2 Chronicles 7:17
in 2 Chronicles 7And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and mine ordinances;
KJV
And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
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This verse in 2 Chronicles 7
Commentary
3 notes on this verseIf he hoped for the benefit of God's covenant with David, he must imitate the example of David. But he set before him death as well as life, the curse as well as the blessing. He supposed it possible that though they had this temple built to the honour of God, yet they might be drawn aside to worship other gods,
This site's exposition
if you walk before Me as your father David walked
on 2 Chronicles 7:17-18
The promise turns conditional and personal: “if you walk before Me as your father David walked,” God will establish the royal throne. This is the covenant with David of 1 Chronicles 17, named the throne of the kingdom of the LORD at 1 Chronicles 28:5.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the L ORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the L ORD , saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. 4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the L ORD .
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:91%@v3-4
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
and My eyes and heart will be Jonathan renders (I Kings:3): “and My presence will rest there if My will is performed there at all times.” My eyes will be there if My heart and My will are there.
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
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְאַתָּ֞ה | veatah | and you | H859 → | 1094 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| תֵּלֵ֣ךְ | telekh | you will walk | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| לְפָנַ֗י | lefanai | <to> before me | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָלַךְ֙ | halakh | he walked | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| דָּוִ֣יד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אָבִ֔יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְלַעֲשׂ֕וֹת | velaasot | and to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| כְּכֹ֖ל | kekhol | according to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| צִוִּיתִ֑יךָ | tzivitikha | I have commanded you | H6680 → | 494 times |
| וְחֻקַּ֥י | vechukai | and statutes my | H2706 → | 127 times |
| וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֖י | umishpatai | and judgments my | H4941 → | 422 times |
| תִּשְׁמֽוֹר׃ | tishmor | you will observe | H8104 → | 468 times |
וְאַתָּ֞הand you
veatahH859 →1094 times
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
תֵּלֵ֣ךְyou will walk
telekhH1980 →1546 times
לְפָנַ֗י<to> before me
lefanaiH6440 →2123 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֤רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
הָלַךְ֙he walked
halakhH1980 →1546 times
דָּוִ֣ידDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
אָבִ֔יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
וְלַעֲשׂ֕וֹתand to do
velaasotH6213 →2628 times
כְּכֹ֖לaccording to all
kekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
צִוִּיתִ֑יךָI have commanded you
tzivitikhaH6680 →494 times
וְחֻקַּ֥יand statutes my
vechukaiH2706 →127 times
וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֖יand judgments my
umishpataiH4941 →422 times
תִּשְׁמֽוֹר׃you will observe
tishmorH8104 →468 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
John 14:21Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”
it leads to
- John 14:15
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
- 1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
- 1 John 2:5
But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him:
- 2 John 1:6
And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.
- John 15:9–10
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love.
- John 14:15
Through
Ezekiel 36:27And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.
it leads to
- Titus 3:3–6
For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures—living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
- Hebrews 13:21
equip you with every good thing to do His will. And may He accomplish in us what is pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Ezekiel 39:29
And I will no longer hide My face from them, for I will pour out My Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD.”
- Titus 3:3–6
Where this verse is studied
About 2 Chronicles
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Keil, The Books of the Chronicles and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.