1 Kings 1 29

1 Kings 1:29 kjv

And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

1 Kings 1:29 nkjv

And the king took an oath and said, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life from every distress,

1 Kings 1:29 niv

The king then took an oath: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble,

1 Kings 1:29 esv

And the king swore, saying, "As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my soul out of every adversity,

1 Kings 1:29 nlt

And the king repeated his vow: "As surely as the LORD lives, who has rescued me from every danger,

1 Kings 1 verses

1 Kings 1 29 Meaning

David, in his advanced age, makes a solemn and binding oath to Bathsheba, affirming his prior promise that Solomon, her son, would succeed him as king. This oath is made in the living presence of God, emphasizing David's absolute conviction in the divine appointment of Solomon and rooting this promise in his own lifelong experience of God's unfailing redemption and deliverance from every trial.

1 Kings 1 29 Context

1 Kings chapter 1 depicts the precarious final days of King David's reign. With David physically weak and elderly, the issue of succession becomes critical. Adonijah, David's fourth and eldest surviving son, takes advantage of the situation by prematurely declaring himself king, usurping the throne. This act bypasses David's clear earlier intention (likely privately expressed to key individuals or as part of a covenantal arrangement) for Solomon, son of Bathsheba, to succeed him. Bathsheba and Nathan the prophet strategically intervene, reminding David of his sacred oath regarding Solomon. Verse 29 is David's solemn and definitive re-affirmation of this promise, putting an end to the succession crisis and legitimizing Solomon's kingship. This moment ensures the continuity of the Davidic line as promised in the divine covenant. Historically, the process of royal succession was crucial for stability and often fraught with peril and intrigue in ancient Near Eastern monarchies.

1 Kings 1 29 Word Analysis

• And the king swore:

  • WaYYiššāvʿ (וַיִּשָּׁבַע): From the root šāḇaʿ, meaning "to swear, to take an oath." The Qal imperfect with waw consecutive indicates a strong, completed action in the past, leading to a new state. This oath is binding, a sacred commitment witnessed by God.
  • This is not merely a statement but a solemn legal and spiritual act that invokes divine power and authority as a guarantor of the spoken word. It makes David accountable before God for fulfilling his promise.

• and said:

  • WaYYōʾmer (וַיֹּאמֶר): From ʾāmar, "to say, speak." Connects the inner resolve of the oath with its outward declaration.

• 'As the LORD lives':

  • Ḥay Yahweh (חַי־יְהוָה): Literally, "Lives Yahweh." This is a profoundly strong and common oath formula in Hebrew scripture. It serves to emphasize the absolute truthfulness and solemnity of the following statement, invoking the living and ever-present God as witness and enforcer. It affirms God's active involvement in human affairs.
  • Yahweh (יהוה): The sacred, covenantal, and personal name of God, indicating His self-existent and relational nature. Its use lends immeasurable weight and sanctity to David's oath.

• who has redeemed:

  • ʾĀšer pāḏāh (אֲשֶׁר פָּדָה): Pāḏāh means "to ransom, redeem, deliver, release." It refers to an act of deliverance, often implying rescue from danger or bondage by means of a payment or intervention. Here, it signifies God's consistent rescue of David from peril throughout his life. It speaks to God's redemptive power actively manifested in David's personal history.

• my soul:

  • Nap̄šî (נַפְשִׁי): Nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) refers to the "soul," "life," "person," or "being." It encompasses the whole living essence of David. God redeemed his very life, not just abstractly but physically and spiritually, from life-threatening situations.

• out of all distress':

  • Mikkōl ṣārâ (מִכֹּל צָרָה): Ṣārâ means "trouble, distress, anguish, tribulation." The word is related to "narrowness" or "confinement." "All distress" indicates a totality, implying that David experienced a comprehensive range of troubles and God's comprehensive deliverance from each one. This covers not only the threat from King Saul but also rebellions, personal sorrows, and various perils throughout his reign.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "And the king swore and said, 'As the LORD lives...'": This opening clause establishes the profound gravity and divine backing of David's statement. The repetition of "swore and said" highlights the deliberate and vocal nature of this life-altering oath. The phrase "As the LORD lives" serves as the foundational guarantee, staking the oath's validity on God's very existence and faithfulness.
  • "who has redeemed my soul out of all distress'": This vital phrase serves as the basis or rationale for David's confidence in taking such a momentous oath concerning Solomon. David's extensive personal history of divine intervention and deliverance from "all distress" (physical threats, moral failures, rebellions, etc.) serves as the empirical evidence of God's trustworthiness. Because God has been faithfully active in saving David throughout his life, David is assured that God will also be faithful in upholding this oath concerning Solomon's succession. It is a powerful personal testimony interwoven with a formal covenantal declaration.

1 Kings 1 29 Bonus Section

• This verse stands as a powerful testament to the sovereignty of God in human affairs, even amid political maneuvering and attempted usurpation. While human agents (Adonijah, Bathsheba, Nathan, David) play roles, David's ultimate declaration attributes Solomon's ascension to divine will, confirmed by an oath sworn "as the LORD lives."
• David's remembrance of God's past "redemption" is a form of spiritual meditation that strengthens his faith in God's future actions. This theological pattern of looking back to God's past deliverance to inform present trust and future hope is prevalent throughout Scripture (e.g., Ps 77:11-12).
• The "redemption" (pāḏāh) in this context is primarily focused on physical and situational deliverance from danger, death, and oppression. However, within the broader biblical narrative, this concept culminates in the ultimate spiritual redemption from sin and death offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the greater Son of David. David's physical preservation hints at the more profound, eternal salvation available in Christ.

1 Kings 1 29 Commentary

King David's oath in 1 Kings 1:29 marks the decisive turning point in the royal succession crisis, unequivocally affirming Solomon's divinely appointed kingship. By declaring "As the LORD lives," David invokes the very existence and faithfulness of God, rendering the promise absolutely unbreakable and sacred. This is more than a simple declaration; it is a sacred vow that places the burden of fulfillment on God Himself. The profoundly personal dimension, "who has redeemed my soul out of all distress," grounds this monumental promise in David's lived experience of God's unwavering faithfulness. It emphasizes that God, who has meticulously preserved David through a lifetime of peril, is the same trustworthy God who will uphold this final and critical promise concerning his dynastic successor. David’s reliance on past redemption foreshadows the New Testament concept that God’s consistent faithfulness provides a sure hope for His future promises, culminating in the ultimate redemption in Christ.