1 Kings 2:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: "I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man,

NIV: "I am about to go the way of all the earth," he said. "So be strong, act like a man,

NASB: I am going the way of all the earth. So be strong, and prove yourself a man.

CSB: "As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth. Be strong and be a man,

NLT: I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.

KJV: I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

NKJV: “I go the way of all the earth; be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man.

"The way of all the earth" is a poetic way of acknowledging what happens to every living thing, including every person. No matter how significant their lives may have seemed, every living thing dies. Solomon will later pen an entire book, Ecclesiastes, about whether men can find meaning if every life ends in death. David knows he will soon die. For now, Solomon listens as his father, Israel's greatest king, begins his final instructions about how to lead God's people. Those instructions begin with the firm words to be strong and to show himself to be a man.

David directly urges the same thing shown in God's Word in general: for men to accept a calling to strength in carrying out the uniquely masculine duties God has given to them. The Lord also charged Joshua to be strong and courageous when tasking him to lead Israel into the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 31:23). Paul concluded his letter to the Christians in Corinth by calling his male readers to "be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong, let all that you do be done in love" (1 Corinthians 16:13).

David's command to Solomon reveals it takes strength to obey the law of Moses (1 Kings 2:3). If Solomon will faithfully follow God by obeying His commandments, God will confirm His covenant with David (2 Samuel 7:5–16), and Solomon's son will reign in Israel (1 Kings 2:4).

First Kings 2:1–4 is David's advice for Solomon to step into the covenant God made with David (2 Samuel 7:5–16). He just needs to obey: to follow God's laws. If he and each generation can obey God, Israel will always have a man from David's line on the throne. Solomon manages to follow David's instructions for a while. But hundreds of wives turn his heart to idolatry, and God takes half the kingdom from his son and gives it to another (1 Kings 11:1–8; 26–39).

In 1 Kings 2, Solomon establishes his kingdom. David tells Solomon to follow God and to deal justly with his officials. After David dies, Solomon executes his rival Adonijah and the murderer Joab. He sends the conspiring priest Abiathar to house arrest and deals with the Benjamite Shimei, who cursed David. Benaiah becomes the military commander, and Zadok the lead priest. Next, Solomon will offer his famous prayer for wisdom (1 Kings 3:6–9).

David's reign ends as his health begins to fail. Watchful rivals try to take advantage of this, attempting to install their preferred heir to the throne (1 Kings 1). This fails, and Solomon is crowned. In 1 Kings 2, Solomon begins the work of inheriting God's covenant with David. Before David dies, he advises Solomon on how to follow God, respond to conspirators, and build the temple (1 Chronicles 22:6–19; 28:9–21). David also throws a more formal coronation ceremony (1 Chronicles 29:22–25). After dealing with the men who would take his crown, Solomon asks God for wisdom; God promises to add honor and wealth (1 Kings 3:6–14).

This was originally the first half of a combined text. First Kings records the end of David's reign and the rule of Solomon. After this, the kingdom is split in two. The northern nation of Israel no longer submits to the king of the southern nation, called Judah. The prophet Elijah first appears in this book. The kings mostly fail to honor the Lord. They participate in idolatry and other sins. This will eventually result in their conquest and exile, as depicted throughout the books of Chronicles.