1 Chronicles 17:18
in 1 Chronicles 17What more can David say to You for so honoring Your servant? For You know Your servant,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
What can David say yet more unto thee concerning the honor which is done to thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.
KJV
What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 17
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For the honor of thy servant - i. e., “for the honor which Thou hast done for Thy servant.” The Septuagint omits “Thy servant,” and renders it: “What can David say more to Thee to glorify Thee? For Thou knowest,” etc.
This site's exposition
What can David speak more
on 1 Chronicles 17:18-19
The prayer's grounding shifts in one word. Samuel closes this movement for thy word's sake, 2 Sam 7:21, the oracle already spoken standing as its own guarantee; Chronicles has for thy servant's sake, and Matthew Henry marks the difference by name, reading it as the same mercy now argued from the servant the LORD chose rather than only from the word the LORD spoke. Both grounds meet in the one greatness David says he cannot add to, thou knowest thy servant.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
Kingdom - In God's kingdom in a large and general sense. And this, as well as the former phrase, singularly belongs to the Messiah, who was not only to be the king of Israel, but also of all nations.
Were they to sit down and wish, they could not speak more for their own honour than the word of God has spoken. It is very observable that what in Samuel is said to be for thy word's sake is here said to be for thy servant's sake,
12 He shall build me a house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. 13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: 14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:99%@v12-14
The honour of thy servant - The honour God puts upon his servants, by taking them into covenant and communion with himself, is so great, that they need not, they cannot desire to be more highly honoured.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
As though this was yet too small a thing in Your eyes that You gave me the kingdom.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| יּוֹסִ֨יף | yosif | will he add | H3254 → | 212 times |
| ע֥וֹד | od | again | H5750 → | 490 times |
| דָּוִ֛יד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אֵלֶ֖יךָ | ʾeleikha | to you | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לְכָב֣וֹד | lekhavod | for honor | H3519 → | 200 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| וְאַתָּ֖ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| אֶֽת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עַבְדְּךָ֥ | ʾavdekha | servant your | H5650 → | 799 times |
| יָדָֽעְתָּ׃ | yadaeta | you know | H3045 → | 945 times |
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
יּוֹסִ֨יףwill he add
yosifH3254 →212 times
ע֥וֹדagain
odH5750 →490 times
דָּוִ֛ידDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
אֵלֶ֖יךָto you
ʾeleikhaH413 →5510 times
לְכָב֣וֹדfor honor
lekhavodH3519 →200 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עַבְדֶּ֑ךָservant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
וְאַתָּ֖הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
אֶֽת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עַבְדְּךָ֥servant your
ʾavdekhaH5650 →799 times
יָדָֽעְתָּ׃you know
yadaetaH3045 →945 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
1 Samuel 16:7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the…
it leads to
- John 7:24
Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”
- Jeremiah 17:10
I, the LORD, search the heart; I examine the mind to reward a man according to his way, by what his deeds deserve.
- Luke 16:15
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
- 1 Peter 3:4
but from the inner disposition of your heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in God’s sight.
- Isaiah 55:8–9
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD.
- John 7:24
Through
Psalms 139:1O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
- Jeremiah 12:3
But You know me, O LORD; You see me and test my heart toward You. Drag away the wicked like sheep to the slaughter and set them apart for the day of carnage.
- Jeremiah 17:9–10
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
- Hebrews 4:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Chronicles
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.