “Make your request, my mother,” the king replied, “for I will not deny you.”
- Esther 7:2 and as they drank their wine on that second day, the king asked once more, “Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given to you. What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be fulfilled.”
- Matthew 20:21 “What do you want?” He inquired. She answered, “Declare that in Your kingdom one of these two sons of mine may sit at Your right hand, and the other at Your left.”
- Matthew 20:32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked.