Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful young woman and found Abishag, a Shunammite, and brought her to the king. – 1 Kings 1:3

Today's Scripture Reading (November 19, 2025): 1 Kings 1

A good friend of mine literally bristled whenever the subject of Abishag came up. Abishag was a beautiful woman who was brought into David’s bed to keep him warm, and she has been referred to by various names by critics and experts alike. Perhaps, depending on the person's stereotypical beliefs regarding the story, Abishag has been referred to as a “housekeeper,” “attendant,” “administrator,” or even a “palace steward.” And maybe she was. It is possible that they brought her in to keep the King warm while also fulfilling other duties in the service of the King.

But it is not the meat of the description that most of us have of Abishag. It is also often not the illustration that artists want to take from the story of Abishag. “David and Abishag,” a painting by Pedro Americo from 1879, depicts a beautiful, naked Abishag lying beside a naked and elderly David. It was this image that enraged my friend. That image, along with some of the other descriptions of Abishag, has brought to the forefront of our minds descriptions like “bedfellow,” “hot-water bottle,” “heating pad,” or simply “bed warmer.” None of these descriptions of Abishag is very appealing.

Perhaps the tragedy of Abishag's story is that as it unfolds, she continues to be used as a pawn in the battle between the powers vying for the Throne of Israel. First, she is used to warm King David’s bed, then she becomes the love interest (probably not the proper term to use) of Adonijah, David’s eldest surviving son. Adonijah wants to marry her, not because she is beautiful or talented, but because Abishag was a concubine of his father, and now he believes she can help him take his father’s crown for himself by becoming his “bed warmer.”

Some experts believe that Abishag is also the love interest in Solomon’s “Song of Songs.” That she is the beautiful woman who calls Solomon “My beloved.” If that is true, then it seems that Abishag the Shunammite remained a pawn for the powerful for most of her life.

I must admit that I sometimes wonder what happened when Abishag grew older and her beauty began to fade slightly. Was she still pursued and honored, or was this just a function of her youth? It is a question that Robert Frost explores briefly in his poem “Provide, Provide,” although the poet only uses her name and not her story. In the opening words of Frost’s poem, he writes;

The witch that came [the withered hag]
To wash the steps with pail and rag,
Was once the beauty Abishag (Robert Frost: Provide, Provide).

I hope Abishag found peace in her later years. I actually hope that Solomon decided to honor her throughout her life, not because of her desirability, but because she was a person of value who had served Kings and was used by those who just wanted to be Kings.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 2