1 Kings 2:1-6

1 Forsooth the days of David nighed, that he should die; and he commanded to Solomon, his son, and said,

2 Lo! I enter into the way of all (the) earth; be thou strengthened (take thou courage), and be thou a strong man.

3 And keep thou the keepings and the behests of thy Lord God, that thou go in his ways, and keep his ceremonies, and his behests, and his dooms, and (his) witnessings, as it is written in the law of Moses; that thou understand all things which thou doest, and whither ever thou shalt turn thee. (And obey thou the orders and the commands of the Lord thy God, so that thou go in his ways, and keep his statutes, and his commands, and his laws, or his judgements, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses; so that thou understand all the things that thou doest, and wherever thou shalt turn thyself.)

4 That the Lord confirm his words, which the Lord spake of me, and said, If thy sons keep my ways, and go before me in truth, in all their heart, and in all their soul, a man shall not be taken away of thee from the throne of Israel. (So that the Lord shall establish his words, which the Lord spoke about me, saying, If thy sons follow my ways, and go before me in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soul, a man of thee shall not be taken away from the throne of Israel.)

5 Also thou knowest what things Joab, the son of Zeruiah, did to me; (and) what things he did to [the] two princes of the host of Israel, to Abner, the son of Ner, and to Amasa, the son of Jether, which he killed, and shedded the blood of battle in peace; and putted the blood of battle in his girdle, that was about his loins, and in his shoe(s), that was in his feet (and put the blood of battle upon his girdle, that was about his loins, and in his shoes, that were upon his feet).

6 Therefore thou shalt do by thy wisdom, and thou shalt not lead forth his hoariness peaceably to hells, either (the) sepulchre. (And so do thou by thy wisdom, and do not let his hoar hairs go down peacefully to Sheol, or into the grave, or into the tomb.)

1 Kings 2:1-6 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST KING 2

This chapter gives an account of the charge David gave to his son Solomon, a little before his death, to walk in the ways of the Lord, 1Ki 2:1-4; and of some instructions delivered to him concerning some particular persons he should either show favour to, or execute justice on, 1Ki 2:5-9; and the next account in it is concerning his death and burial, and the years of his reign, 1Ki 2:10,11; after which it relates an address of Bathsheba to Solomon in favour of Adonijah, which was refused, and the issue of it was his death, 1Ki 2:12-25; and the deposition of Abiathar from the priesthood, 1Ki 2:26,27; and the putting of Joab to death for his treason and murders, 1Ki 2:28-34; in whose post Benaiah was put, as Zadok was in the place of Abiathar, 1Ki 2:35; and lastly the confinement of Shimei in Jerusalem, who had cursed David, 1Ki 2:36-38; who upon transgressing the orders given him was put to death, 1Ki 2:39-46.