1 Kings 6:12
in 1 Kings 6“As for this temple you are building, if you walk in My statutes, carry out My ordinances, and keep all My commandments by walking in them, I will fulfill through you the promise I made to your father David.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Concerning this house which thou art building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute mine ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I establish my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father.
KJV
Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:
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This verse in 1 Kings 6
Commentary
7 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The meaning is, “So far as this house goes, thou art obedient (2Sa 7:13; 1Ch 17:12, etc.); if thou wilt be obedient in other things also, then will I perform My word,” etc., God’s promises being always conditional. The promises made to David were: (1) that he should be succeeded by one of his sons 2Sa 7:12; Psa 132:11; (2) that the kingdom should be established in the line of his descendants forever, if they were faithful Psa 132:12; and (3) that the Israelites should be no more afficted as beforetime 2Sa 7:
This site's exposition
the word of the Lord came to Solomon
on 1 Kings 6:11-13
In the middle of a chapter given to cubits and cedar, the word of the Lord breaks in with a condition: if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments, then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father. The covenant of 2 Samuel 7 promised David's own house would stand regardless, but the Lord's dwelling among Israel in this particular house is conditioned on obedience, told to Solomon by name years before his own heart turned. A building project of specifications and measurements pauses here for one sentence of plain covenant terms.
This site's exposition
if you walk in My statutes
John Wesley reads the condition as a warning that the cost of the temple would buy Solomon no exemption from obedience to the commandments. Albert Barnes takes the building itself as obedience so far, since David's son was to build the house at 2 Samuel 7:13. Matthew Henry hears encouragement for a tired builder.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
If - God expresses the condition upon which his promise and favour is suspended; and by assuring him thereof in case of obedience, he plainly intimates the contrary upon his disobedience. Thus he was taught, that all the charge he and the people were at, in erecting this temple, would neither excuse them from obedience to the law of God, nor shelter them from his judgments in case of disobedience.
Concerning this house which thou art in building,....
That by the promise he might be encouraged and comforted in his work. Perhaps sometimes the great care, expense, and fatigue of it, made him ready to wish he had never begun it; but this would help him through the difficulties of it, that the promised establishment of his family and kingdom would abundantly recompense all his pains.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It was very seasonable, being designed: first, to encourage him to go on with the building, by confirming anew the promise made to his father David (2Sa 7:12-16); and secondly, to warn him against the pride and presumption of supposing that after the erection of so magnificent a temple, he and his people would always be sure of the presence and favor of God.
The words behind it
26 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַבַּ֨יִת | habayit | the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| הַזֶּ֜ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אַתָּ֣ה | ʾatah | you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| בֹנֶ֗ה | voneh | [are] building | H1129 → | 376 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| תֵּלֵ֤ךְ | telekh | you will walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בְּחֻקֹּתַי֙ | bechukotai | in statutes my | H2708 → | 104 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י | mishpatai | judgments my | H4941 → | 422 times |
| תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה | taaseh | you will observe | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֥ | veshamarta | and you will keep | H8104 → | 468 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִצְוֹתַ֖י | mitzvotai | commandments my | H4687 → | 181 times |
| לָלֶ֣כֶת | lalekhet | to walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בָּהֶ֑ם | bahem | in <the> them | ||
| וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י | vahakimoti | and I will establish | H6965 → | 628 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| דְּבָרִי֙ | devari | word my | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| אִתָּ֔ךְ | ʾitakh | with you | H854 → | 929 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי | dibarti | I spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| דָּוִ֥ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אָבִֽיךָ׃ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
הַבַּ֨יִתthe house
habayitH1004 →2046 times
הַזֶּ֜ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אַתָּ֣הyou
ʾatahH859 →1094 times
בֹנֶ֗ה[are] building
vonehH1129 →376 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
תֵּלֵ֤ךְyou will walk
telekhH1980 →1546 times
בְּחֻקֹּתַי֙in statutes my
bechukotaiH2708 →104 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
מִשְׁפָּטַ֣יjudgments my
mishpataiH4941 →422 times
תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔הyou will observe
taasehH6213 →2628 times
וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֥and you will keep
veshamartaH8104 →468 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מִצְוֹתַ֖יcommandments my
mitzvotaiH4687 →181 times
לָלֶ֣כֶתto walk
lalekhetH1980 →1546 times
בָּהֶ֑םin <the> them
bahem
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤יand I will establish
vahakimotiH6965 →628 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
דְּבָרִי֙word my
devariH1697 →1440 times
אִתָּ֔ךְwith you
ʾitakhH854 →929 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
דִּבַּ֖רְתִּיI spoke
dibartiH1696 →1141 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
דָּוִ֥דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
אָבִֽיךָ׃father your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 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
Colossians 1:23if indeed you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul,…
it leads to
- Hebrews 3:14
We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.
- Hebrews 3:6
But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
- Matthew 24:13–14
But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- Hebrews 10:38
But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him.”
- Galatians 6:9
Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
- Hebrews 3:14
Through
1 Kings 3:14So if you walk in My ways and keep My statutes and commandments, just as your father David did, I will prolong your days.”
it leads to
- Proverbs 3:2
for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life.
- Psalms 91:16
With long life I will satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
- 1 Kings 15:5
For David had done what was right in the eyes of the LORD and had not turned aside from anything the LORD commanded all the days of his life, except in the matter of…
- Proverbs 3:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Kings
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); 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.