The Meaning of 1 Kings 6:12 Explained

1 Kings 6:12

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:

YLT: This house that thou art building -- if thou dost walk in My statutes, and My judgments dost do, yea, hast done all My commands, to walk in them, then I have established My word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father,

Darby: As to this house which thou art building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and practise mine ordinances, and keep all my commandments to walk in them, then will I perform my word as to thee which I spoke unto David thy father;

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 Reverse Interlinear

[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: 

What does 1 Kings 6:12 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 6:1-13 - The Plan Of The Lord's House
The Temple was twice the size of the Tabernacle-ninety feet long by thirty feet broad, and forty-five feet high. The plan had been given to David by revelation, 1 Chronicles 28:11-12. Seven years and a half were consumed in its erection. It was completed in sacred silence, 1 Kings 6:7. The awful sanctity of the shrine would have been violated if its construction had been marred by the harsh and violent sounds that generally accompany the mason's toil. "Like some tall palm the noiseless fabric sprang." In nature, God works so silently that we do not realize His activities.
The central motive was to provide a place worthy to be called the house of God. Israel was now ruled by a king, but he was viewed as the organ and instrument of Jehovah. It was fitting, therefore, that the King of kings should have a dwelling-place among the people of Israel. The tabernacle of God was with men. He dwelled with them on the earth. The Temple was, moreover, the type, first of the body of Jesus, John 2:21; then of each believer, 1 Corinthians 3:16; and lastly of the whole Church, Ephesians 2:21-22. Each of these is the dwelling-place of God, and the innermost chamber-the Holy of Holies-is meant to be the throne-room of the Shekinah of His presence, Leviticus 16:2.
1 Kings 6:1-38 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 6

1  The building of Solomon's temple
5  The chambers thereof
11  God's promise unto it
15  The ceiling and adorning of it
23  The cherubim
31  The doors
36  The court
37  The time of building it

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 6:12 mean?

temple [Concerning] this which you are building if you walk in My statutes and My judgments execute and keep - all My commandments and walk in them then I will perform My word with you which I spoke to David your father
הַבַּ֨יִת הַזֶּ֜ה אֲשֶׁר־ אַתָּ֣ה בֹנֶ֗ה אִם־ תֵּלֵ֤ךְ בְּחֻקֹּתַי֙ וְאֶת־ מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֥ אֶת־ כָּל־ מִצְוֺתַ֖י לָלֶ֣כֶת בָּהֶ֑ם וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י דְּבָרִי֙ אִתָּ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי אֶל־ דָּוִ֥ד אָבִֽיךָ

הַבַּ֨יִת  temple 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הַזֶּ֜ה  [Concerning]  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
בֹנֶ֗ה  are  building 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
תֵּלֵ֤ךְ  you  walk 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּחֻקֹּתַי֙  in  My  statutes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: חֻקָּה  
Sense: statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed.
מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י  My  judgments 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה  execute 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֥  and  keep 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִצְוֺתַ֖י  My  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
לָלֶ֣כֶת  and  walk 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בָּהֶ֑ם  in  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
וַהֲקִמֹתִ֤י  then  I  will  perform 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
דְּבָרִי֙  My  word 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אִתָּ֔ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי  I  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
דָּוִ֥ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אָבִֽיךָ  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.