1 Kings 8:25

Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk before Me as you have done.’

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Solomon addresses the LORD during the temple dedication, immediately after affirming God's fulfillment of His earlier promise to David.

The words — The verse centers on שְׁמֹר (She.mor), a Qal imperative meaning "keep," and וְ/עַתָּה (ve./'a.Tah), meaning "and/therefore."

The thread — Solomon repeats this petition in 1 Kings 8:26 and 2 Chronicles 6:16, while the underlying Davidic covenant condition appears in 1 Kings 2:4 and 1 Kings 9:4.

Why it lands — The text states that God's promise of an unbroken Davidic dynasty is explicitly conditioned on descendants walking faithfully before Him. It requires readers to acknowledge that covenant continuity depends on sustained obedience, not mere lineage.

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

וְעַתָּ֞הve./'a.Tahand/ therefore יְהוָ֣ה׀Yah.wehO Yahweh אֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.Hei[the] God of יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לYis.ra.'ElIsrael שְׁ֠מֹרShe.morkeep לְעַבְדְּךָ֨le./'av.de./Khato/ servant/ your דָוִ֤דda.VidDavid אָבִי֙'a.V/ifather/ my אֵת֩'et<obj.>אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.Sher[that] which דִּבַּ֤רְתָּdi.Bar.tayou spokeלּוֹ֙l/oto/ himלֵאמֹ֔רle./Mor<to>/ saying לֹא־lo'-not יִכָּרֵ֨תyi.ka.Retit will be cut offלְךָ֥le./Khato/ youאִישׁ֙'isha man מִלְּפָנַ֔יmi./le./fa.Na/ifrom/ to/ before/ me יֹשֵׁ֖בyo.Shev[who] sits עַל־'al-on כִּסֵּ֣אki.Se'[the] throne of יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsrael רַ֠קrakonly אִם־'im-if יִשְׁמְר֨וּyish.me.Ruthey will guard בָנֶ֤יךָva.Nei./khadescendants/ your אֶת־'et-<obj.>דַּרְכָּם֙dar.Ka/mway/ their לָלֶ֣כֶתla./Le.khetto/ walk לְפָנַ֔יle./fa.Na/i<to>/ before/ me כַּאֲשֶׁ֥רka./'a.Sherjust/ as הָלַ֖כְתָּha.Lakh.tayou have walked לְפָנָֽי׃le./fa.Na/i<to>/ before/ me

King James Version

Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.

Cross-references

1 Kings 2:4 and so that the LORD may fulfill His promise to me: ‘If your descendants take heed to walk faithfully before Me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.’
2 Chronicles 6:16 Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’
1 Kings 9:4 And as for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, with a heart of integrity and uprightness, doing all I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and ordinances,
Jeremiah 33:17 For this is what the LORD says: David will never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel,
2 Samuel 7:27 For You, O LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant when You said, ‘I will build a house for you.’ Therefore Your servant has found the courage to offer this prayer to You.
Luke 1:68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
1 Chronicles 17:23 And now, O LORD, let the word You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house be established forever. Do as You have promised,
1 Chronicles 28:9 As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

People named

David