1 Kings 11:38 kjv
And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
1 Kings 11:38 nkjv
Then it shall be, if you heed all that I command you, walk in My ways, and do what is right in My sight, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as My servant David did, then I will be with you and build for you an enduring house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.
1 Kings 11:38 niv
If you do whatever I command you and walk in obedience to me and do what is right in my eyes by obeying my decrees and commands, as David my servant did, I will be with you. I will build you a dynasty as enduring as the one I built for David and will give Israel to you.
1 Kings 11:38 esv
And if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.
1 Kings 11:38 nlt
If you listen to what I tell you and follow my ways and do whatever I consider to be right, and if you obey my decrees and commands, as my servant David did, then I will always be with you. I will establish an enduring dynasty for you as I did for David, and I will give Israel to you.
1 Kings 11 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 28:1-2 | If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands... all these blessings will come on you... | Obedience brings blessing. |
| Josh 1:7-8 | Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law... that you may have good success. | Success tied to obedience to law. |
| Psa 1:1-3 | Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked... but his delight is in the law of the Lord... | Walking in God's law brings prosperity. |
| Deut 5:32-33 | So be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you... Walk in all the way which the Lord your God has commanded you... | Command to walk in God's way. |
| Jer 7:23 | But this is what I commanded them: ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ | Emphasis on obeying voice and walking in God's way for well-being. |
| Psa 119:1-2 | Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart. | Blamelessness linked to walking in God's law. |
| Deut 6:18 | And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you... | Doing right in God's sight leads to prosperity. |
| Prov 21:2 | Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts. | Contrast: man's way vs. God's righteous sight. |
| Mic 6:8 | He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? | Requirements to walk with God. |
| Psa 105:45 | That they might observe His statutes and keep His laws. | Purpose of God's leading. |
| Exo 20:6 | But showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. | Blessing for keeping commandments. |
| John 14:15 | "If you love Me, keep My commandments." | New Covenant link between love and obedience. |
| 1 Kgs 3:6 | ...showing him great steadfast love, because he walked before You in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart. | David's walking before God. |
| 1 Kgs 11:4 | For when Solomon was old, his wives turned his heart away after other gods; and his heart was not wholly devoted to the Lord his God, as the heart of his father David had been. | David's exemplary devotion contrasted with Solomon. |
| 2 Sam 7:11-16 | 'The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you... I will establish his kingdom... Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me...' | The unconditional Davidic covenant for "an enduring house." |
| Psa 89:29-37 | 'His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven.' | Reiterates the eternal nature of the Davidic dynasty. |
| Luke 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end. | Ultimate fulfillment of Davidic covenant in Christ. |
| Isa 9:6-7 | For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders... To uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. | Messianic kingdom echoing enduring house/throne. |
| 1 Kgs 12:28-30 | So the king consulted, and made two calves of gold... This thing became a sin... | Jeroboam's subsequent disobedience, leading to failure of his "house." |
| Psa 18:21-24 | For I have kept the ways of the Lord... therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness... | David's self-description of walking in God's ways. |
1 Kings 11 verses
1 Kings 11 38 Meaning
God, through the prophet Ahijah, offers Jeroboam a conditional covenant. If Jeroboam diligently hearkens to and obeys all God's commands, conducts himself according to God's divine principles, acts in a way that is morally righteous in God's eyes, and meticulously observes all God's decrees and specific instructions, precisely as King David had faithfully done, then God promises to be with him. This divine presence would manifest in God establishing a lasting and secure dynasty for Jeroboam, mirroring the unconditional dynasty established for David, and God would grant him sovereignty over the nation of Israel.
1 Kings 11 38 Context
This verse is found within the prophetic message delivered by the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam (1 Kgs 11:29-39). The broader context of 1 Kings 11 details King Solomon's spiritual decline due to his many foreign wives who turned his heart away to worship other gods. Because of Solomon's grievous apostasy, God declared that He would tear the kingdom away from Solomon's son, leaving him only one tribe (Judah) for the sake of God's servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem. In this specific verse, God then offers Jeroboam, a formidable and capable man whom Solomon had put in charge of all the labor force of the house of Joseph, a new covenant opportunity. This is a promise of kingship over ten tribes of Israel and the establishment of an enduring dynasty for him, provided he proves faithful in obedience, mirroring David's fidelity. This promise sets the stage for the division of the kingdom and the tragic trajectory of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
1 Kings 11 38 Word analysis
- And it shall be, if you listen: The Hebrew "w'haya im shamoa' tishma'" (וְהָיָה אִם־שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע) signifies a conditional future. "Shamoa' tishma'" is an infinitive absolute construction emphasizing deep and persistent listening that translates into obedience, not just hearing. It implies diligent heeding and practical adherence.
- to all that I command you: "Kol asher atzawk" (כֹּל אֲשֶׁר אֲצַוֶּךָּ) points to the comprehensive scope of God's instructions. God’s commands are holistic and all-encompassing, demanding complete submission.
