The Meaning of 1 Kings 2:4 Explained

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.

YLT: so that Jehovah doth establish His word which He spake unto me, saying, If thy sons observe their way to walk before Me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul; saying, There is not cut off a man of thine from the throne of Israel.

Darby: that Jehovah may confirm his word which he spoke concerning me, saying, If thy sons 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 upon the throne of Israel.

ASV: That Jehovah may establish 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 2:4 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 2:1-9 - New Responsibilities For The New King
1 Chronicles 28:1-21; 1 Chronicles 29:1-30 should be read as coming between this and the preceding chapter. It was with a ripe knowledge of life that David urged Solomon to keep God's charge, to walk in His ways and do His commandments, as the sure road to prosperity. The guiding-star of David's life- 2 Samuel 7:25 -shone over him in death. God never goes back on a word that he has once spoken. He continues His word-only we must walk before Him in obedience and faith, that it may have free course.
At first sight, we might suppose that the old king cherished bitter feelings against those named in this parting charge; but it should be remembered that he speaks here from a public, rather than a private, standpoint. He knew that these men constituted a grave peril to the peace and stability of the State; and indeed his fears were abundantly justified, for each of them was discovered in acts of treachery, on account of which, and not because of David's words, he suffered death. David held that the claims of gratitude were not less binding than those of justice; hence his warm recommendation of Barzillai. "Show thyself a man" was good advice to a youth called to rule in turbulent times.
1 Kings 2:1-46 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 2

1  David, having given a charge to Solomon
3  of Reverence
5  of Joab
7  of Barzillai
8  of Shimei
10  Solomon succeeds
12  Adonijah, moving Bathsheba to ask unto Solomon for Abishag,
13  is put to death
26  Abiathar, having his life given him, is deprived of the priesthood
28  Joab fleeing to the horns of the altar, is there slain
35  Benaiah is put in Joab's room, and Zadfok in Abiathar's
36  Shimei, confined to Jerusalem, by occasion of going to Gath, is put to death

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 2:4 mean?

That may fulfill Yahweh - His word which He spoke concerning me saying if take heed your sons to their way to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul He said not shall lack you a man on the throne of Israel
לְמַעַן֩ יָקִ֨ים יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־ דְּבָר֗וֹ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֣ר עָלַי֮ לֵאמֹר֒ אִם־ יִשְׁמְר֨וּ בָנֶ֜יךָ אֶת־ דַּרְכָּ֗ם לָלֶ֤כֶת לְפָנַי֙ בֶּאֱמֶ֔ת בְּכָל־ לְבָבָ֖ם וּבְכָל־ נַפְשָׁ֑ם לֵאמֹ֕ר לֹֽא־ יִכָּרֵ֤ת לְךָ֙ אִ֔ישׁ מֵעַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

לְמַעַן֩  That 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יָקִ֨ים  may  fulfill 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
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.
דְּבָר֗וֹ  His  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
דִּבֶּ֣ר  He  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
עָלַי֮  concerning  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
לֵאמֹר֒  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יִשְׁמְר֨וּ  take  heed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
בָנֶ֜יךָ  your  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
דַּרְכָּ֗ם  their  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
לָלֶ֤כֶת  to  walk 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְפָנַי֙  before  Me 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בֶּאֱמֶ֔ת  in  truth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.
בְּכָל־  with  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
לְבָבָ֖ם  their  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לֵבָב  
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding.
וּבְכָל־  and  with  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
נַפְשָׁ֑ם  their  soul 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לֵאמֹ֕ר  He  said 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יִכָּרֵ֤ת  shall  lack 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אִ֔ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
כִּסֵּ֥א  the  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.