1 Kings 2 · Verse 3

1 Kings 2:3

And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
1 Kings 2:3, King James Version

1 Kings 2:3 in other translations

BSBAnd keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn,
WEBand keep the instruction of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn yourself.
ASVand keep the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies, according to that which is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;
YLTand kept the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commands, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that thou dost wisely all that thou dost, and whithersoever thou turnest,
DARBYand keep the charge of Jehovah thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest and whithersoever thou turnest thyself;
BBEAnd keep the orders of the Lord your God, walking in his ways, keeping his laws and his orders and his rules and his words, as they are recorded in the law of Moses; so that you may do well in all you do and wherever you go,
WebsterAnd keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself.

What does 1 Kings 2:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. keep the charge of the Lord thy God--that is, the divine law in all its ceremonial as well as moral requirements. But particular reference was intended to its political institutions, as it was only by strictly maintaining the conduct that became the Hebrew monarch (De 17:10-20), that he would secure the blessing of peace and prosperity to his reign (see on De 4:5; De 29:10).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Keep the charge of the Lord - Keep what God has given thee to keep. 1. Walk in his ways. Not in thine own, nor in the ways of a wicked, perishing world. 2. Keep his statutes. Consider all his appointments to be holy, just, and good; receive them as such, and conscientiously observe them. 3. Keep his commandments. Whatever he has bidden thee to do, perform; what he has forbidden thee to do, omit. 4. Keep his judgments. What he has determined to be right, is essentially and inherently right; what he has determined to be wrong or evil, is inherently and essentially so. A thing is not good because God has commanded it; a thing is not evil because he has forbidden it. He has commanded the good, because it is in its own nature good and useful; he has forbidden the evil, because it is in its own nature bad and hurtful. Keep therefore his judgments. 5. Keep his testimonies. Bear witness to all to which he has borne witness. His testimonies are true; there is no deceit or falsity in them. His testimonies refer also to future good things and good times; they are the significators of coming blessedness: as such, respect them. That thou mayest prosper - If thou hast God's approbation, thou wilt have God's blessing. If thy ways please him, he will not withhold from thee any manner of thing that is good.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 2:1-4

David's charge to Solomon is, to keep the charge of the Lord. The authority of a dying father is much, but nothing to that of a living God. God promised David that the Messiah should come from his descendants, and that promise was absolute; but the promise, that there should not fail of them a man on the throne of Israel, was conditional; if he walks before God in sincerity, with zeal and resolution: in order…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 2:1-4 →

1 Kings 2:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְשָׁמַרְתָּ֞ve.sha.mar.Taand you will keepH8104
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
מִשְׁמֶ֣רֶת\׀mish.Me.ret[the] charge ofH4931
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֱלֹהֶ֗יךָ'e.lo.Hei.khaGod yourH430
לָלֶ֤כֶתla.Le.khetto walkH1980
בִּדְרָכָיו֙bid.ra.Khavin ways hisH1870
לִשְׁמֹ֨רlish.Morto keepH8104
חֻקֹּתָ֤יוchu.ko.Tavstatutes hisH2708
מִצְוֹתָיו֙mitz.vo.Tavcommandments hisH4687
וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֣יוu.mish.pa.Tavand judgments hisH4941
וְעֵדְוֹתָ֔יוve.'e.de.vo.Tavand testimonies hisH5715
כַּכָּת֖וּבka.ka.Tuvaccording to <the> [what] is writtenH3789
בְּתוֹרַ֣תbe.to.Ratin [the] law ofH8451
מֹשֶׁ֑הmo.ShehMosesH4872
לְמַ֣עַןle.Ma.'anso thatH4616
תַּשְׂכִּ֗ילtas.Kilyou may cause to prosperH7919
אֵ֚ת'et<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherthatH834
תַּֽעֲשֶׂ֔הta.'a.Sehyou will doH6213
וְאֵ֛תve.'Etand <obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-everyH3605
אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.SherwhereH834
תִּפְנֶ֖הtif.Nehyou will turnH6437
שָֽׁם\׃ShamthereH8033

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 2:3

  • Deuteronomy 29:9

    Keep therefore the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper in all that ye do.

  • Proverbs 3:1-4

    My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

  • Deuteronomy 17:18-20

    And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the Lord his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them: That his heart be not lifted up above his brethren, and that he turn not aside from the commandment, to the right hand, or to the left: to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he, and his children, in the midst of Israel.

  • Psalms 119:2

    Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

  • Joshua 1:7-8

    Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

  • 1 Chronicles 22:12-13

    Only the Lord give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the Lord thy God. Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

  • Psalms 1:2-3

    But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

  • 2 Chronicles 31:20-21

    And thus did Hezekiah throughout all Judah, and wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered.

  • 1 Chronicles 29:19

    And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

  • Deuteronomy 6:1-2

    Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

  • 1 Samuel 18:14

    And David behaved himself wisely in all his ways; and the Lord was with him.

  • Psalms 119:111

    Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
And keep.
De 29:9; Jos 1:7; 22:5; 1Ch 22:12,13; 28:8,9; 29:19
statues.
De 4:1,5,8; 5:1; 6:1,2
testimonies.
De 4:45; Ps 19:7; 119:2,111,138
written.
De 17:18-20; Mal 4:4
that thou.
De 29:9
prosper. or, do wisely.
Jos 1:7,8; *marg:
1Sa 18:5,14,30; 2Ch 31:20,21; Ps 1:2,3; 119:98-100; Pr 3:1-4
whithersoever.
2Sa 8:6,14; 2Ki 18:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 2:2

    I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

  • 1 Kings 2:3

    And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:

  • 1 Kings 2:4

    That the Lord may continue his word which he spake concerning me, saying, If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail thee (said he) a man on the throne of Israel.

Read all of 1 Kings 2

1 Kings 2:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Guarda la ordenanza de Jehová tu Dios, andando en sus caminos, y observando sus estatutos y mandamientos, y sus derechos y sus testimonios, de la manera que está escrito en la ley de Moisés, para que seas dichoso en todo lo que hicieres, y en todo aquello á que te tornares;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et prends garde à ce qui doit être observé devant l’ Éternel, ton Dieu, en marchant dans ses voies, en gardant ses statuts, et ses commandements, et ses ordonnances, et ses témoignages, comme il est écrit dans la loi de Moïse, afin que tu réussisses dans tout ce que tu fais et où que tu te tournes;
German
Elberfelder 1871
und warte der Hut Jehovas, deines Gottes, daß du auf seinen Wegen wandelst, indem du seine Satzungen, seine Gebote und seine Rechte und seine Zeugnisse beobachtest, wie geschrieben ist in dem Gesetz Moses; auf daß es dir gelinge in allem, was du tust, und überall, wohin du dich wendest;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et observa custodias Domini Dei tui, ut ambules in viis ejus: ut custodias cæremonias ejus, et præcepta ejus, et judicia, et testimonia, sicut scriptum est in lege Moysi: ut intelligas universa quæ facis, et quocumque te verteris: