Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 2:4
That the LORD may continue his word which he spoke 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.
4. that the Lord may continue his word ] The verb is most commonly rendered ‘establish’ and may be so translated here. Cf. 1Sa 1:23 where the same phrase occurs. The sense is of confirming and ratifying what has previously been promised. David is here looking forward to the generations that shall come after him, which fact the A. V. has endeavoured to make clear by the rendering ‘continue’. The word, or promise, alluded to is found 2Sa 7:25-29.
saying, If thy children take heed to their way ] In the passage just mentioned where the promise is recorded there are none of these conditions specified; but we are sure that God’s promise was not an unconditional one, and in his Psalms (Psa 132:12) David has expressly made mention of the condition in words very similar to this verse.
there shall not fail thee ( said he) a man on the throne of Israel ] The Heb. is literally ‘there shall not be cut off unto thee a man from upon the throne of Israel’; and the same phrase occurs afterwards ch. 1Ki 8:25, 1Ki 9:5, and in other parts of the Bible. The sense is ‘there never shall be wanting some one of thy race to sit on the throne.’ The promise was made to David’s line, and was fulfilled; for as long as the kingdom of Judah existed the family of David were kings.
There is no word in the Hebrew for the parenthetic ‘said he,’ but the clause is preceded by the word usually rendered ‘saying,’ which seems to have been introduced by some scribe from the earlier part of the verse. The LXX. translates the Hebrew literally (i.e. repeating ); the Vulgate notices neither the ‘saying’ nor ‘said he’.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
That the Lord may continue his word – The original promise given to David indirectly, through Nathan 2Sa 7:11-17, and apparently unconditional, afterward was made conditional upon continued obedience. (See the margin reference f.) David reminds Solomon of this, in order to impress upon him a powerful motive to continue faithful and obedient.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. That the Lord may continue his word] The prosperity which God has promised to grant to my family will depend on their faithfulness to the good they receive; if they live to God, they shall sit for ever on the throne of Israel. But alas! they did not; and God’s justice cut off the entail made by his mercy.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Confirm his word, i.e. fulfil his promise, the condition upon which it was suspended being performed.
Take heed to their ways, i.e. diligently observe all their actions, to order them according to Gods word.
To walk before me; to live as those that have God before their eyes, and endeavour to approve themselves to him.
In truth; not only in pretence and show, but truly and sincerely. With all their heart, and with all their soul, i.e. universally, freely, and fervently.
There shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel; the succession shall be continued in thy line without any interruption.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. there shall not fail thee . . . aman on the throne of Israela reference to the promise made toDavid of the sovereignty being vested perpetually in his lineage (2Sa7:11-16), which was confirmed to Solomon afterwards (see 1Ki9:5), and repeated with reference to its spiritual meaning longafter (Jer 33:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me,…. his word of promise concerning the kingdom of David, and the succession of it, and confirm and establish it:
saying, if thy children take heed to their way; they are directed to walk in, even the way of the Lord, and not turn to the right hand or the left:
to walk before me in truth: in the sincerity and integrity of their hearts, according to the word of truth, and under the influence of the spirit of truth:
with all their heart, and with all their soul; in the most cordial manner, with the strongest affection and zeal; with all eagerness and earnestness; with their whole hearts engaged in every duty performed by them: then the Lord said,
there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel; one to succeed him in the throne; this, with respect to his throne, literally considered, was conditional; but, spiritually considered, was absolute, and had its fulfilment in the Messiah, whose throne is for ever; see Lu 1:32.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
4. His word which he spake concerning me See 2Sa 7:11-16, and notes there.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“ That YHWH may establish his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, “If your children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there will not fail for you (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.”
And what David had in mind was that by Solomon walking in the way that he had described YHWH would establish the word that he had spoken concerning David and his house. The quotation cited here is not found in 2 Samuel 7, but the gist of it certainly is (consider 2Sa 7:12-16). It reflects the promise of the everlasting kingship. It may in fact well be that 2 Samuel 7 was but a summary of the prophecy actually given and that these words were a part of the fuller prophecy conveyed to David, and remembered by him, but not recorded in writing by the annalist (note the emphatic ‘said He’). ‘Take heed to yourselves’ is found in Exo 19:12; Exo 34:12 and Deu 4:9; Deu 4:23; Deu 11:16; etc. ‘With all their heart and with all their soul’ reflects Deu 6:5. For ‘walking in truth’ see Psa 86:11 which is a Davidic Psalm.
On the other hand these words may simply be David’s own interpretation of what God had said, for we may note that what God had said about the everlasting kingship was unconditional, whereas here it is expressed conditionally. There are, of course, always two sides to every promise of God. On the one side is the certainty that what God has determined to bring about will be accomplished whatever man may do. But on the other is the recognition of our responsibility, made even greater by His grace, to cooperate fully in obtaining the fulfilment of His promises.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
1Ki 2:4 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.
Ver. 4. If thy children take heed to their way. ] Walking circumspectly and by rule; not at random, at all adventures. Here observe that God’s promises are with a condition; which is as an oar in a boat, or stern of a ship, and turneth the promise another way.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
continue = establish.
children = sons. Compare 2Sa 7:8, 2Sa 7:11-16.
soul. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13.
fail = be cut off from.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
That the Lord: Gen 18:19, Deu 7:12, 1Ch 28:9, Joh 15:9, Joh 15:10, Jud 1:20, Jud 1:21, Jud 1:24
his word: 2Sa 7:11-16, 2Sa 7:25, 1Ch 17:11-15, 1Ch 22:9-11, 1Ch 28:5-7, Psa 89:29-37, Psa 132:11, Psa 132:12
walk: 1Ki 3:3, 1Ki 3:14, 1Ki 8:23, Gen 17:1, Lev 26:3, 2Ki 20:3, 2Ki 23:3, 2Ki 23:25, 2Ch 17:3, Luk 1:6
with all their heart: Deu 6:5, Deu 10:12, Deu 11:13, Mat 22:37
fail: etc. Heb. be cut off from thee from the throne, 1Ki 8:25, 2Sa 7:12, 2Sa 7:13, 2Sa 7:16, Psa 37:9, Psa 37:22, Zec 14:2
Reciprocal: Gen 5:22 – General Deu 26:17 – and to 1Ki 3:6 – according 1Ki 6:12 – if thou wilt 1Ki 9:5 – I will establish 2Ki 10:31 – took no heed 2Ch 6:16 – saying 2Ch 23:3 – as the Lord 2Ch 31:21 – he did it Psa 39:1 – I said Psa 116:9 – walk Isa 38:3 – I have Jer 29:13 – with Jer 33:17 – David shall never want 1Ti 3:15 – know 3Jo 1:4 – walk
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2:4 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 {c} truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.
(c) Without hypocrisy.