1 Chronicles 22:13 Explained

"Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed." — 1 Chronicles 22:13 (KJV)

David preparing his son for a task, with the prosperity clause attached to obedience rather than to the building.

Read it in context: The Book of 1 Chronicles. Also gathered under verses about success.

1 Chronicles 22:13 in context

What does 1 Chronicles 22:13 mean?

The order runs backwards from how it is usually quoted: prosperity first, then its condition, then the encouragement. 'Take heed to fulfil' is careful attention to something already given — the statutes are not new. Then four imperatives, two positive and two negative, which is the standard formula for commissioning in the Hebrew Bible and always precedes something difficult.

What is the context of 1 Chronicles 22:13?

David has gathered the materials for a temple he is not allowed to build. This is the private charge to Solomon, ahead of the public one in chapter 28. Solomon is young and the work is enormous.

How do I pray 1 Chronicles 22:13?

Pray it at the start of work that is larger than you. Take the condition seriously — the courage in the verse is not free-floating, it attaches to doing a known thing carefully. Then use the two negatives as they are written: dread and dismay are named as things to be refused, not felt out of.

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