1 Chronicles 28:8

1Ch 28:8 Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave [it] for an inheritance for your children after you for ever.

Ver. 8. And in the audience of our God.] I exhort, or, beseech you.

Keep and seek.] Keep what ye know already; and seek to be yet further instructed. By this latter word "seek," tollit ignorantiam illam crassam, saith Vatablus, he striketh at affected ignorance.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 28:8. In the audience of our God — I exhort and charge you every one, calling God, who is here present, and this congregation, wherein all Israel are present by their representatives, for witnesses against you, if you do not follow my counsel. Keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord — Keep those commands which you know, and seek for or search into what you are yet ignorant of, that you may distinctly understand the whole will of God, and seriously give yourselves to the practice of it. God’s commandments cannot be kept without great care. And it concerns those who profess religion, as they regard the favour of God, or even their reputation with men, to be faithful to their profession.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He declareth that nothing can separate them from the commodity of this land, both for themselves and their posterity, but their sins and iniquity.

To wit, of Canaan.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Now . . . in the sight of all Israel, . . . keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord, &c.--This solemn and earnest exhortation to those present, and to all Israel through their representatives, to continue faithful in observing the divine law as essential to their national prosperity and permanence, is similar to that of Moses (Deu 30:15-20).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 8. In the audience of our God] "Before the Word of the Lord." - T.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(8) Now therefore in the sight of all Israel.—Literally, And now to the eyes of all Israel . . . and in the ears of our God; scil. I adjure you. David ends his address to the people by a solemn appeal, like that, of Moses (Deu_4:26; Deu_30:19 : “I call heaven and earth to witness,” &c.). David’s appeal is to the whole nation as represented before him, and to the God whose ear is ever open.

Seek—i.e., do not neglect; resort to them always as the rule of right living (same word as 1Ch_13:3; 1Ch_15:13).

That ye may possess this (Heb. the) good land.—Another reminiscence of Deuteronomy (1Ch_4:1; 1Ch_4:21).

And leave it for an inheritance.—Lev_25:46.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8. and seek for] R.V. and seek out. The same Hebrew word is used 1Ch_13:3, we sought not unto it (i.e. the ark) in the days of Saul (R.V.).

that ye may possess this good land] possess = inherit. The Heb. word connotes three different ideas, which may all have been present to the mind of the speaker, viz. (1) continued holding of the land by passing it from father to son (cp. Exo_20:12), (2) completion of the work of conquest left unfinished by Joshua (cp. Gen_24:60), (3) enjoyment of the fruits of the land (cp. Psa_25:13).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the Lord,.... Whom this assembly represented:

and in the audience of our God; before him, as Jarchi, in whose presence they were, and who heard and saw all that passed, and to whom David appeals as a witness; the Targum is,"before the Word of the Lord.''before whom all things are naked and open, Heb 4:12.

keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God; seek to know them, search for them in the word of God, and endeavour to keep them:

that ye may possess this good land; continue in the possession of it, for by their obedience they held it, Isa 1:19.

and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever; that so they might not be removed from it, and carried captive into other lands, as they were for their disobedience.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Seek. Wilful (Haydock) or supine ignorance will excuse no man. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

In the audience of our God, i.e. I do here exhort and charge you every one, calling God who is here present, and this congregation, wherein all Israel are present by their representatives, for witness against you, if you do not follow my counsel.

Keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord; keep those commands which you know, and seek for or search into what you are yet ignorant of, that you may distinctly understand the whole will of God, and all the parts of your duty, and seriously give up yourselves to the practice thereof.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Vers. 8-10. The double charge of these verses, first to the people and then to Solomon, is full of force and majesty. Translate, Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the hearing of our God ("Hear me," ver. 2), keep ye and study to do all the commandments of the Lord your God (Deu_4:21, Deu_4:26; Lev_25:46; Jer_3:18) The. expression, Know thou the God of thy father, for a practical knowledge and fear of God, is analogous with the expression, "Hear thou," for the matter of practical obedience; e.g. "If they hear not Moses and the prophets". (Luk_16:31) Although there are not very many instances of this use of the word "know," its antiquity and classical character may be considered guaranteed by such passages as Job_18:21; 1Sa_2:12; Pro_3:6; Psa_36:10; Jer_9:2; Hos_5:4 Hos_6:3. The expression, "the God of thy father," evidently intended to be touching, is more fully given in ver. 20, "God, even my God, will be with thee," which in its turn reminds us of Paul"s language, "But my God shall supply all your need". (Php_4:19) The urgent entreaty on the part of David breathes in every sentence of it, thought, and a mode of presentation of it, feeling, and depth of conviction, with which we are familiar in his psalms. He speaks from his own varied, remarkable, and rich experience of the Divine care and jealous love, and from much personal experience of the deceitfulness of the heart, to Solomon, into whom, were it possible, he would pour the advantage of all he had learned, and from whom he would hide nothing of his intense and anxious solicitude. To the same strain he returns in ver. 20, but there with more exclusive reference to the undertaking of the building of "the house of the Lord," or the house for the sanctuary. One thing only fails, perhaps, to be made quite apparent from the language of David, viz. why he deemed it necessary to urge so strenuously on Solomon the enterprise of building the temple and of carrying it to completion. With abundance of means and preparations so large already made, one might have supposed a young king and a young man would have needed little pressure and little exhortation. Nevertheless, in the manifest presence of David"s words, it is very far from impossible to suppose the dangers and temptations of Solomon"s position as constituting a serious risk.

