David's Instructions to Solomon

1 Kings 2

1 Now a the days of David drew near that he should die, and he 1 charged Solomon his son, saying: 2 b "I go the way of all the earth; c be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. 3 "And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may d prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; 4 "that the LORD may e fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, f 'If your sons take heed to their way, to g walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,' He said, h 'you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.'

5 "Moreover you know also what Joab the son of Zeruiah i did to me, and what he did to the two commanders of the armies of Israel, to j Abner the son of Ner and k Amasa the son of Jether, whom he killed. And he shed the blood of war in peacetime, and put the blood of war on his belt that was around his waist, and on his sandals that were on his feet. 6 "Therefore do l according to your wisdom, and do not let his gray hair go down to the grave in peace. 7 "But show kindness to the sons of m Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who n eat at your table, for so o they came to me when I fled from Absalom your brother. 8 "And see, you have with you p Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But q he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and r I swore to him by the LORD, saying, 'I will not put you to death with the sword.' 9 "Now therefore, s do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but t bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood."

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 47:29
    When the time drew near that Israel must die, he called his son Joseph and said to him, "Now if I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please do not bury me in Egypt.
    Deuteronomy 31:14
    Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, the days approach when you must die; call Joshua, and present yourselves in the tabernacle of meeting, that I may inaugurate him." So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of meeting.
  2. Cross References
    Joshua 23:14
    Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.
  3. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 31:7
    Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it.
    Deuteronomy 31:23
    Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, "Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.
    1 Chronicles 22:13
    Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the LORD charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.
  4. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 29:9
    Therefore keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that you may prosper in all that you do.
    Joshua 1:7
    Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
    1 Chronicles 22:12
    Only may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, and give you charge concerning Israel, that you may keep the law of the LORD your God.
    1 Chronicles 22:13
    Then you will prosper, if you take care to fulfill the statutes and judgments with which the LORD charged Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and of good courage; do not fear nor be dismayed.
  5. Cross References
    2 Samuel 7:25
    Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said.
  6. Cross References
    Psalms 132:12
    If your sons will keep My covenant And My testimony which I shall teach them, Their sons also shall sit upon your throne forevermore.
  7. Cross References
    2 Kings 20:3
    Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what was good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
  8. Cross References
    2 Samuel 7:12
    When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
    2 Samuel 7:13
    He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
    1 Kings 8:25
    "Therefore, LORD God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, 'You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.'
  9. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:39
    "And I am weak today, though anointed king; and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too harsh for me. The LORD shall repay the evildoer according to his wickedness."
    2 Samuel 18:5
    Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, saying, " Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the king gave all the captains orders concerning Absalom.
    2 Samuel 18:12
    But the man said to Joab, "Though I were to receive a thousand shekels of silver in my hand, I would not raise my hand against the king's son. For in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying, 'Beware lest anyone touch the young man Absalom!
    2 Samuel 18:14
    Then Joab said, "I cannot linger with you." And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through Absalom's heart, while he was still alive in the midst of the terebinth tree.
  10. Cross References
    2 Samuel 3:27
    Now when Abner had returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him privately, and there stabbed him in the stomach, so that he died for the blood of Asahel his brother.
    1 Kings 2:32
    So the LORD will return his blood on his head, because he struck down two men more righteous and better than he, and killed them with the sword - Abner the son of Ner, the commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa the son of Jether, the commander of the army of Judah - though my father David did not know it.
  11. Cross References
    2 Samuel 20:10
    But Amasa did not notice the sword that was in Joab's hand. And he struck him with it in the stomach, and his entrails poured out on the ground; and he did not strike him again. Thus he died. Then Joab and Abishai his brother pursued Sheba the son of Bichri.
  12. Cross References
    1 Kings 2:9
    "Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood."
    Proverbs 20:26
    A wise king sifts out the wicked, And brings the threshing wheel over them.
  13. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:31 - 39
    And Barzillai the Gileadite came down from Rogelim and went across the Jordan with the king, to escort him across the Jordan.
  14. Cross References
    2 Samuel 9:7
    So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually.
    2 Samuel 9:10
    You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.
    2 Samuel 19:28
    "For all my father's house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right have I still to cry out anymore to the king?"
  15. Cross References
    2 Samuel 17:17 - 29
    Now Jonathan and Ahimaaz stayed at En Rogel, for they dared not be seen coming into the city; so a female servant would come and tell them, and they would go and tell King David.
  16. Cross References
    2 Samuel 16:5 - 13
    Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera, coming from there. He came out, cursing continuously as he came.
  17. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:18
    Then a ferryboat went across to carry over the king's household, and to do what he thought good. Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king when he had crossed the Jordan.
  18. Cross References
    2 Samuel 19:23
    Therefore the king said to Shimei, "You shall not die." And the king swore to him.
  19. Cross References
    Exodus 20:7
    You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
    Job 9:28
    I am afraid of all my sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent.
  20. Cross References
    Genesis 42:38
    But he said, "My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any calamity should befall him along the way in which you go, then you would bring down my gray hair with sorrow to the grave.
    Genesis 44:31
    It will happen, when he sees that the lad is not with us, that he will die. So your servants will bring down the gray hair of your servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Next Book Next Book