The Meaning of 1 Kings 14:8 Explained

1 Kings 14:8

KJV: And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;

YLT: and rend the kingdom from the house of David, and give it to thee, -- and thou hast not been as My servant David who kept My commands, and who walked after Me with all his heart, to do only that which is right in Mine eyes,

Darby: and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee; and thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do only that which is right in my sight;

ASV: and rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee; and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And rent  the kingdom  away  from the house  of David,  and gave  it thee: and [yet] thou hast not been as my servant  David,  who kept  my commandments,  and who followed  me with all his heart,  to do  [that] only [which was] right  in mine eyes; 

What does 1 Kings 14:8 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 14:1-16 - The Blind Prophet Sees Jeroboam's Doom
How blind we become when we sin against our conscience! Each act of willful sin puts another shade on the window of the soul. "Their foolish heart was darkened," Romans 1:21. Surely if the prophet were able to predict the issue of this sickness, he would be able to penetrate the mother's disguise, although she brought only the gifts of a poor peasant woman. Jeroboam had devised this ruse, partly, because he did not wish the nation to know that he was consulting a prophet of Jehovah-an act which might invalidate his new temple and the calves, and also because he wanted to get a more favorable answer than that which he anticipated in case the prophet recognized the inquirer. We may disguise ourselves as we will, but we cannot cheat God, and no dissembling can ever turn away the arrow that speeds straight to the guilty heart.
Jewish historians say that the exception was made in Abijah's case, 1 Kings 14:13, because he interceded with his father that all Israelites who wished might be allowed to go to the feasts at Jerusalem, without being penalized. There is always discrimination in the divine judgments. How often God has brought beautiful lives out of foul surroundings, as the pure lily-cup out of a muddy pond! [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 14

1  Abijah being sick,
2  Jeroboam sends his wife, disguised, with presents to the prophet Ahijah
5  Ahijah forewarned by God, denounces God's judgment
17  Abijah dies, and is buried
19  Nadab succeeds Jeroboam
21  Rehoboam's wicked reign,
25  Shishak raids Jerusalem
29  Abijam succeeds Rehoboam

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 14:8 mean?

and tore away - the kingdom from the house of David and gave it to you and [yet] not you have been as My servant David who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart to do only [what was] right in My eyes
וָאֶקְרַ֤ע אֶת־ הַמַּמְלָכָה֙ מִבֵּ֣ית דָּוִ֔ד וָאֶתְּנֶ֖הָ לָ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־ הָיִ֜יתָ כְּעַבְדִּ֣י דָוִ֗ד אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁמַ֨ר מִצְוֺתַ֜י וַאֲשֶׁר־ הָלַ֤ךְ אַחֲרַי֙ בְּכָל־ לְבָב֔וֹ לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת רַ֖ק הַיָּשָׁ֥ר בְּעֵינָֽי

וָאֶקְרַ֤ע  and  tore  away 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular
Root: קָרַע  
Sense: to tear, tear in pieces.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמַּמְלָכָה֙  the  kingdom 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
מִבֵּ֣ית  from  the  house 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
דָּוִ֔ד  of  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וָאֶתְּנֶ֖הָ  and  gave  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לָ֑ךְ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person feminine singular
וְלֹֽא־  and  [yet]  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הָיִ֜יתָ  you  have  been 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כְּעַבְדִּ֣י  as  My  servant 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
דָוִ֗ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
שָׁמַ֨ר  kept 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מִצְוֺתַ֜י  My  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
וַאֲשֶׁר־  and  who 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הָלַ֤ךְ  followed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אַחֲרַי֙  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
בְּכָל־  with  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
לְבָב֔וֹ  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת  to  do 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
רַ֖ק  only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַק  
Sense: only, altogether, surely.
הַיָּשָׁ֥ר  [what  was]  right 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
בְּעֵינָֽי  in  My  eyes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, first person common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.