In the Hebrew Bible, Abishag was a beautiful young woman of Shunem chosen to be a helper and servant to King David in his old age. Among Abishag's duties was to lie next to David and pass along her body heat and vigor because "they put covers on him, but he could not get warm". 1 Kings 1:4 notes that David did not engage in sexual intercourse with her. When brought to David, she was a na'arah, which indicates youth or virginity but not necessarily both.
David and Abishag by Pedro Américo, 1879
Abisag, Bathsheba, Solomon, and Nathan tend to the aging David, c. 1435
Image: King David with Abishag
The Book of Kings is a book in the Hebrew Bible, found as two books in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. It concludes the Deuteronomistic history, a history of ancient Israel also including the books of Joshua, Judges, and Samuel.
Solomon greeting the Queen of Sheba – gate of Florence Baptistry
Rembrandt, Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem, c. 1630.
James Tissot, The Flight of the Prisoners – the fall of Jerusalem, 586 BC