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:_ Keep the charge of the Lord thy God - i:e., the divine law, in all its ceremonial as well as moral requirements. But particular reference was intended to its political institutions, since it was only by strictly maintaining the conduct that became the Hebrew monarch (Deuteronomy 17:16) that he should secure the blessing of peace and prosperity to his reign (see the notes at Deuteronomy 4:6; Deuteronomy 29:9)....

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 hereunto, he must take heed to his way....

Verse 1 Kings 2:3. _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 for

The “statutes” have been explained to be the positive ordinances of the Law; the “commandments” the moral precepts, not to steal, etc.; the “judgments” the laws belonging to civil government; and the “testimonies” the laws directing the commemoration of certain events. Compare Psalms 19:7....

EXPOSITION THE LAST WORDS AND DEATH OF DAVID.—The death of David, and of course the charge which preceded it, did not follow immediately (as the casual reader might be tempted to suppose) on the events related in 1 Kings 1:1. We find from 1 Chronicles 23-29:23, that the aged king recovered sufficient strength to leave his sick room, to gather round him the princes of Israel (1 Chronicles 23:9), to make a number of fresh arrangements respecting the priests and Levites and the services of the sanctuary, and even to "stand up upon his feet" (1 Chronicles 28:2) and address a la

AND KEEP THE CHARGE OF THE LORD THY GOD,.... Which may in general respect his whole walk and conversation, and his obedience to the law and will of God; and in particular his just government of Israel committed to his charge: TO WALK IN HIS WAYS; directed to in his word: TO KEEP HIS STATUTES AND HIS JUDGMENTS; his laws, ceremonial, moral, and judicial: AND HIS TESTIMONIES; as the above laws, which testify of his mind, and declare what he would have done and observed: AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW OF MOSES; which a king of Israel was obliged to write a copy of, keep by him, and read it, and rule according to it, Deuteronomy 17:18: THAT THOU MAYEST PROSPER IN ALL THAT THOU DOEST, AND WHITHERSOEVER THOU TURNEST THYSELF; to reign in righteousness, and according to the law of God, is the onl

3. DAVID'S CHARGE TO SOLOMON AND DAVID'S END CHAPTER 2:1-11 _ 1. David's charge (1 Kings 2:1)_ 2. David's end (1 Kings 2:10) We call attention again to 1 Chronicles 28 and 29 where we find the record of the great assembly of all the princes of Israel and David's great address to them. He then made known to all Israel that the LORD had chosen Solomon to occupy the throne. He speaks there of the covenant promise, that his son should build the house of the LORD and His courts. He exhorted the people to keep the commandments and then spoke in tenderest words to young Solomon. “And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind .

DEATH OF DAVID; SOLOMON ESTABLISHED ON HIS THRONE. The main source of this chapter is the same as that of 1, but interspersed are Deuteronomic additions (1 Kings 2:3 f., 1 Kings 2:10; 1 Kings 2:27). The authenticity of David's advice to Solomon has been disputed, especially the reasons given for procuring Joab's execution. Judged by any standard it places his character in an unamiable light. Solomon was advised to find a pretext for putting Joab and Shimei to death, and perfidy is inculcated as wisdom (1 Kings 2:6; 1 Kings 2:9). Without attempting to justify its mo

CHARGE. Compare Leviticus 8:35; Leviticus 18:30. THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ TO KEEP. Some codices, with three early printed editions, read "and to keep", thus enlarging the Figure of speech _Polysyndeton_ (App-6) in this verse. AS IT IS WRITTEN. Compare Deuteronomy 17:18; Deuteronomy 17:19; Joshua 1:6. Note the emphasis laid on God's Word written. See note on...

_keep the charge of the Lord_ The word rendered -charge" here has no connexion with the verb used in 1 Kings 2:1, but is the customary expression in the Book of Numbers for the care and oversight of the Tabernacle and other things committed to the Levites. (See Numbers 1:53; Numbers 3:7-8 &c.) It is used also of other sacred offices and the duties attached thereto. Thus is imported into the word a solemn signification, though in etymology it is connected with the word which precedes it, rendered -keep". _to keep his statutes_, and _his commandments, and his judgements_ These words appear to refer to the three portions of the divine law, the ceremonial, the moral, and the judicial ordinances revealed by God in