1 Kings 2:4

1 Kings 2:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
• New International Version (NIV)and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’
• English Standard Version (ESV)that the Lord may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
• New King James Version (NKJV)that the Lord may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

Context of 1 Kings 2:4

2“I’m about to leave this world. Be strong and mature. 3Fulfill your duty to the Lord your God. Obey his directions, laws, commands, rules, and written instructions as they are recorded in Moses’ Teachings. Then you’ll succeed in everything you do wherever you may go. ⌞You’ll succeed⌟ because the Lord will keep the promise he made to me: ‘If your descendants are faithful to me with all their hearts and lives, you will never fail to have an heir on the throne of Israel.’ 5“You know what Joab (Zeruiah’s son) did to me and to the two commanders of Israel’s army—Abner, son of Ner, and Amasa, son of Jether. Joab killed them. When there was peace, he shed blood as if it were wartime. With their blood he stained the belt around his waist and the shoes on his feet. 6Use your wisdom. Don’t let that gray-haired, old man go to his grave peacefully.

1 Kings 2:4 word by word

לְמַעַן֩ יָקִ֨ים יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־דְּבָר֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֣ר עָלַי֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִם־יִשְׁמְר֨וּ בָנֶ֜יךָ אֶת־דַּרְכָּ֗ם לָלֶ֤כֶת לְפָנַי֙ בֶּאֱמֶ֔ת בְּכָל־לְבָבָ֖ם וּבְכָל־נַפְשָׁ֑ם לֵאמֹ֕ר לֹֽא־יִכָּרֵ֤ת לְךָ֙ אִ֔ישׁ מֵעַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• That the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• may continueקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
• his wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• which he spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
• concerning me, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• If thy childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• take heedשָׁמַרshâmar · to keep: look atH8104
• to their wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
• to walkיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• me in truthאֱמֶת'emeth · truth: faithfulH571
• with all their heartלֵבָבlêbâb · heartH3824
• and with all their soulנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
• there shall not failכָּרַתkârath · to cut: lackH3772
• he) a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• on the throneכִּסֵּאkissê' kissêh · throneH3678
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for 1 Kings 2:4

• Genesis 18:19I have chosen him so that he will direct his children and his family after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. In this way I, the Lord, will do what I have promised Abraham.”
• Deuteronomy 7:12If you listen to these rules and faithfully obey them, the Lord your God will keep his promise to you and be merciful to you, as he swore to your ancestors.
• 1 Chronicles 28:9“And you, my son Solomon, learn to know your father’s God. Serve the Lord wholeheartedly and willingly because he searches every heart and understands every thought ⌞we have⌟. If you dedicate your life to serving him, he will accept you. But if you abandon him, he will reject you from then on.
• John 15:9“I have loved you the same way the Father has loved me. So live in my love.
• Jude 1:20Dear friends, use your most holy faith to grow. Pray with the Holy Spirit’s help.
• 2 Samuel 7:11ever since I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. So I will give you peace with all your enemies. I, the Lord, tell you that I will make a house for you.
• 1 Chronicles 17:11“ ‘When the time comes for you to go and be with your ancestors, I will send one of your descendants. He will be one of your sons. I will establish his kingdom.
• 1 Chronicles 22:9You will have a son who will be a peaceful man. I will give him peace from all the enemies around him. His name will be Solomon [Peace], and in his time I will give Israel peace and quiet.
• 1 Chronicles 28:5And of all my sons (the Lord has given me many sons) he chose my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the Lord’s kingdom to rule Israel.
• Psalms 89:29I will make his dynasty endure forever and his throne like the days of heaven.
• Psalms 132:11The Lord swore an oath to David. This is a truth he will not take back: “I will set one of your own descendants on your throne.
• 1 Kings 3:3Solomon loved the Lord and lived by his father David’s rules. However, he still sacrificed and burned incense at these other worship sites.
• 1 Kings 8:23and said, “Lord God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep your promise of mercy to your servants, who obey you wholeheartedly.
• Genesis 17:1When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. He said to Abram, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence with integrity.
• Leviticus 26:3“This is what I will do if you will live by my laws and carefully obey my commands:
• 2 Kings 20:3“Please, Lord, remember how I’ve lived faithfully and sincerely in your presence. I’ve done what you consider right.” And he cried bitterly.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 2:4

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4That the Lord may continue his word - The prosperity which God has promised to grant to my family will depend on their faithfulness to the good they receive; if they live to God, they shall sit for ever on the throne of Israel. But alas! they did not; and God's justice cut off the entail made by his mercy.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4That the Lord may continue his word - The original promise given to David indirectly, through Nathan 2 Samuel 7:11-17, and apparently unconditional, afterward was made conditional upon continued obedience. (See the margin reference “f.”) David reminds Solomon of this, in order to impress upon him a powerful motive to continue faithful and obedient.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4David advised Solomon to follow the spiritual and ethical rules from Deuteronomy and the covenant through Moses (see Leviticus 18:4–5; Deuteronomy 5:33; 6:4–5; 8:6; 10:12). He also mentioned the promises of the covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:12–16, 25). If Solomon followed God's rules, his heir would receive God's blessings and pass them to future generations (Psalm 89:3–4, 20, 24, 27–37). The most important heir of David was the Messiah. The Messiah…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. there shall not fail thee ... a man on the throne of Israel--a reference to the promise made to David of the sovereignty being vested perpetually in his lineage (2Sa 7:11-16), which was confirmed to Solomon afterwards (see 1Ki 9:5), and repeated with reference to its spiritual meaning long after (Jr 33:17).Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 2:4

• Blessing
• Children
• David
• Death
• Evil for Good
• Heart
• Truth
• Watchfulness
• Will

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Curse
• Fail
• Gone
• Return
• Solomon
• Abishag
• Adonijah
• Israel, History of
• Kings, Books of

Commentaries on 1 Kings 2

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings