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Wednesday, July 30th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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The NET Bible®

1 Chronicles 28:9

"And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one's thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Apostasy;   Children;   God Continued...;   Heart;   Imagination;   Obedience;   Penitent;   Perfection;   Prayer;   Seekers;   Wicked (People);   Thompson Chain Reference - Knowledge;   Knowledge, Divine;   Knowledge-Ignorance;   Searcher of Hearts;   Secret Sins;   Serve God;   Service;   Work, Religious;   Work-Workers, Religious;   The Topic Concordance - Finding;   Forsaking;   Heart;   Knowledge;   Seeking;   Service;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Forsaking God;   Heart, the;   Parents;   Seeking God;   Wisdom of God, the;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - David;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Chronicles, Theology of;   David;   Knowledge of God;   Mind/reason;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Chronicles, Books of;   Imagination;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Self-Examination;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - God;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Sol'omon;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Imagination;   Search;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for April 2;   Every Day Light - Devotion for December 24;   Faith's Checkbook - Devotion for August 18;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever.
Hebrew Names Version
You, Shlomo my son, know you the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
King James Version
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
English Standard Version
"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
New Century Version
"And you, my son Solomon, accept the God of your father. Serve him completely and willingly, because the Lord knows what is in everyone's mind. He understands everything you think. If you go to him for help, you will get an answer. But if you turn away from him, he will leave you forever.
Amplified Bible
"As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father [have personal knowledge of Him, be acquainted with, and understand Him; appreciate, heed, and cherish Him] and serve Him with a blameless heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and minds, and understands every intent and inclination of the thoughts. If you seek Him [inquiring for and of Him and requiring Him as your first and vital necessity] He will let you find Him; but if you abandon (turn away from) Him, He will reject you forever.
New American Standard Bible
"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
World English Bible
You, Solomon my son, know you the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And thou, Salomon my sonne, know thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a perfit heart, and with a willing minde: For the Lorde searcheth all hearts, and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of thoughts: if thou seeke him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for euer.
Legacy Standard Bible
"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a delighted soul; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
Berean Standard Bible
As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
Contemporary English Version
Solomon, my son, worship God and obey him with all your heart and mind, just as I have done. He knows all your thoughts and your reasons for doing things, and so if you turn to him, he will hear your prayers. But if you ignore him, he will reject you forever.
Complete Jewish Bible
"As for you, Shlomo my son, know the God of your father. Serve him wholeheartedly and with desire in your being; for Adonai searches all hearts and understands all the inclinations of people's thoughts. If you seek him, he will let himself be found by you; but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever.
Darby Translation
And thou, Solomon my son, know the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Jehovah searches all hearts, and discerns all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cut thee off for ever.
Easy-to-Read Version
"And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father. Serve God with a pure heart. Be happy to serve him, because the Lord knows what is in everyone's heart. He knows what you are thinking. If you go to him for help, you will get an answer. But if you turn away from him, he will leave you forever.
George Lamsa Translation
And you, Solomon my son, know everything that the LORD our God has commanded us, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD knows everything that is in the heart and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts of men; if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.
Good News Translation
And to Solomon he said, "My son, I charge you to acknowledge your father's God and to serve him with an undivided heart and a willing mind. He knows all our thoughts and desires. If you go to him, he will accept you; but if you turn away from him, he will abandon you forever.
Lexham English Bible
"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for Yahweh searches all hearts and understands every plan and all thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever.
Literal Translation
And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind. For Jehovah searches out all hearts, and He understands every imagination of thoughts. If you shall seek Him, He shall be foundby you. But if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And thou my sonne Salomo, knowe thou the God of thy father, and serue him with all thy hert, and with the desyre of thy soule: for the LORDE searcheth all hertes, and vnderstondeth all thoughtes & ymaginacions Yf thou seke him, thou shalt fynde him: but yf thou forsake him, he shall refuse the for euer.
American Standard Version
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Jehovah searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
Bible in Basic English
And you, Solomon my son, get knowledge of the God of your father, and be his servant with a true heart and with a strong desire, for the Lord is the searcher of all hearts, and has knowledge of all the designs of men's thoughts; if you make search for him, he will be near you; but if you are turned away from him, he will give you up for ever.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And thou Solomon my sonne, knowe thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a pure heart and with a wyllyng minde: For the Lord searcheth al heartes, and vnderstandeth all the immaginations of thoughtes: And if thou seeke him, he wyll be founde of thee: but if thou forsake him, he wyll cast thee of for euer.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a whole heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts; if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off for ever.
King James Version (1611)
And thou, Solomon my sonne, know thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a perfite heart, and with a willing minde: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seeke him, he will be found of thee, but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for euer.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And now, my son Solomon, know the God of thy fathers, and serve him with a perfect heart and willing soul: for the Lord searches all hearts, and knows every thought: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou shouldest forsake him, he will forsake thee for ever.
English Revised Version
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But thou, Salomon, my sone, knowe the God of thi fadir, and serue thou hym with perfit herte, and wilful soule; for the Lord serchith alle hertis, and vndirstondith alle thouytis of soulis; if thou sekist hym, thou schalt fynde hym; forsothe if thou forsakist hym, he schal caste thee awei with outen ende.
Update Bible Version
And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind; for Yahweh searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever.
Webster's Bible Translation
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou shalt seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou shalt forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
New King James Version
"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.
New Living Translation
"And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
New Life Bible
"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father. Serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord looks into all hearts, and understands every plan and thought. If you look to Him, He will let you find Him. But if you turn away from Him, He will turn away from you forever.
New Revised Standard
"And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with single mind and willing heart; for the Lord searches every mind, and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will abandon you forever.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Thou, therefore, Solomon my son, Know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing soul, for, all hearts, doth Yahweh search, and, every devised purpose, doth he understand, - If thou seek him, He will be found of thee, but, if thou forsake him, He will cast thee off for ever.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou my son Solomon, know the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the thoughts of minds. If thou seek him, thou shalt find him: but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
Revised Standard Version
"And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.
Young's Literal Translation
`And thou, Solomon, my son, know the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind, for all hearts is Jehovah seeking, and every imagination of the thoughts He is understanding; if thou dost seek Him, He is found of thee, and if thou dost forsake Him, He casteth thee off for ever.
THE MESSAGE
"And you, Solomon my son, get to know well your father's God; serve him with a whole heart and eager mind, for God examines every heart and sees through every motive. If you seek him, he'll make sure you find him, but if you abandon him, he'll leave you for good. Look sharp now! God has chosen you to build his holy house. Be brave, determined! And do it!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever.

