A very strange story pops up at the end of the King David narrative in the Bible. The great king is old (just 70 – sheesh, and he looks like hell – after 40 years on the throne, and evidently 40 years without a shave), and he’s perpetually cold. So rather than throwing him an afghan, his staff decided to do the next best thing: bring in an attractive young woman. They found Abishag the Shunammite:

King David was now old, advanced in years; and though they covered him with bedclothes, he never felt warm. His courtiers said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, to wait upon Your Majesty and be his attendant; and let her lie in your bosom, and my lord the king will be warm.” So they looked for a beautiful young woman throughout the territory of Israel. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. This young woman was exceedingly beautiful. She became the king’s attendant and waited upon him; but the king was not intimate with her (1 Kings 1-4)

King David was now old, advanced in years; and though they covered him with bedclothes, he never felt warm. His courtiers said to him, “Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, to wait upon Your Majesty and be his attendant; and let her lie in your bosom, and my lord the king will be warm.” So they looked for a beautiful young woman throughout the territory of Israel. They found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. This young woman was exceedingly beautiful. She became the........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)