1 Kings 15:4
in 1 Kings 15Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem by raising up a son to succeed him and to make Jerusalem strong.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Nevertheless for David’s sake did Jehovah his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem;
KJV
Nevertheless for David’s sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
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This verse in 1 Kings 15
Commentary
8 notes on this verseNevertheless, for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem,.... A kingdom there, as the Targum, splendid and glorious, to be continued in his posterity: to set up his son after him; in it: and to establish Jerusalem: to continue that in which the temple was, for the sake of which, and the worship of God in it, there was a succession of David's posterity on the throne of Judah.
This site's exposition
the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem
on 1 Kings 15:4-5
“Nevertheless, for the sake of David, the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem”. A king who fails David's standard still leaves a son on the throne. The promise answers 2 Samuel 7:14-15, and the phrase returns at 2 Kings 8:19 when Judah stands near collapse.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Now in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah," and under his rule the Jews obtained a magnificent victory over the Israelites in a battle, which was greater than all those fought before in their civil wars. …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
A lamp - A son and successor to perpetuate his name and memory, which otherwise had gone into obscurity. Jerusalem - That he might maintain that city, and temple, and worship, as a witness for God, in the world, against the Israelites and heathen world.
David was guilty of other faults, but they were nothing in comparison of that; yet even that being repented of, though it be mentioned for warning to others, did not prevail to throw him out of the covenant, nor to cut off the entail of the promise upon his seed.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
To set up his son - The idolatry of Abijam deserved the same punishment as that of Jeroboam 1Ki 14:10-14, of Baasha 1Ki 16:2-4, or of Zimri 1Ki 16:19, the cutting off of his seed, and the transfer of the crown to another family. That these consequences did not follow in the kingdom of Judah, was owing to the “faithfulness” of David (see the marginal reference), which brought a blessing on his posterity.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
for David's sake did the Lord his God give him a lamp--"A lamp" in one's house is an Oriental phrase for continuance of family name and prosperity. Abijam was not rejected only in consequence of the divine promise to David (see on 1Ki 11:13-36).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The Lord - give him a lamp - That is, a son to succeed him; see 1Ki 11:36.
The words behind it
16 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֚י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְמַ֣עַן | lemaan | for [the] sake of | H4616 → | 272 times |
| דָּוִ֔ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| נָתַן֩ | natan | he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יְהוָ֨ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהָ֥יו | ʾelohav | God his | H430 → | 2601 times |
| ל֛וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| נִ֖יר | nir | a lamp | H5216 → | 49 times |
| בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם | birushalim | in Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
| לְהָקִ֤ים | lehakim | by raising up | H6965 → | 628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּנוֹ֙ | beno | son his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| אַחֲרָ֔יו | ʾacharav | after him | H310 → | 715 times |
| וּֽלְהַעֲמִ֖יד | ulehaamid | and by establishing | H5975 → | 521 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ | yerushalim | Jerusalem | H3389 → | 643 times |
כִּ֚יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לְמַ֣עַןfor [the] sake of
lemaanH4616 →272 times
דָּוִ֔דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
נָתַן֩he gave
natanH5414 →2011 times
יְהוָ֨הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהָ֥יוGod his
ʾelohavH430 →2601 times
ל֛וֹto him
lo
נִ֖ירa lamp
nirH5216 →49 times
בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑םin Jerusalem
birushalimH3389 →643 times
לְהָקִ֤יםby raising up
lehakimH6965 →628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּנוֹ֙son his
benoH1121 →4930 times
אַחֲרָ֔יוafter him
ʾacharavH310 →715 times
וּֽלְהַעֲמִ֖ידand by establishing
ulehaamidH5975 →521 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם׃Jerusalem
yerushalimH3389 →643 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 12:2I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 7:9
I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land.
- Galatians 3:14
He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
- Genesis 18:18
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Genesis 17:4–6
“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
- Genesis 28:3–4
May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.
- 2 Samuel 7:9
Through
Psalms 132:17There I will make a horn grow for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.
it leads to
- Luke 1:69
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 1:69
Through
2 Chronicles 21:7Yet the LORD was unwilling to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant He had made with David, and since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 11:36
I will give one tribe to his son, so that My servant David will always have a lamp before Me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put My Name.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Kings 11:36
Through
Isaiah 37:35‘I will defend this city and save it for My own sake and for the sake of My servant David.’”
it leads to
- 2 Kings 20:6
I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for My sake and for…
- 2 Kings 20:6
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
About 1 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS 15:1; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.