The Meaning of 1 Kings 8:25 Explained

1 Kings 8:25

KJV: 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.

YLT: And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, keep for Thy servant David my father that which Thou spakest to him, saying, There is not cut off to thee a man from before Me, sitting on the throne of Israel -- only, if thy sons watch their way, to walk before Me as thou hast walked before Me.

Darby: And now, Jehovah, God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy sons take heed to their way, to walk before me as thou hast walked before me.

ASV: Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me as thou hast walked before me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 8:25 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 8:22-32 - God Greater Than Any Temple
Solomon's different attitudes are specially mentioned. First he stood with hands outspread, 1 Kings 8:22; then, as indicated by 1 Kings 8:54, he came to his knees. These attitudes show expectant faith, as well as profound humility and reverence. The more we know of God, and experience the blessing of fellowship with Him, the lower becomes our self-estimate. Confidence in God always enhances reverence, Hebrews 12:28. The man who is lowest on his knees before God stands most erect to bless others, 1 Kings 8:55.
The prayer began with an ascription of glory to God. In this it resembles the Lord's Prayer; which begins with Hallowed be thy Name. Compare Psalms 115:1. Let us form our own prayers on this model. Then it acknowledges God's fidelity to His promises. As He speaks, so He fulfils. But it is our part always to say with Solomon, Keep that which thou hast promised, 1 Kings 8:25, and Let thy word be verified, 1 Kings 8:26. When we stand on this sure footing with God, we can look out on all possible ills that may confront us-whether, drought, famine, pestilence, defeat, or captivity-and be absolutely sure that he will hear, answer, and forgive. Heaven cannot contain Him, but he dwells in the contrite heart, Isaiah 57:15.
1 Kings 8:1-66 - 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 8

1  The feast of the temple
12  Solomon's blessing
22  Solomon's prayer
54  Solomon's blessing
62  His sacrifice of peace offerings

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 8:25 mean?

Therefore now Yahweh God of Israel keep Your servant David my father - what You promised to him saying not shall fail to have You a man before Me sit on the throne of Israel only if take heed to your sons - their way that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me
וְעַתָּ֞ה יְהוָ֣ה ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל שְׁ֠מֹר לְעַבְדְּךָ֨ דָוִ֤ד אָבִי֙ אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבַּ֤רְתָּ לּוֹ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לֹא־ יִכָּרֵ֨ת לְךָ֥ אִישׁ֙ מִלְּפָנַ֔י יֹשֵׁ֖ב עַל־ כִּסֵּ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל רַ֠ק אִם־ יִשְׁמְר֨וּ בָנֶ֤יךָ אֶת־ דַּרְכָּם֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת לְפָנַ֔י כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָלַ֖כְתָּ לְפָנָֽי

וְעַתָּ֞ה  Therefore  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
יְהוָ֣ה ׀  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
שְׁ֠מֹר  keep 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
לְעַבְדְּךָ֨  Your  servant 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
דָוִ֤ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
אָבִי֙  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אֵת֩  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
דִּבַּ֤רְתָּ  You  promised 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
לּוֹ֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יִכָּרֵ֨ת  shall  fail  to  have 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אִישׁ֙  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִלְּפָנַ֔י  before  Me 
Parse: Preposition-m, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
יֹשֵׁ֖ב  sit 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
כִּסֵּ֣א  the  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
רַ֠ק  only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַק  
Sense: only, altogether, surely.
יִשְׁמְר֨וּ  take  heed  to 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
בָנֶ֤יךָ  your  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
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.
דַּרְכָּם֙  their  way 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
לָלֶ֣כֶת  that  they  walk 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְפָנַ֔י  before  Me 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
הָלַ֖כְתָּ  you  have  walked 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְפָנָֽי  before  Me 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.