Contextual Overview

1 David assembled in Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them. 2 King David rose to his feet and said: "Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I wanted to build a temple where the ark of the Lord 's covenant could be placed as a footstool for our God. I have made the preparations for building it. 3 But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me, for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.' 4 The Lord God of Israel chose me out of my father's entire family to become king over Israel and have a permanent dynasty. Indeed, he chose Judah as leader, and my father's family within Judah, and then he picked me out from among my father's sons and made me king over all Israel. 5 From all the many sons the Lord has given me, he chose Solomon my son to rule on his behalf over Israel. 6 He said to me, ‘Solomon your son is the one who will build my temple and my courts, for I have chosen him to become my son and I will become his father. 7 I will establish his kingdom permanently, if he remains committed to obeying my commands and regulations, as you are doing this day.' 8 So now, in the sight of all Israel, the Lord 's assembly, and in the hearing of our God, I say this: Carefully observe all the commands of the Lord your God, so that you may possess this good land and may leave it as a permanent inheritance for your children after you. 9 "And you, Solomon my son, obey the God of your father and serve him with a submissive attitude and a willing spirit, for the Lord examines all minds and understands every motive of one's thoughts. If you seek him, he will let you find him, but if you abandon him, he will reject you permanently. 10 Realize now that the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do it!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

know thou: Deuteronomy 4:35, 1 Kings 8:43, Psalms 9:10, Jeremiah 9:24, Jeremiah 22:16, Jeremiah 24:7, Jeremiah 31:34, Hosea 4:1, Hosea 4:6, John 8:55, John 17:3, Acts 17:23, Acts 17:30, Romans 1:28, 1 Corinthians 15:34, 2 Corinthians 4:6

the God: Genesis 28:13, Exodus 3:16, Exodus 15:2, 1 Kings 3:6, Psalms 18:2, Psalms 89:26

serve him: 1 Chronicles 29:9, 1 Chronicles 29:17-19, 1 Kings 8:61, 2 Kings 20:3, 2 Kings 22:2, Job 36:11, Job 36:12, Psalms 101:2, John 1:47, John 4:24, Romans 1:29, Hebrews 12:28

a willing mind: 2 Corinthians 8:12, 2 Corinthians 9:7, 1 Peter 5:2

the Lord: 1 Chronicles 29:17, 1 Samuel 16:7, 1 Kings 8:39, Psalms 7:9, Psalms 139:2, Proverbs 17:3, Jeremiah 11:20, Jeremiah 17:10, Jeremiah 20:12, John 2:25, John 21:17, Acts 1:24, Hebrews 4:13, Revelation 2:23

the imaginations: Genesis 6:5, Genesis 8:21, Deuteronomy 31:21, Psalms 139:2, Ezekiel 38:10

if thou seek: 2 Chronicles 15:2, Proverbs 2:1-6, Isaiah 45:19, Isaiah 55:6, Isaiah 55:7, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7, Matthew 7:8, James 4:8-11

if thou forsake: Deuteronomy 31:16, Deuteronomy 31:17, 1 Kings 9:6-9, Ezra 8:22, Isaiah 1:28, Hebrews 10:38, Hebrews 10:39

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:19 - command Exodus 35:21 - General Numbers 14:43 - because Deuteronomy 3:28 - charge Joshua Deuteronomy 4:15 - Take ye Deuteronomy 4:39 - and consider Joshua 24:20 - he will turn Judges 2:10 - knew not Judges 10:13 - General 1 Samuel 7:3 - prepare 1 Samuel 12:22 - the Lord 1 Samuel 15:23 - thou hast rejected 1 Kings 2:3 - And keep 1 Kings 2:4 - That the Lord 1 Kings 3:3 - walking 1 Kings 3:14 - if thou 1 Kings 6:12 - if thou wilt 1 Kings 6:13 - will not forsake 1 Kings 8:25 - thy children 1 Kings 8:57 - General 1 Kings 11:4 - his heart 1 Kings 11:33 - they have forsaken 2 Kings 21:22 - General 1 Chronicles 16:10 - let the heart 1 Chronicles 22:19 - set your 1 Chronicles 29:18 - in the imagination 1 Chronicles 29:19 - And give 2 Chronicles 6:30 - thou only 2 Chronicles 7:17 - if thou wilt 2 Chronicles 7:19 - if ye turn away 2 Chronicles 12:2 - because 2 Chronicles 12:5 - Ye have forsaken me 2 Chronicles 14:7 - we have sought 2 Chronicles 24:20 - because 2 Chronicles 34:3 - to seek Job 18:21 - knoweth Job 22:21 - Acquaint Psalms 27:9 - leave Psalms 43:2 - why dost Psalms 53:2 - seek Psalms 60:1 - O God Psalms 89:30 - If Psalms 89:38 - But Psalms 139:1 - thou hast Proverbs 3:6 - In Proverbs 4:2 - forsake Proverbs 4:4 - He Proverbs 9:10 - the knowledge Proverbs 15:5 - fool Isaiah 65:11 - they that Jeremiah 2:17 - in that Jeremiah 29:14 - I will be Lamentations 3:25 - unto Ezekiel 11:5 - for Daniel 11:32 - the people Hosea 6:6 - the Amos 5:4 - Seek Mark 8:15 - he charged Luke 5:22 - perceived Luke 6:8 - But John 2:24 - because Acts 15:8 - which Romans 8:27 - And he 1 Corinthians 9:17 - if I Galatians 4:9 - ye have Ephesians 6:4 - but 1 Thessalonians 2:11 - as 1 Timothy 3:15 - know 1 Timothy 6:14 - keep Hebrews 8:11 - Know the Hebrews 10:22 - a true Hebrews 11:6 - diligently

Cross-References

Genesis 26:34
When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, as well as Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite.
Genesis 28:13
and the Lord stood at its top. He said, "I am the Lord , the God of your grandfather Abraham and the God of your father Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the ground you are lying on.
Genesis 28:17
He was afraid and said, "What an awesome place this is! This is nothing else than the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!"
Genesis 36:13
These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Esau's wife Basemath.
Genesis 36:18
These were the sons of Esau's wife Oholibamah: chief Jeush, chief Jalam, chief Korah. These were the chiefs descended from Esau's wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And thou, Solomon my son,.... Who was present in this assembly, and presented to them by David as his successor, and their future king: and having addressed them, he turns himself to him, and exhorts him, saying,

know thou the God of thy father; who was his Father and covenant God, and whom he served and worshipped, and who had bestowed upon him many favours, both temporal and spiritual; and having had such an experience of his goodness, he exhorts his son to seek to know more and more of him, and to own and acknowledge him as his God, and to love and fear him:

serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind; cordially and sincerely, cheerfully and freely, neither in an hypocritical manner, nor through force and constraint, nor with loathing and weariness:

for the Lord searcheth all hearts; the hearts of all men, even of kings, and knows from what principles and with what views and in what manor they serve him:

and understandeth all the imaginations of the thought; not only the thoughts of the heart, when regularly formed and ranged in order, hut even the very beginning of them, the first motions of the mind, and before they are well formed, see Genesis 6:5

if thou seek him; by prayer and supplication in his house and ordinances:

he will be found of thee; grant his presence and bestow his favours, see Isaiah 4:6

but if thou forsake him: his word, his ways, his worship:

he will cast thee off for ever; from being king, or enjoying that peace, prosperity, and happiness, which otherwise would be enjoyed.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Know thou the God of thy father - “Knowing God,” in the sense of having a religious trust in Him, is an unusual phrase in the earlier Scriptures. It scarcely occurs elsewhere in the historical books. David, however, uses the phrase in his Psalms Psalms 36:10; and its occurrence here may be accepted as evidence that the entire speech is recorded in the actual words of the monarch.


 
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