- and walk in My ways: "V'halakhta bi'drakai" (וְהָלַכְתָּ בִּדְרָכָי) emphasizes a continuous lifestyle or course of conduct guided by God's principles. "Ways" (d'rakim) refers to divine paths, moral conduct, and righteous living. It signifies a pattern of life aligned with God's character.
- and do what is right in My sight: "V'asita hayashar b'einai" (וְעָשִׂיתָ הַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינַי) specifies actions that are not subjectively correct by human standards but are objectively right as judged by God’s perfect discernment. "Right" (yashar) implies straightness, equity, justice, and moral uprightness from God's divine perspective.
- to keep My statutes and My commandments: "Lishmor chukotai u'mitzvotai" (לִשְׁמֹר חֻקּוֹתַי וּמִצְוֹתָי) refers to preserving and diligently observing God's specific legal requirements and moral instructions. "Statutes" (chukot) often refers to decrees or ordinances, perhaps ritualistic or legal, while "commandments" (mitzvot) are specific instructions, like the Decalogue. The act of "keeping" (lishmor) implies active preservation, observance, and adherence.
- as My servant David did: "Ka'asher asah David avdi" (כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה דָּוִד עַבְדִּי) establishes King David as the exemplary standard of obedience. While David had personal failings, his overall devotion and obedience to God's covenant, particularly in not worshiping other gods and establishing God's centrality, contrasted sharply with Solomon's later apostasy and what would become Jeroboam's idolatry. "My servant" highlights God's approval of David's loyalty.
- that I will be with you: "W'hayiti immach" (וְהָיִיתִי עִמָּךְ) denotes God's abiding presence, protection, and active support for Jeroboam, a blessing crucial for leadership and stability in the ancient world.
- and build you an enduring house: "U'baniti l'kha bayit ne'eman" (וּבָנִיתִי לְךָ בַּיִת נֶאֱמָן) is a profound promise. "House" (bayit) here means a dynasty or lasting lineage, similar to the covenant with David. "Enduring" (ne'eman) means firm, trustworthy, sure, faithful, or lasting, signifying dynastic stability and continuity. This is a highly desirable assurance for any ancient monarch.
- as I built for David: "Ka'asher baniti l'David" (כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּנִיתִי לְדָוִד) reiterates the precedent of the Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7), drawing a direct parallel. It confirms God's capability and faithfulness in establishing dynasties, highlighting the type of house God could build for Jeroboam if he met the conditions.
- and will give Israel to you: "W'natatti l'kha et Yisra'el" (וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל) refers to the bestowing of kingship over the main body of Israel (the ten tribes). This grants Jeroboam legitimate rule and authority, originating from God's sovereign hand, a clear statement of divine appointment.
1 Kings 11 38 Bonus section
The phrase "enduring house" (bayit ne'eman) is a crucial echo of 2 Samuel 7:16 where God declares concerning David, "Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me." The key difference lies in the explicit condition placed on Jeroboam ("if you listen to all that I command you..."), whereas the Davidic covenant is unconditional and rooted in God's faithfulness alone. This highlights a fundamental theological distinction: God's covenant with His chosen people and leaders often carries conditional aspects requiring their fidelity, while His overarching redemptive plan through the Davidic line (ultimately fulfilled in Christ) remains steadfast and guaranteed by His own unchanging character. Jeroboam’s promise demonstrates God’s consistent expectation of obedience, even when he instigates changes in the earthly kingship due to sin.
1 Kings 11 38 Commentary
1 Kings 11:38 presents a conditional dynastic promise to Jeroboam, directly mirroring, yet fundamentally differing from, the unconditional Davidic covenant (2 Sam 7). God's offer here is a testament to His justice and grace. Because Solomon failed to obey, the kingdom is torn from his son. However, God, in His sovereignty, immediately extends an offer to Jeroboam, promising him a stable, "enduring house" if he maintains obedience to the divine standard established by David. The frequent comparison to David ("as My servant David did" / "as I built for David") is pivotal; it establishes David not only as the prior recipient of a similar dynastic promise but also as the ultimate model of kingship concerning covenant fidelity.
This verse lays out a comprehensive expectation of obedience: "listen to all that I command," "walk in My ways," "do what is right in My sight," "keep My statutes and My commandments." This holistic adherence is the basis for divine favor, including God's presence and the establishment of a lasting rule. The tragic irony, a central theme in the Books of Kings, is that Jeroboam quickly and completely failed to meet these conditions (1 Kgs 12:25-33), primarily through establishing rival cult centers at Dan and Bethel with golden calves. This failure prevented the fulfillment of the conditional promise for his dynasty, leading to a succession of short-lived Northern Kingdom rulers, constantly punished for "the sins of Jeroboam." This serves as a perpetual lesson that blessings, though freely offered by God, are often contingent upon human faithfulness, demonstrating divine principles of righteousness and accountability within leadership.