1 Chronicles 16:15 kjv
Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
1 Chronicles 16:15 nkjv
Remember His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
1 Chronicles 16:15 niv
He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations,
1 Chronicles 16:15 esv
Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
1 Chronicles 16:15 nlt
Remember his covenant forever ?
the commitment he made to a thousand generations.
1 Chronicles 16 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Psa 105:8 | He remembers His covenant forever, The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations... | Parallel verse, emphasizes God's remembrance. |
| Gen 12:7 | Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." | Origin of the Abrahamic Covenant. |
| Gen 17:7 | "And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants...for an everlasting covenant..." | God's everlasting covenant. |
| Deut 7:9 | "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God...who keeps covenant and mercy...to a thousand generations..." | God's faithfulness for generations. |
| Exo 34:7 | "keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin..." | God's enduring mercy. |
| Jer 32:40 | "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them..." | The New Covenant as everlasting. |
| Heb 13:20 | "Now may the God of peace...bring back from the dead our Lord Jesus...through the blood of the everlasting covenant." | New Covenant sealed in Christ's blood. |
| Luke 1:72-73 | "To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant..." | God remembers His covenant through Christ. |
| Psa 111:5 | "He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever remember His covenant." | God's ongoing remembrance of His covenant. |
| Psa 119:160 | "The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever." | God's word is eternally true. |
| Isa 40:8 | "The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." | Eternity of God's word contrasted with human frailty. |
| Matt 5:18 | "For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." | Enduring nature of God's commands. |
| 2 Sam 23:5 | "Though my house is not so with God, Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant..." | Davidic Covenant's enduring nature. |
| Heb 6:13-18 | God's oath and promise are unchangeable and sure. | God's reliability in promises. |
| Psa 78:4 | "...recounting to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works..." | Command to transmit God's deeds to generations. |
| Mal 3:6 | "For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob." | God's unchanging character. |
| 1 Pet 1:25 | "...the word of the LORD endures forever." Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you." | Gospel as the enduring word. |
| Neh 1:5 | "I pray, LORD God of heaven, O great and awesome God, You who keep Your covenant and mercy..." | Praises God for His covenant-keeping nature. |
| 1 Kin 8:23 | "LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants..." | Solomon's prayer echoing God's covenant. |
| Mic 7:20 | "You will give truth to Jacob and mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old." | Fulfillment of promises to patriarchs. |
| Isa 55:3 | "Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you..." | Call to enter everlasting covenant. |
| Rom 9:4 | "...to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants..." | Israel's privileged covenant status. |
1 Chronicles 16 verses
1 Chronicles 16 15 Meaning
1 Chronicles 16:15 serves as a solemn command and an exultant declaration to continually remember and live by God's enduring covenant and His divinely appointed word. It emphasizes the eternal nature and unbreakable power of God's promises, specifically referencing the covenant made with Abraham and extending its benefits through countless generations. This verse is a call to steadfast remembrance, recognizing that God's faithful character is immutable and His spoken word stands forever, far surpassing any temporal human promise or power.
1 Chronicles 16 15 Context
1 Chronicles 16:15 is part of a grand Psalm of Thanksgiving sung by David when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem, signifying the re-establishment of centralized worship and God's presence among His people. This event was a pivotal moment in Israelite history, unifying the nation under God's appointed king and covenant. The immediate context of verses 15-22 recounts God's covenant with the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and His faithfulness in protecting Israel during their sojournings, setting the stage for their promised inheritance. The psalm celebrates God's character as the covenant-keeping God, contrasting His enduring promises with the transient nature of human kingdoms and pagan deities whose power and promises were temporary and localized. It serves as a reminder to the newly established Davidic kingdom and future generations of their foundational relationship with Yahweh based on His eternal commitment, urging them to remember and abide by it.
1 Chronicles 16 15 Word analysis
- Remember: (זִכְרוּ, zikru) - This is a command, an imperative plural, urging active and continuous remembrance, not mere mental recall. It implies a mindful commitment to keep something in mind, act upon it, and cause it to be recognized. It's about living in light of the covenant, obeying its terms, and proclaiming its truth. This verb often carries the connotation of celebrating or observing, akin to remembering the Sabbath (Exo 20:8).
- His covenant: (בְּרִיתוֹ, b'rito) - Refers to a solemn, binding agreement, specifically God's covenant. In this context, it primarily refers to the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 12, 15, 17) reiterated to Isaac and Jacob (1 Chr 16:16-17), promising land, descendants, and a unique relationship. It's unilateral on God's part in its establishment, making His commitment unwavering. The suffix '-o' indicates "His" covenant, highlighting its divine origin.
- Forever: (לְעוֹלָם, l'olam) - Denotes perpetuity, eternity, an enduring period that extends indefinitely or endlessly. When applied to God's attributes or promises, it signifies absolute permanence. This emphasizes the unchanging and eternal nature of God's commitment to His people, providing a foundation of security and hope.
- The word: (דָּבָר, davar) - Signifies more than just an utterance; it encompasses an action, an event, a promise, or a decree. Here, it is God's active, spoken command or decree that establishes and upholds His covenant. It conveys authority, power, and effectiveness.
- Which He commanded: (צִוָּה, tzivva) - Indicates a divine, authoritative pronouncement, a sovereign decree. God's davar is not a suggestion but an unbreakable mandate that carries the full weight of His divine authority and will. This highlights the foundational nature of God's commands as the basis of the covenant relationship.
- To a thousand generations: (לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר, l'elef dor) - This is a literary hyperbole, signifying an immeasurable or indefinite number of successive generations, implying eternity or near-eternity from a human perspective. It means "for all time" or "endlessly." It contrasts sharply with the fleeting nature of human life and traditions, underscoring the infinite duration and stability of God's covenant promises, impacting not just the immediate recipients but also their countless descendants.
1 Chronicles 16 15 Bonus section
The specific phrase "a thousand generations" also carries a significant polemical undertone against the gods and idols of the surrounding nations. While local deities and their cults might rise and fall with empires or individual kings, Yahweh's covenant transcends all human and historical limitations. His "word" is not subject to decay, forgetfulness, or overthrow. This statement fundamentally contrasts the enduring, living God with the transient, impotent idols. Furthermore, this phrase in Christian theology often points forward to Christ, through whom the ultimate fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant for "all the families of the earth" (Gen 12:3) is realized across all generations of believers, both Jew and Gentile.
1 Chronicles 16 15 Commentary
1 Chronicles 16:15 stands as a profound exhortation within David's hymn of praise, underscoring the absolute and enduring reliability of God's covenant and word. The imperative "Remember" goes beyond a cognitive act; it is an active call to continually live in light of God's unwavering commitment. This divine covenant (c.f., the Abrahamic covenant mentioned shortly thereafter) is depicted as forever, grounding the faith of Israel in God's eternal nature, which never falters or changes. The reference to "His word which He commanded" emphasizes that this covenant is not a human construct but a direct, authoritative decree from the Almighty. This word is potent and binding, securing promises across unimaginable spans of time. The phrase "to a thousand generations" metaphorically represents a period so vast it effectively means 'eternity' from a human perspective. It profoundly assures that God's promises transcend individual lives and generations, reaching forward through all history. This deep assurance was a bedrock for the Israelites, ensuring them of God's protective presence and promised inheritance through all future trials and triumphs, finding its ultimate fulfillment and validation in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ, whose atoning work confirms and eternally establishes all God's promises.