1 Chronicles 16:43 kjv
And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.
1 Chronicles 16:43 nkjv
Then all the people departed, every man to his house; and David returned to bless his house.
1 Chronicles 16:43 niv
Then all the people left, each for their own home, and David returned home to bless his family.
1 Chronicles 16:43 esv
Then all the people departed each to his house, and David went home to bless his household.
1 Chronicles 16:43 nlt
Then all the people returned to their homes, and David turned and went home to bless his own family.
1 Chronicles 16 43 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:3 | "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse... | Abrahamic blessing extended. |
| Num 6:24-26 | "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you... | Priestly blessing archetype. |
| Deut 6:6-7 | "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them... | Command to teach family. |
| Deut 10:8 | "At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi... to bless in His name... | Priestly role of blessing. |
| Josh 24:15 | "as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." | Leader's commitment to family devotion. |
| 1 Sam 20:6 | "...for it is a yearly sacrifice for all the family at Bethlehem." | Family religious tradition. |
| 2 Sam 6:19 | "Then all the people departed, each man to his house." | Parallel account, emphasis on distribution. |
| 2 Sam 6:20 | "Then David returned to bless his household..." | David's action in Samuel's account. |
| Psa 118:26 | "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the... | Invocation of blessing. |
| Psa 128:3-4 | "Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children... | Blessings upon the household. |
| Prov 11:25 | "The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be... | Principle of blessing others. |
| Prov 31:28 | "Her children rise up and call her blessed..." | Children as recipients of blessing. |
| Mal 4:6 | "And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts... | Familial restoration as divine work. |
| Acts 10:2 | "a devout man and one who feared God with all his household..." | God-fearing household example. |
| Rom 16:5 | "...greet the church that is in their house." | House churches and family units in worship. |
| Eph 5:25-26 | "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church... | Spiritual headship and family care. |
| Col 3:18-21 | "Wives, submit...Husbands, love...Children, obey...Fathers, do not... | Familial responsibilities and order. |
| 1 Tim 3:4-5 | "one who manages his own household well, having his children in submission... | Overseer's responsibility for household. |
| Tit 2:3-5 | "...teach the young women to love their husbands, to love their children... | Household virtues and instruction. |
| Heb 3:6 | "Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast..." | Christ's headship over God's household. |
| 1 Pet 4:9 | "Be hospitable to one another without grumbling." | Christian home as a place of service. |
1 Chronicles 16 verses
1 Chronicles 16 43 Meaning
The verse signifies the orderly conclusion of a momentous public worship event, the installation of the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem. After the collective celebration, the people disbursed, returning to their individual homes. Concurrently, King David, having fulfilled his national spiritual duties, specifically returned to his private domain to impart a blessing upon his own family, emphasizing the leader's responsibility within his personal sphere.
1 Chronicles 16 43 Context
This verse serves as the concluding summary of the elaborate festivities detailed in 1 Chronicles chapter 16. It follows David's significant actions: bringing the Ark to Jerusalem (v.1), offering burnt offerings and peace offerings (v.2), distributing provisions to the people (v.3), appointing Levites for service before the Ark (v.4-6), and composing a great psalm of praise (v.7-36). Verse 43 highlights the transition from this grand national, public worship to the quiet return to private life, emphasizing the spiritual leader's personal devotion and responsibility within his home. It implicitly contrasts the temporary festive gathering with the ongoing domestic life, reminding readers of the balance required between corporate worship and private godliness. Historically, this moment cemented Jerusalem's status as a central religious site under David's leadership, setting the stage for the building of the Temple. The chronicler's account focuses on the legitimate worship and the correct order of the priesthood and sacrifices, reaffirming the proper covenant relationship between God and Israel, potentially as a polemic against idolatrous practices of surrounding nations where divine care for the familial unit was less emphasized.
1 Chronicles 16 43 Word analysis
- Then (וַיֵּלְכוּ - wayyēlᵉḵū): This conjunction denotes sequence and conclusion. It signals the immediate outcome of the public celebrations, emphasizing an orderly dispersement.
- all the people (כָּל־הָעָם - kōl-hā‘ām): "All" emphasizes the completeness of participation. It underscores the nation's united engagement in the Ark's installation, prior to their individual return. "The people" signifies the common Israelites who gathered for this grand religious festival.
- departed (וַיֵּלְכוּ - wayyēlᵉḵū): From the root הָלַךְ (hālak), "to go" or "to walk." Here, it indicates the action of leaving or going away.
- each (אִישׁ - ’îš): Refers to "every man," or individually. It highlights the particularization after the communal event.
- to his house (לְבֵיתוֹ - ləvêtô): "House" (bayith) here refers to a private dwelling or home. It signifies a return to the domestic sphere and daily life after public worship. It also implies the family unit.
- and David returned (וַיָּשָׁב דָּוִיד - wayyāšāḇ Dāwiḏ): "Returned" (shuv) implies a turning back or resuming. This emphasizes David's personal, deliberate movement to his own dwelling, setting himself apart from the general populace.
- to bless (לְבָרֵךְ - ləvāreḵ): From the root בָּרַךְ (barak), meaning "to kneel," and by extension, "to bless," "to praise," "to invoke a blessing upon." It signifies bestowing good, consecrating, or invoking divine favor. This act is not merely a greeting but a spiritual function performed by a head.
- his household (בֵּיתוֹ - bêtô): Again, "house" (bayith), but now specifically referring to David's family and dependents who reside with him. This stresses his responsibility as a spiritual leader within his immediate family.
Words-group analysis:
- all the people departed, each to his house: This phrase presents a stark contrast between the previous grand public, communal worship and the return to the personal, private realm. It illustrates the typical rhythm of life following a large national assembly. The unity in worship yields to individual household responsibility.
- and David returned to bless his household: This shows David's intentional act as a leader, extending his spiritual devotion from the national public arena to his private domestic one. It underlines his understanding that true worship and leadership are not confined to the ceremonial but must permeate all aspects of life, including the family unit.
1 Chronicles 16 43 Bonus section
The chronicler's specific mention of David returning to bless his household in this verse, rather than dwelling on Michal's later criticism (found in 2 Sam 6:20-22), highlights a key theological point: David's devotion was sincere and comprehensive. He understood that true worship begins in the heart and extends outward to the community, and importantly, inward to the family. This underscores the Old Testament's profound emphasis on the household as a core unit of covenant life and spiritual formation. The act of "blessing" was a profound spiritual responsibility, invoking divine favor and bestowing spiritual good, signifying David's role as the priestly head of his family, reflecting the broader priestly nature of Israel and a foreshadowing of Christ's headship over His church.
1 Chronicles 16 43 Commentary
1 Chronicles 16:43 closes a pivotal chapter, shifting focus from public worship to private duty. While the entire nation returned to their homes, King David deliberately returned to his own to "bless his household." This action demonstrates the crucial balance required of spiritual leaders and all believers: outward, corporate devotion must be matched by inward, familial piety. David understood that his spiritual leadership did not end at the Ark but extended to the well-being and spiritual nurture of his immediate family. This emphasis in Chronicles reinforces the integrity of David's heart and underscores the biblical principle that genuine faith expresses itself in all spheres of life, with the home being a foundational place of spiritual influence and responsibility. For instance, just as a shepherd tends his flock, a good leader, guided by the Spirit, nurtures his own family spiritually.