Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 11:38
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.
38. And it shall be &c.] The condition on which Jeroboam is set up is the same as that laid down for the family of David. As in their case transgression involved a downfall.
and will give Israel unto thee ] These words and the whole of 1Ki 11:39 are omitted in the LXX.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See the marginal references. To build a sure house, or give a house, is to give a continuity of offspring, and so secure the perpetuity of a family. The promise, it will be observed, is conditional; and as the condition was not complied with, it did not take effect (see 1Ki 14:8-14). The entire house of Jeroboam was destroyed by Baasha 1Ki 15:29.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 38. And build thee a sure house] He would have continued his posterity on the throne of Israel, had he not by his wickedness forfeited the promises of God, and thrown himself out of the protection of the Most High.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Build thee a sure house, i.e. firmly settle thee and thy posterity in the throne, as this or the like phrase is used, 2Sa 7:16,27; but he doth not say he would do this for ever, as is there said of Davids house 1Ki 11:16.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee,…. And be obedient thereunto:
and wilt walk in my ways; directed to in the law of Moses:
and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes, and my commandments; those particularly respecting divine worship:
as David my servant did; who very diligently and constantly attended to the ordinances of religion:
that I will be with thee; to guide and direct, protect and defend, prosper and succeed:
and build thee a sure house, as I built for David; continue the succession of the kingdom in his posterity:
and will give Israel unto thee; to rule over them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
38. Build thee a sure house Perpetuate thy posterity in regal powers.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“ And it shall be, if you will listen to all that I command you, and will walk in my ways, and do what is right in my eyes, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, that I will be with you, and will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel to you.”
This was, however, conditional upon obedience. If he was fully obedient, and walked in YHWH’s ways, and did what was right in His eyes, keeping His statutes and commandments as David had, then YHWH would be with him and would build him a sure house, just as He had built one for David, and his kingship would be over Israel (the tent tribes). Thus Jeroboam was being offered an equal blessing with David, if he was willing to obey Him like David had. We must not underestimate this covenant. It conditionally put him in the same covenant position as David was. That is why his subsequent fall was seen as so heinous. It was a total rejection of YHWH’s covenant such as even Saul had not achieved.
This promise suggests that there were good grounds, outwardly and humanly speaking, for seeing Jeroboam as having been looked on as a promising king, another David. This would serve to confirm that Jeroboam in his previous behaviour had not been simply a power-seeker, but was to be seen as having demonstrated a genuine concern for the needs of God’s people. This would tie in with his main effort having been to obtain some relief for the labourers over whom he had been appointed, rather than his having raised a specific rebellion. The later tradition of such a rebellion found in one strand of LXX (as given in the Vatican MS B) was probably an expansion on the reality. It bears the marks of ‘invention’. (The Lucianic recension of LXX is much closer to the Hebrew text). But it is nowhere supported by MT.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Ki 11:38 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.
Ver. 38. If thou wilt hearken. ] Here were fair premonitions and promises to this foul sinner; but all was worse than spilt upon him, save that for this he was the more severely punished.
And build thee a sure house.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
if thou wilt hearken. Same conditions as in 1Ki 9:4.
a sure house: i.e. a long and unbroken line of descendants.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
if thou wilt: 1Ki 3:14, 1Ki 6:12, 1Ki 9:4, 1Ki 9:5, Exo 19:5, Deu 15:5, Zec 3:7
that I will: Deu 31:8, Jos 1:5
build the: 1Ki 14:7-14, 2Sa 7:11, 2Sa 7:16, 2Sa 7:26-29, 1Ch 17:10, 1Ch 17:24-27
Reciprocal: Exo 1:21 – made them Exo 15:26 – and wilt Deu 12:25 – when 1Sa 2:35 – I will build 2Sa 23:5 – and sure 1Ki 11:4 – his heart 1Ki 12:26 – Now shall 2Ki 18:3 – according 2Ki 22:2 – walked 2Ch 7:17 – if thou wilt Psa 28:5 – not build
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 11:38. If thou wilt hearken to all that I command thee, &c. He is hereby given to understand, that the grant of the crown to him and his descendants will be conditional, and that he and they will be upon their good behaviour.