1 Chronicles 28:4 kjv
Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel:
1 Chronicles 28:4 nkjv
However the LORD God of Israel chose me above all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah to be the ruler. And of the house of Judah, the house of my father, and among the sons of my father, He was pleased with me to make me king over all Israel.
1 Chronicles 28:4 niv
"Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from my whole family to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah as leader, and from the tribe of Judah he chose my family, and from my father's sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
1 Chronicles 28:4 esv
Yet the LORD God of Israel chose me from all my father's house to be king over Israel forever. For he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father's house, and among my father's sons he took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel.
1 Chronicles 28:4 nlt
"Yet the LORD, the God of Israel, has chosen me from among all my father's family to be king over Israel forever. For he has chosen the tribe of Judah to rule, and from among the families of Judah he chose my father's family. And from among my father's sons the LORD was pleased to make me king over all Israel.
1 Chronicles 28 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 7:12-16 | When your days are fulfilled…I will raise up your offspring…and I will establish his kingdom. I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. | Davidic Covenant of an eternal dynasty. |
| Ps 89:3-4 | "I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’" | God's promise of an everlasting throne for David. |
| Ps 89:20 | "I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him." | God actively "finding" and anointing David. |
| Ps 78:67-72 | He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim, but he chose the tribe of Judah... He chose David his servant... | God's preference for Judah and David over other tribes/individuals. |
| Gen 49:8-10 | "Judah, your brothers shall praise you... The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes..." | Prophecy of Judah's lasting leadership and royal line. |
| 1 Sam 16:1 | The Lord said to Samuel, "Fill your horn with oil, and go. I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons." | God's pre-selection of a king from Jesse's family. |
| 1 Sam 16:6-12 | But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature... the Lord looks on the heart." Then he sent and brought him in... | God's unique selection criteria, not human merit. |
| Deut 7:6-8 | For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession out of all the peoples... | Israel's corporate election by God. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For to us a child is born... and the government shall be upon his shoulder... Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it... forever. | Messianic fulfillment of the Davidic covenant. |
| Jer 33:17-21 | For thus says the Lord: "David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel." | Reiteration of the perpetuity of David's line. |
| Lk 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. | Angel's prophecy of Jesus fulfilling the Davidic throne. |
| Acts 2:30 | Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne... | Apostolic understanding of David's enduring throne. |
| Eph 1:4 | Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love. | God's choice extending to believers in Christ. |
| Rom 9:11-13 | Though they were not yet born and had done nothing... that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger." | God's sovereign choice bypassing human customs (primogeniture). |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings. | God's absolute sovereignty over earthly rulers. |
| Job 12:18 | He loosens the bonds of kings and binds a belt on their waist. | God's power to enthrone and dethrone. |
| Prov 16:33 | The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. | Human actions are subject to divine determination. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... | The ultimate King (Jesus) exalted by God. |
| Heb 1:8 | But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom." | Jesus' eternal divine kingship. |
| Rev 22:16 | "I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star." | Jesus as the direct fulfillment and continuation of David's line. |
| Isa 41:8-9 | "But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen... whom I took from the ends of the earth..." | God's choice and election of His people. |
| John 15:16 | "You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit..." | Jesus emphasizing divine choice in calling His followers. |
1 Chronicles 28 verses
1 Chronicles 28 4 Meaning
1 Chronicles 28:4 conveys a profound message of divine election and an enduring covenant. David, addressing his son Solomon, recounts how the Lord God of Israel sovereignly chose him (David) from within his own family lineage to rule over Israel permanently. This selection was not arbitrary but followed a hierarchical divine decision: first, the tribe of Judah was chosen for leadership, then David's specific family within Judah, and finally, David himself among his brothers, to establish his kingship over all Israel. The verse firmly grounds David’s authority and the dynastic promise in God’s unfailing purpose and pre-eminence.
1 Chronicles 28 4 Context
This verse is part of David’s final address to his son Solomon and all the leaders of Israel (1 Chr 28:1-29:20) concerning the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. David gathers all the officials—princes of the tribes, commanders of the divisions, and royal officers—to formally pass the responsibility of building God’s house to Solomon. This particular verse (1 Chr 28:4) is foundational, as David recounts God’s multi-layered choice of him. This serves to legitimize David’s reign and, by extension, Solomon’s succession and the divinely mandated task of Temple construction. In a broader historical context, it highlights God’s unwavering faithfulness to the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7), promising an eternal dynasty, countering any uncertainty or challenge to the king's authority among a nation accustomed to shifting leadership and tribal loyalties. It underscores that the king of Israel was chosen by divine will, not by human ambition or tribal political maneuverings.
1 Chronicles 28 4 Word analysis
- However, (וְגַם - vegam) / For my part / But as for me,: An emphatic conjunction signifying transition and emphasizing a contrasting or foundational point. It points David's attention directly to God's act of choosing, setting it apart from any human deliberations or perceptions. It stresses the divine initiative.
