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1 Kings 1:42

in 1 Kings 1

As he was speaking, suddenly Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest arrived. “Come in,” said Adonijah, “for you are a man of valor. You must be bringing good news.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV

ASV

While he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said, Come in; for thou art a worthy man, and bringest good tidings.

KJV

And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came: and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

This verse in 1 Kings 1

Commentary

5 notes on this verse
Jonathan had acted in a similar capacity, as a carrier of intelligence, in the time of Absalom’s attempt 2Sa 15:36; 2Sa 17:17; but at that time, like his father, he was faithful to David, and “a valiant man,” “a virtuous man,” or “a man of worth.” (See 1Ki 1:52; Pro 12:4.)

This site's exposition

thou art a valiant man

on 1 Kings 1:42-43

Adonijah welcomes Jonathan, son of Abiathar the priest, as a bringer of good tidings, the same Jonathan who carried word to David during Absalom's revolt in 2 Sam 17:17-21. The welcome is the last calm moment in the chapter for Adonijah's party. Jonathan answers with a verdict before he gives a single detail, our lord king David hath made Solomon king, and everything that follows in his report only supports it.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came,....

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

Usurpers flatter themselves with the hopes of success, and those are commonly least timorous whose condition is most dangerous. But how can those who do evil deeds expect to have good tidings?

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

The arrival of a trusty messenger, who gave a full detail of the coronation ceremony [1Ki 1:43-48], spread dismay in their camp. The wicked and ambitious plot they had assembled to execute was dissipated, and every one of the conspirators consulted his safety by flight. ADONIJAH, FLEEING TO THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR, IS DISMISSED BY SOLOMON.

The words behind it

17 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • עוֹדֶ֣נּוּstill he

    odenuH5750490 times

  • מְדַבֵּ֔ר[was] speaking

    medaberH16961141 times

  • וְהִנֵּ֧הand there!

    vehinehH2009843 times

  • יוֹנָתָ֛ןJonathan

    yonatanH3129

  • בֶּן־[the] son of

    ben-H11214930 times

  • אֶבְיָתָ֥רAbiathar

    ʾevyatarH5430 times

  • הַכֹּהֵ֖ןthe priest

    hakohenH3548750 times

  • בָּ֑אhe came

    ba'H9352568 times

  • וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said

    vaiyomerH5595305 times

  • אֲדֹנִיָּ֙הוּ֙Adonijah

    ʾadoniyahuH13826 times

  • בֹּ֔אcome

    bo'H9352568 times

  • כִּ֣יfor

    kiH35884482 times

  • אִ֥ישׁ[are] a man of

    ʾishH3761663 times

  • חַ֛יִלworth

    chayilH2428246 times

  • אַ֖תָּהyou

    ʾatahH8591094 times

  • וְט֥וֹבand good

    vetovH2896538 times

  • תְּבַשֵּֽׂר׃you bear news

    tevaserH1319

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 17:17

    Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, for they dared not be…

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 15:27

      The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Are you not a seer? Return to the city in peace—you with your son Ahimaaz, and Abiathar with his son Jonathan.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • 2 Samuel 15:36

      Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”

    • Joshua 15:7

      Then the border went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, turning north to Gilgal, which faces the Ascent of Adummim south of the ravine. It continued along the waters of En-shemesh and…

    • Joshua 18:16

      Then it went down to the foot of the hill that faces the Valley of Hinnom at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim and ran down the Valley of Hinnom toward the…

  • Through

    2 Samuel 15:36

    Indeed, their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with everything you hear.”

    it leads to

    • 2 Samuel 17:17

      Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, for they dared not be…

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    2 Kings 9:22

    When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?” “How can there be peace,” he replied, “as long as the idolatry and witchcraft of your mother Jezebel abound?”

    it leads to

    • 2 Chronicles 21:13

      but you have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel and have caused Judah and the people of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ahab prostituted itself. You have…

    • Nahum 3:4

      because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 18:27

    The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”

    it leads to

    • 2 Kings 9:20

      Again the watchman reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. And the charioteer is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi—he is driving like a madman!”

Where this verse is studied

About 1 Kings

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.