1 Kings 2:2
◄  1 Kings 2:2  ►
New International Version (©2011)
"I am about to go the way of all the earth," he said. "So be strong, act like a man,

New Living Translation (©2007)
"I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.

English Standard Version (©2001)
“I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man,

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
"I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
As for me, I am going the way of all of the earth. Be strong and be courageous like a man,

International Standard Version (©2012)
"I'm headed down the road that everyone who lives on earth travels, so be strong and demonstrate that you're a grown man

NET Bible (©2006)
"I am about to die. Be strong and become a man!

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
"I'm about to leave this world. Be strong and mature.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
I go the way of all the earth: be strong therefore, and show yourself a man;

American King James Version
I go the way of all the earth: be you strong therefore, and show yourself a man;

American Standard Version
I am going the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man;

Douay-Rheims Bible
I am going the way of all flesh: take thou courage, and shew thyself a man.

Darby Bible Translation
I go the way of all the earth: be of good courage therefore, and be a man;

English Revised Version
I go the way of all the earth: he thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;

Webster's Bible Translation
I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and show thyself a man;

World English Bible
"I am going the way of all the earth. You be strong therefore, and show yourself a man;

Young's Literal Translation
'I am going in the way of all the earth, and thou hast been strong, and become a man,

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:1-4 David's charge to Solomon is, to keep the charge of the Lord. The authority of a dying father is much, but nothing to that of a living God. God promised David that the Messiah should come from his descendants, and that promise was absolute; but the promise, that there should not fail of them a man on the throne of Israel, was conditional; if he walks before God in sincerity, with zeal and resolution: in order hereunto, he must take heed to his way.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

I go the way of all the earth,.... A path which is the path of death (o), which all pass in, kings and peasants, high and low, rich and poor, great and small, good and bad; none are exempted, all must die, and do; it is the appointment of God, a decree which can never be reversed; all experience confirms it: this same phrase is used by Joshua, from whom David seems to have borrowed it, and shows that that book was written in his days, Joshua 23:14;

be thou strong therefore; not discouraged at my death, being a common thing, and to be expected; nor at being left alone, the Lord can give thee wisdom and counsel, assistance and strength, protection, and defence; take heart therefore, and be of good courage:

and show thyself a man; in wisdom and understanding, and in fortitude of mind, though so young a man; which were necessary for the government of so great a people, and to guard against the secret intrigues of some, and the open flatteries of others, and the fear of attempts against his person and government, and the temptations he might be liable to, to do wrong things; and especially they were necessary to enable him to keep the commands of God, as follows; which required great strength of mind and of grace, considering the corruptions of nature, the temptations of Satan, and the snares of men; see Joshua 1:7.

(o) "------ omnes una manet nox, Et calcanda semel via lethi". Horat. Carmin. l. 1. ode 28. ver. 15, 16.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. I go the way of all the earth—a beautiful and impressive periphrasis for death.

be thou strong, … show thyself a man—This counsel is similar to the apostolic direction (1Co 16:13) and refers to the fortitude or strength of mind that was required to discharge the onerous functions of king.

1 Kings 2:2 Parallel Commentaries

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David Instructs Solomon
1Now the days of David drew near that he should die; and he charged Solomon his son, saying, 2I go the way of all the earth: be you strong therefore, and show yourself a man; 3And keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and 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 yourself: …

Deuteronomy 31:7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance.
Deuteronomy 31:23 The LORD gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: "Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you."
Joshua 1:6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
Joshua 1:7 "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
Joshua 23:14 "Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.