Persuasions to obedience.

and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God." "Speaker"s Commentary" says, "The sense would be clearer if the words were, "I charge you, keep and seek;" and some commentators suppose that they did so run originally." In view of the connections of this verse, the following persuasions may be illustrated and enforced. Obedience to God"s commands is man"s natural duty; the duty that necessarily attends upon the dependent relation in which he stands towards God. But such is man"s deterioration, through sin, that now he needs to be urged to his duty by all kinds of inspiring persuasions.

I GOD"S GRACIOUS PROMISES ARE A PERSUASION, (Vers. 6, 7.) David urges that those promises rest upon Solomon, and the grace of them should ever lead him to say, "What manner of person ought I to be?" But David realizes that even the promises are conditional upon man"s constant, so they always urge to faithfulness.

II GOD"S PRESENCE IS A PERSUASION. Illustrate the moral influence exerted by the actual presence of the schoolmaster, the farmer, the business man, or the king. "Thou God seest me" ought to be to us, not a terror, but the inspiration to all goodness. For our moral culture no assurance is more important than this: "Certainly I will be with thee.

III SURROUNDING PEOPLE BECOME A PERSUASION TO EACH ONE. David has this scene enacted publicly that Solomon may feel how every man"s expectations and hopes rest on him, and every eye will anxiously watch his career. For others"sakes we must be true, obedient, and faithful, for we "are made a spectacle unto men and unto angels.

IV THE CONDITIONS OF OUR RELATIONS WITH GOD ARE A PERSUASION. Their maintenance depends entirely on our obedience (ver. 9). They are not sovereign relations, but distinctly conditional. It we forsake God, he will cast us off for ever. So the burden of responsibility is made to lie heavily on our own shoulders. We must "take heed;" we must" seek for" and "keep" the commandments of our God, the all-comprehensive commands of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Of our God - I exhort and charge you every one, calling God who is here present, and this congregation wherein all Israel are present by their representatives, or witness against you, if you do not follow my counsel. Keep and seek - Keep those commands which you know, and seek for, or search into what you are yet ignorant of, that you may distinctly understand the whole will of God, and seriously give yourselves to the practice of it. God's commandments cannot be kept without great care.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the congregation of the Lord,.... Whom this assembly represented:

and in the audience of our God; before him, as Jarchi, in whose presence they were, and who heard and saw all that passed, and to whom David appeals as a witness; the Targum is,"before the Word of the Lord.''before whom all things are naked and open, Heb 4:12.

keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God; seek to know them, search for them in the word of God, and endeavour to keep them:

that ye may possess this good land; continue in the possession of it, for by their obedience they held it, Isa 1:19.

and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever; that so they might not be removed from it, and carried captive into other lands, as they were for their disobedience.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

General Information:

David continues to speak to the Israelites.

Now then, in the sight of all Israel ... all of you must

Here David is giving a command to all of the people of Israel. AT: "Now then, in the sight of all Israel, this assembly for Yahweh, and in the presence of our God, I command all of you to" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

Now then

This indicates that David starts a new phase in his speech.

all Israel, this assembly for Yahweh

These two phrases have the same meaning and the second describes the first. Even though all of the people of Israel are not present, those present represent all of Israel. AT: "all you people of Israel, in this assembly for Yahweh" (See: Parallelism and Synecdoche)

in the sight of

The phrase "in the sight of" means that they are all present and listening. AT: "in the hearing of" (See: Idiom)

keep and try to carry out

The phrase "to carry out" means basically the same thing as "keep." Together the words emphasize importance of doing what God commands. AT: "carefully obey" (See: Doublet)

your children after you forever

This means that the land will belong to their children and the descendants in the future. The phrase "after you" is an idiom. AT: "your children and your descendants who will take your place after you die" (See: Synecdoche and Idiom)

translationWords

assembly

possess

inherit

children

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

all Israel the stranger like the native.

and in the ears of our God Before our God, similar to (Deut. 29:9): “You are standing today, all of you, before the Lord your God.” Also, (II Kings 23:3): “And the king stood on his place, etc. before the Lord.”

observe and seek all the commandments of the Lord your God He said this to all Israel together, but to Solomon he said it before all Israel [as in the following verse].

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.