1 Chronicles 28:20

David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do it. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you before all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David speaks to his son Solomon at the conclusion of his temple-building charges, immediately after confirming God provided the architectural plans and before detailing the priestly and Levitical divisions.

The words — חֲזַ֤ק (cha.Zak) and וֶ/אֱמַץ֙ (ve./'e.Matz) command strength and bravery, paired with וַ/עֲשֵׂ֔ה (va./'a.Seh) to act, while אַל־ ('al-) explicitly forbids fear or discouragement.

The thread — This assurance of divine presence and abandonment runs through Joshua 1:5, Isaiah 41:10, and 1 Chronicles 22:13.

Why it lands — It requires the reader to proceed with the assigned task without hesitation, grounding action in the factual claim that God will neither fail nor forsake until the work is complete.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said דָּוִ֜ידda.VidDavid לִשְׁלֹמֹ֣הli/sh.lo.Mohto/ Solomon בְנ֗וֹve.N/oson/ his חֲזַ֤קcha.Zakbe strong וֶאֱמַץ֙ve./'e.Matzand/ be brave וַעֲשֵׂ֔הva./'a.Sehand/ act אַל־'al-may not תִּירָ֖אti.Ra'you be afraid וְאַל־ve./'al-and/ may not תֵּחָ֑תte.Chatyou be dismayed כִּי֩kifor יְהוָ֨הYah.wehYahweh אֱלֹהִ֤ים'E.lo.HimGod אֱלֹהַי֙'e.lo.Ha/iGod/ my עִמָּ֔ךְ'i.Ma/kh[is] with/ you לֹ֤אlo'not יַרְפְּךָ֙yar.pe./Khahe will abandon/ you וְלֹ֣אve./Lo'and/ not יַֽעַזְבֶ֔ךָּya.'az.Ve./kahe will forsake/ you עַד־'ad-until לִכְל֕וֹתli/kh.Lot<to>/ is complete כָּל־kol-all מְלֶ֖אכֶתme.Le.khet[the] work of עֲבוֹדַ֥תa.vo.Dat[the] service of בֵּית־beit-[the] house of יְהוָֽה׃Yah.wehYahweh

King James Version

And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the Lord God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

Cross-references

1 Chronicles 22:13 Then you will succeed, if you carefully follow the statutes and ordinances that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Joshua 1:5 No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
Deuteronomy 31:7 Then Moses called for Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance.
Psalms 27:1 Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?
Isaiah 41:13 For I am the LORD your God, who takes hold of your right hand and tells you: Do not fear, I will help you.
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.
1 Chronicles 28:10 Consider now that the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary. Be strong and do it.”

People named

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