1 Kings 2:4 kjv
That the LORD may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
1 Kings 2:4 nkjv
that the LORD may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,' He said, 'you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
1 Kings 2:4 niv
and that the LORD may keep his promise to me: 'If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.'
1 Kings 2:4 esv
that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, 'If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'
1 Kings 2:4 nlt
If you do this, then the LORD will keep the promise he made to me. He told me, 'If your descendants live as they should and follow me faithfully with all their heart and soul, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.'
1 Kings 2 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 8:25 | "Now therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man...'" | Solomon echoing the promise's condition. |
| 1 Kgs 9:4-5 | "And if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you... you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel." | God reiterating the condition to Solomon directly. |
| 2 Chr 7:17-18 | "And as for you, if you walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you...then I will establish your royal throne..." | Repetition of the conditional promise in Chronicles. |
| Jer 33:17-18 | "For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel..." | Reinforcement of an enduring Davidic line (unconditional aspects and eventual fulfillment). |
| Ps 89:29-30 | "I will establish his offspring forever and his throne as the days of the heavens. If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments..." | God's unconditional covenant with a conditional element regarding continued succession. |
| Ps 132:11-12 | "The LORD swore to David a sure oath... ‘One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant... they shall sit on your throne forevermore.’" | Similar blend of unconditional oath and conditional promise for succession. |
| Deut 4:40 | "Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments... that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days..." | General principle: obedience brings blessing, stability. |
| Deut 5:33 | "You shall walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you..." | Emphasis on walking in God's commanded way. |
| Deut 6:5 | "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." | Defines the totality of devotion implied by "heart and soul." |
| Deut 10:12 | "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul..." | Summarizes comprehensive required devotion. |
| Josh 1:7-8 | "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law... that you may have good success wherever you go." | Emphasis on keeping the law for success in leadership. |
| Ps 101:2-3 | "I will ponder the way that is blameless... I will walk with integrity of heart within my house. I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless." | King's commitment to blameless living and integrity. |
| Gen 17:1 | "When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.’" | Precedent of walking "before Me" – living accountably to God. |
| Prov 4:26-27 | "Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil." | Heeding "their way" - careful consideration of life's path. |
| Jer 22:30 | "Thus says the LORD: ‘Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days, for none of his offspring shall again sit on the throne of David...’" | Consequences of failure: a king whose line on the throne ceases (Jehoiachin). |
| Amos 9:11 | "In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and rebuild its ruins and restore it as in the days of old..." | Prophetic restoration of David's fallen tent (fulfilled in Christ). |
| Luke 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." | Ultimate fulfillment in Christ, the one true successor on David's throne. |
| Rom 1:9 | "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son..." | Serving God with inner devotion ("soul/spirit"). |
| Eph 6:6-7 | "...not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will..." | The principle of doing God's will "from the heart." |
| Heb 1:8 | "But of the Son He says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever...'" | Christ's eternal, unshakeable throne. |
1 Kings 2 verses
1 Kings 2 4 Meaning
1 Kings 2:4 records David's dying instruction and warning to his son Solomon, laying down a foundational principle for the Davidic kingship. It states that the continuous establishment of David's descendants on the throne of Israel is directly conditional upon their diligent and sincere obedience to God's commandments, requiring them to live with faithfulness and total devotion in all aspects of their being. This particular promise, therefore, emphasizes human responsibility within God's covenant plan.
1 Kings 2 4 Context
This verse is part of David's final charge to Solomon, immediately preceding David's death. David, near the end of his life, imparts wisdom and instructions to his son and successor, not merely on governance but, critically, on adherence to God's law. In the preceding verses (1 Kgs 2:2-3), David explicitly commands Solomon to "keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses." Verse 4 provides the profound divine promise and solemn consequence attached to this obedience, grounding the stability of the Davidic dynasty not solely in human political skill or military might, but in spiritual faithfulness to the God of Israel. It sets a theological standard for all future kings of Israel, by which their reigns will subsequently be evaluated in the books of Kings.
1 Kings 2 4 Word analysis
- that the Lord may confirm His word (לְמַעַן יָקִים יְהוָה אֶת־דְּבָרוֹ)
- confirm (יָקִים - yaqim): From the root qum, meaning "to rise," "stand up," "establish," "confirm," "fulfill." It implies God bringing about and sustaining the reality of His spoken word. Here, it refers to the ongoing establishment and continuance of the dynasty.
