Why then have you not kept the oath of Yahweh, and the commandment that I have instructed you with?”
Parallel translations
- KJV Why then hast thou not kept the oath of the LORD, and the commandment that I have charged thee with?
- BSB So why have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the command that I gave you?”
- NKJV Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord and the commandment that I gave you?”
- NASB Why then have you not kept the oath of the Lord, and the command which I imposed on you?”
- NLT Then why haven’t you kept your oath to the Lord and obeyed my command?”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Solomon asks why Shimei failed to keep the oath of Yahweh and the king's command. The question exposes Shimei's guilt as deliberate covenant-breaking.
Overview
Solomon presses Shimei on his failure to honor an oath sworn before the LORD. The breach is not merely against the king but against God, in whose name the agreement was made. The verse underscores the seriousness of vows taken before God and the accountability that follows their violation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- 2 Sam 21:2The king called the Gibeonites, and said to them (now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites, and the children of Israel had sworn to them; and Saul sought to kill them in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah);
- 2 Chr 30:12Also the hand of God came on Judah to give them one heart, to do the commandment of the king and of the princes by Yahweh’s word.
- Eccl 8:2I say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath to God.
- Ezek 17:18–19For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things. He won’t escape.
- Rom 13:5Therefore you need to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath, but also for conscience’ sake.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 2:43 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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