- the LORD God of Israel: Designates the covenant God, who actively rules and is personally invested in His people. It specifies that this divine election is deeply tied to Israel's identity and its relationship with this specific, active God, distinguishing Him from any regional deities. "LORD" (יְהוָה - Yahweh) emphasizes His personal, covenantal name, while "God" (אֱלֹהֵי - Elohei) signifies His might and ultimate authority.
- chose me (בָּחַר בִּי - bachar bi): The Hebrew verb bachar (בָּחַר) signifies a deliberate, selective, and preferential choice. It implies careful consideration and a purposeful selection out of many options. This choice is absolute and sovereign, not contingent on human worth or performance, underscoring divine prerogative. This act of choosing establishes David's authority as solely derived from God.
- from all my father's house: Highlights God’s bypassing of natural succession or traditional norms, as David was the youngest son of Jesse and not the natural heir according to primogeniture (1 Sam 16:6-11). It emphasizes God's sovereign freedom to select whomever He pleases, subverting human expectations and proving His ultimate control.
- to be king (לְמֶלֶךְ - le'melech): Designates the specific role and authority God bestowed. The purpose of God’s choice was not merely for existence but for active rule and leadership, embodying divine governance on earth.
- over Israel: Defines the scope of David's kingship – the entire nation, not just a tribe or region. This emphasizes the unified nature of God's people under His chosen leader, crucial after periods of tribal division.
- forever. (לְעוֹלָם - le'olam): A key term in the Davidic Covenant. It denotes perpetuity, continuity, and endlessness. It doesn't necessarily mean David himself lives forever, but rather his dynasty or kingdom will have an everlasting nature, pointing ultimately to the Messiah (Jesus) whose reign is truly eternal (Lk 1:33).
- For he has chosen Judah: Reveals the hierarchical, layered nature of God's election. Before choosing David, God had chosen the tribe of Judah for preeminence (Gen 49:8-10). This indicates a divine plan unfolding through history, demonstrating long-term intentionality. "Leader" (לְנָגִיד - le'nagid) implies a prince or chieftain, indicating its leadership role among the tribes.
- to be leader: This is Judah's divinely appointed role as the pre-eminent tribe, setting the stage for the royal lineage to emerge from it.
- and from the house of Judah, my father's house: God's selection further narrowed down from the tribe to a specific family within it, Jesse's family (David’s father’s house). This demonstrates specificity in God's plan, underscoring that His choice is precise and purposeful.
- and among the sons of my father, he chose me: The final, most granular layer of choice, where God singled out David from among his brothers. This multi-stage selection process reinforces the absolute certainty and intentionality of God's call, dispelling any notion of accident or human maneuvering.
- to make me king over all Israel: This reiterates the culmination of the divine selection process – David’s ascension to the unified throne of all Israel, explicitly ordained by God’s will, fulfilling His layered purpose.
Word-groups Analysis:
- "However, the Lord God of Israel chose me from all my father’s house to be king over Israel forever.": This phrase establishes the central theological point: David’s kingship is a divine, eternal appointment, bypassing human merit or traditional order. It is the direct assertion of divine sovereignty over human leadership.
- "For he has chosen Judah to be leader; and from the house of Judah, my father’s house; and among the sons of my father, he chose me to make me king over all Israel.": This sequence acts as a layered affirmation of God’s comprehensive, particular, and intentional election. It systematically traces the divine choice from the tribal level down to the individual, reinforcing the legitimacy and divine origin of David’s (and Solomon’s) kingship over a unified Israel, ultimately pointing to a divine master plan for governance and salvation history.
1 Chronicles 28 4 Bonus section
The polemic aspect of this verse is subtle but profound. In an ancient Near Eastern context where human strength, military prowess, or traditional lineage often dictated who ruled, David's statement attributes kingship purely to divine election. This implicitly challenges the pagan notions of fate, human destiny, or polytheistic influences in choosing rulers. For the original Israelite audience, especially during the Chronicler's time (post-exilic), reminding them of God's enduring and precise election (even from disparate choices like Jacob over Esau, or David over his elder brothers) was vital for reinforcing national identity and faith in God’s active guidance. This historical reference served as an encouragement for them to trust in God's future plans, including the restoration and divine care for Jerusalem, just as He cared for David. The "forever" aspect also foreshadows the eschatological kingship, moving beyond earthly concerns to the eternal reign of the Messiah.
1 Chronicles 28 4 Commentary
1 Chronicles 28:4 is a powerful declaration by King David, not of personal achievement, but of profound divine sovereignty. It serves as a testament to God's active involvement in human affairs, specifically in establishing leadership within His chosen people. The multi-layered election — from tribe (Judah) to family (Jesse's house) to individual (David) — demonstrates the meticulous precision and deliberate nature of God's plan. This systematic process refutes any claims of David's rise being accidental, politically orchestrated, or based on primogeniture; rather, it solidifies that his authority stemmed solely from divine mandate. The inclusion of "forever" links David's temporal reign to the eternal Davidic Covenant, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. David’s purpose in emphasizing this to Solomon and the assembled leaders was to instill confidence in God’s continued favor, validate Solomon's impending succession, and motivate them to build the Temple, which was intricately linked to the perpetuation of this divinely chosen dynasty and God's presence among His people. It emphasizes that the king of Israel was ultimately God's regent.