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Watchman, Keeper, Preserve, Observe
1 Kings 2:3-4 And keep the charge of YHWH your Elohim: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn; that YHWH may fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’
When David gave Solomon the throne, he gave him this one command, an ancient promise of YHWH, “If your descendants are faithful to me with all their hearts and lives, they will never fail in Israel”. This promise and warning is repeated to Solomon in 1 Kings 9:6-7. But Solomon despite being known for his wisdom, failed this one and only command. Solomon’s riches grew by making foreign alliances, by marrying the daughters of other kings, which led to Solomon’s descendants being worshipers of other gods.
Some translations says the descendants to “heed”, or be faithful. This is a weak translation, as the Hebrew word used here for the descendants is SAMAR H8104 – šāmar, which means to Keep, Observe, Preserve, Be a Watchman (protect and save) – with all their hearts and soul!
The second thing they should do is walk in Truth. The Hebrew word here is EMET H571 – ‘ĕmeṯ, which is not just truth, it is a stronger word meaning Faithful and standing Firm, being Reliable. That is one thing we clearly see in these last chapters, it doesn’t seem anybody around David or Solomon is very reliable. They change their votes from one king to another, and then run away, each one wanting to make himself great.
See this word Emet for Truth being used in another context by YHWH in Jeremiah 32:41, “Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly H571 with my whole heart and with my whole soul.”
Malachi 3:14 “But Ye have said, It is vain to serve YHWH: and what profit is it that we have kept H8104 his ordinance“. Verse 18, “Then shall YHWH return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth YHWH and him that serveth him not.”
