1 Chronicles 22:12
in 1 Chronicles 22Above all, may the LORD give you insight and understanding when He puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the Law of the LORD your God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Only Jehovah give thee discretion and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel; that so thou mayest keep the law of Jehovah thy God.
KJV
Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God.
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 22
Commentary
3 notes on this verseWhatever charge we have, if we see God giving us the charge and calling us to it, we may hope he will give us wisdom for the discharge of it. Perhaps Solomon had an eye to this prayer of his father for him, in the prayer he offered for himself: Lord, give me a wise and understanding heart.
This site's exposition
the Lord be with thee
on 1 Chronicles 22:11-13
David charges Solomon in Joshua's own commissioning vocabulary: be strong, and of good courage, dread not, nor be dismayed, the words the Lord gave Joshua at Josh 1:6-9 for taking a land, now given for building a house in it. The condition is named plainly at verse 13, prosper if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments the Lord charged Moses with. This charge stands beside David's actual deathbed words at 1 Ki 2:2-3, which use the same be thou strong language but then turn to settling Joab and Shimei; Chronicles keeps only the temple charge and leaves that political business out entirely, the same selection the whole book practices.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding,....
The words behind it
14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אַ֣ךְ | ʾakh | only | H389 → | |
| יִֽתֶּן־ | yiten- | may he give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לְּךָ֤ | lekha | to you | ||
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| שֵׂ֣כֶל | sekhel | insight | H7922 → | |
| וּבִינָ֔ה | uvinah | and understanding | H998 → | |
| וִֽיצַוְּךָ֖ | vitzavekha | and he will appoint you | H6680 → | 494 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וְלִשְׁמ֕וֹר | velishmor | and to keep | H8104 → | 468 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| תּוֹרַ֖ת | torat | [the] law of | H8451 → | |
| יְהוָ֥ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ | ʾeloheikha | God your | H430 → | 2601 times |
אַ֣ךְonly
ʾakhH389 →
יִֽתֶּן־may he give
yiten-H5414 →2011 times
לְּךָ֤to you
lekha
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
שֵׂ֣כֶלinsight
sekhelH7922 →
וּבִינָ֔הand understanding
uvinahH998 →
וִֽיצַוְּךָ֖and he will appoint you
vitzavekhaH6680 →494 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וְלִשְׁמ֕וֹרand to keep
velishmorH8104 →468 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
תּוֹרַ֖ת[the] law of
toratH8451 →
יְהוָ֥הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃God your
ʾeloheikhaH430 →2601 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
James 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
it leads to
- Proverbs 2:3–6
if you truly call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding,
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Proverbs 3:5–7
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;
- 1 John 5:14–15
And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
- Proverbs 2:3–6
Through
2 Chronicles 1:10Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
it leads to
- 1 Kings 3:9
Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
- 1 Kings 3:9
Through
Proverbs 14:8The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:17
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
- Ephesians 5:17
Through
Psalms 72:1Endow the king with Your justice, O God, and the son of the king with Your righteousness.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 1:10
Now grant me wisdom and knowledge, so that I may lead this people. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?”
- 2 Chronicles 1:10
About 1 Chronicles

This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