- His word (דְּבָרוֹ - devaro): Refers to God's prior pronouncements, especially the covenant promise made to David in 2 Samuel 7 and reiterated throughout the Psalms, concerning his dynasty.
- which He spoke concerning me: David references the specific promise given to him by God, which had a conditional aspect regarding his sons' conduct and the continuation of the line on the throne.
- saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way
- If (אִם - im): Introduces the condition, signifying that the following promise is not unconditional in its immediate earthly fulfillment.
- take heed (יִשְׁמְרוּ - yishmeru): From the root shamar, meaning "to watch," "guard," "observe," "keep," "attend to." It implies diligent and careful attention to, and preservation of, a prescribed path.
- to their way (דַּרְכָּם - darkam): Refers to their conduct, their manner of life, the course of their actions. It's their lifestyle choices.
- to walk before Me
- walk (לָלֶכֶת - lalechet): From the root halakh, meaning "to go," "to walk," often used metaphorically for living life according to a certain standard or direction.
- before Me: Implies living in God's presence, under His watchful eye, with accountability and a conscious awareness of Him. It's about serving Him with integrity, as Abraham was commanded to walk before God and be blameless (Gen 17:1).
- in truth (בֶּאֱמֶת - be'emet):
- truth (אֱמֶת - emet): Means "truth," "faithfulness," "steadfastness," "integrity." It's not just factual correctness but includes loyalty, reliability, and sincere adherence to covenant obligations, both internally and externally. It contrasts with hypocrisy or mere outward show.
- with all their heart (בְּכָל־לְבָבָם - bechol-levavam)
- heart (לֵבָב - levav): In Hebrew thought, the "heart" encompasses the mind, will, intellect, and inner intentions. It represents the seat of understanding, thought, and moral choice.
- and with all their soul (וּבְכָל־נַפְשָׁם - u'vechol-nafsham)
- soul (נֶפֶשׁ - nefesh): Represents the totality of one's being, one's life, vital animating force, personhood.
- you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’
- shall not lack (לֹא־יִכָּרֵת לְךָ - lo yikaret leka): Literally "there shall not be cut off from you," or "you shall not be without." Implies an uninterrupted succession.
- a man on the throne of Israel: This refers to the specific royal office and authority over the nation of Israel. The promise means a continuous lineage occupying the kingly office.
1 Kings 2 4 Bonus section
The seemingly paradoxical nature of a conditional promise within an unconditional covenant (like the Davidic covenant in 2 Samuel 7) is a significant theological point. 1 Kings 2:4 highlights the conditional aspect related to the earthly and uninterrupted political rule of David's descendants on Israel's throne. If the kings failed (as most did), this specific promise of immediate, continuous succession would not hold. This does not, however, negate God’s unconditional promise that a descendant of David would always rule, which points prophetically to Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is eternal and whose perfect obedience perfectly fulfills all conditions. The entire narrative of Kings and Chronicles serves as a witness to the human failure to uphold this condition, driving home the necessity of a truly righteous King—the Messiah.
1 Kings 2 4 Commentary
1 Kings 2:4 encapsulates a fundamental tension within the Davidic covenant: God’s unconditional promise to establish David’s dynasty forever (2 Sam 7) coexists with specific promises and their fulfillments being contingent upon the obedience of individual kings. Here, David conveys the conditional aspect explicitly to Solomon. The continuation of David's direct line reigning on the throne of Israel is directly tied to the sons' fidelity.
The verse is a powerful declaration that human authority, particularly kingship in Israel, is not absolute but always subordinate to divine law. The kings were meant to be stewards under God's ultimate rule, serving as examples of covenant obedience. The comprehensive demand to "take heed to their way," "walk before Me," "in truth," and "with all their heart and with all all their soul" illustrates the holistic nature of biblical obedience. It demands not just outward conformity but deep-seated, genuine, and undivided devotion that permeates every aspect of life and leadership.
This verse serves as a critical interpretive key for the books of Kings, as succeeding kings are constantly measured against this standard. Their failures to meet this condition ultimately lead to the division of the kingdom, the exile, and the temporary cessation of a Davidic king on Israel's throne, showcasing the consequences of disobedience despite the ultimate promise of God. However, God’s deeper, unconditional promise found its perfect fulfillment not in an earthly succession, but eternally in Jesus Christ, the one true Son of David, whose spiritual and eternal kingdom has no end (Luke 1:32-33).