Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 1:4
And the damsel [was] very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
4. cherished the king ] Being always at hand to perform, as his nurse, such duties as the weak condition of king David needed.
knew her not ] These words seem added to explain how it came to pass that Adonijah afterwards could ask her for his wife. (1Ki 2:17.)
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. The king knew her not.] The maxim of Bacon in his enigmatical cure is, “Take all you can from the medicine, but give nothing to it; if you give any thing, it increases the disease and hastens death.” I have seen this abundantly verified; but it is a subject on which it would be improper to dilate except in a medical work. An extract from Friar Bacon’s Cure of Old Age may be found at the end of the chapter. 1Kg 1:53.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Which is mentioned to note the continuance and progress of the kings malady, and the ground of Adonijahs rebellion, and of his following request, 1Ki 2:17.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the damsel [was] very fair,…. And so very agreeable to the king to be in his presence, and wait upon him, and take things of her hand, as well as lie with him:
and cherished the king; enlivened his spirits by her amiable countenance, her graceful behaviour, and tender care of him, and especially by bedding with him:
and ministered to him; serving him with her own hands whatever he took for his sustenance:
but the king knew her not; as a man knows his wife; which shows that she was his wife, and that it would not have been criminal in him had he known her; but this is observed, not to point at the chastity of David, but his feebleness, and loss of desire after women, and that the damsel remained a virgin; and that was the ground of Adonijah’s request, and his hope of succeeding.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. The king knew her not This explicit statement, as well as all that goes before, is a sufficient vindication of David from the charge of taking a fair young concubine in his old age in order to gratify lewd passions. The whole procedure was in perfect accordance with the morals of the time. No one looked upon it as a scandal, and Bath-sheba herself evidently found no fault.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 1:4 And the damsel [was] very fair, and cherished the king, and ministered to him: but the king knew her not.
Ver. 4. And the damsel was very fair. ] And therefore lovely, , and fitter for the purpose.
But the king knew her not.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
knew her not: Mat 1:25
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 1:4. The king knew her not Did not enjoy her as his wife, but she remained still a virgin: which is mentioned to signify the continuance and progress of the kings malady.