2 Kings 8:19

The NET Bible®

But the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
For the sake of his servant David, the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah, since he had promised to give a lamp to David and his sons forever.

Hebrew Names Version
However the LORD would not destroy Yehudah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always.

King James Version
Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his children.

English Standard Version
Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, since he promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.

New Century Version
But the Lord would not destroy Judah because of his servant David. The Lord had promised that one of David's descendants would always rule.

Amplified Bible
Yet for the sake of His servant David the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah, since He had promised to give him a lamp (enthroned descendant) through his sons always.

New American Standard Bible
However, the LORD did not want to destroy Judah, for the sake of David His servant, since He had promised him to give him a lamp through his sons always.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Yet the Lord would not destroy Iudah, for Dauid his seruants sake, as he had promised him to giue him a light, and to his children for euer.

Legacy Standard Bible
However, Yahweh was not willing to make Judah a ruin, for the sake of David His servant, since He had promised him to give a lamp to him through his sons always.

Contemporary English Version
But the Lord refused to destroy Judah, because he had promised his servant David that someone from his family would always rule in Judah.

Complete Jewish Bible
However, Adonai was unwilling to destroy Y'hudah, because of his servant David; inasmuch as he had promised to give him and his children a lamp that would burn forever.

Darby Translation
But Jehovah would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he had promised him to give him always a lamp for his sons.

Easy-to-Read Version
But the Lord would not destroy Judah because of the promise to his servant David. He had promised David that someone from his family would always be king.

George Lamsa Translation
Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servants sake, as he promised to him that he would give an heir to his children all the days.

Good News Translation
but the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, because he had promised his servant David that his descendants would always continue to rule.

Lexham English Bible
Yet Yahweh was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, as he had promised to give him a lamp for his sons always.

Literal Translation
And Jehovah was not willing to destroy Judah, for His servant David's sake, as He had said to give him a lamp to his sons forever.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles the LORDE wolde not destroye Iuda for his seruaunt Dauids sake, as he promysed him, to geue him euer a lanterne amoge his childre.

American Standard Version
Howbeit Jehovah would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give unto him a lamp for his children alway.

Bible in Basic English
But it was not the Lord's purpose to send destruction on Judah, because of David his servant, to whom he had given his word that he would have a light for ever.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lord woulde not destroy Iuda [and that] because of Dauid his seruaunt, as he promised him, to geue him alway a light among his children.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Howbeit the LORD would not destroy Judah, for David His servant's sake, as He promised him to give unto him a lamp and to his children alway.

King James Version (1611)
Yet the Lord would not destroy Iudah, for Dauid his seruants sake, as hee promised to giue to him alway a light, and to his children.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But the Lord would not destroy Juda for David his servant’s sake, as he said he would give a light to him and to his sons continually.

English Revised Version
Howbeit the LORD would not destroy Judah, for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give unto him a lamp for his children alway.

Berean Standard Bible
Yet for the sake of His servant David, the LORD was unwilling to destroy Judah, since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe the Lord nolde distrie Juda, for Dauid, his seruaunt, as he `hadde bihiyt to Dauid, that he schulde yyue to hym a lanterne, and to hise sones in alle daies.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jehovah was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, as He said to him, to give to him a lamp -- to his sons all the days.

Update Bible Version
Nevertheless Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his slave's sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp to his sons always.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give him always a light, [and] to his children.

World English Bible
However Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always.

New King James Version
Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of His servant David, as He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

New Living Translation
But the Lord did not want to destroy Judah, for he had promised his servant David that his descendants would continue to rule, shining like a lamp forever.

New Life Bible
But the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, because of His servant David. The Lord had promised to give David one to rule through his sons always.

New Revised Standard
Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah, for the sake of his servant David, since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his descendants forever.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet was not Yahweh willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, - even as he promised him to give him a lamp for his sons all the days.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But the Lord would not destroy Juda, for David his servant’s sake, as he had promised him, to give him a light, and to his children always.

Revised Standard Version
Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, since he promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons for ever.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
However, the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David His servant, since He had promised him to give a lamp to him through his sons always.

Contextual Overview

¹⁶ In the fifth year of the reign of Israel's King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram became king over Judah. ¹⁷ He was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. ¹⁸ He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab's dynasty had done, for he married Ahab's daughter. He did evil in the sight of the Lord . ¹⁹ But the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty. ²⁰ During his reign Edom freed themselves from Judah's control and set up their own king. ²¹ Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers. The Israelite army retreated to their homeland. ²² So Edom has remained free from Judah's control to this very day. At that same time Libnah also rebelled. ²³ The rest of the events of Joram's reign, including a record of his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. ²⁴ Joram passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

for David: 2 Kings 19:34, 2 Samuel 7:12, 2 Samuel 7:13, 2 Samuel 7:15, 1 Kings 11:36, 1 Kings 15:4, 1 Kings 15:5, 2 Chronicles 21:7, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 37:35, Jeremiah 33:25, Jeremiah 33:26, Hosea 11:9, Luke 1:32, Luke 1:33

light: Heb. candle, or lamp, 1 Kings 11:36

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 11:2 - they hid him

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake,.... Not for his merits, but for the mercy he assured him of:

as he promised him to give to him always a light, [and] to his children; or a kingdom, as the Targum; therefore he would not utterly destroy the tribe, nor suffer the sceptre or government to depart from it till the Messiah came, see Psalms 132:11.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The passage is parenthetic, resuming the history of the kingdom of Judah from 1 Kings 22:50.

2 Kings 8:16

The opening words are - “In the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, king of Israel, and of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah;” but they contradict all the other chronological notices of Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 22:42, 1Ki 22:51; 2 Kings 3:1; 2 Chronicles 20:31, which give him a reign of at least twenty-three years. Hence, some have supposed that the words “Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah,” are accidentally repeated. Those, however, who regard them and 2 Kings 1:17 as sound, suppose that Jehoshaphat gave his son the royal title in his 16th year, while he advanced him to a real association in the empire seven years later, in his 23rd year. Two years afterward, Jehoshatphat died, and Jehoram became sole king.

2 Kings 8:17

The “eight years” are counted from his association in the kingdom. They terminate in the twelfth year of Johoram of Israel.

2 Kings 8:18

Jehoshaphat’s alliance, political and social, with Ahab and Ahab’s family had not been allowed to affect the purity of his faith. Jehoram his son, influenced by his wife, Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, “walked in the way of the kings of Israel;” he allowed, i. e., the introduction of the Baal-worship into Judaea.

Among the worst of Jehoram’s evil doings must be reckoned the cruel murder of his six brothers 2 Chronicles 21:4, whom he killed to obtain their wealth.

2 Kings 8:19

The natural consequence of Jehoram’s apostasy would have been the destruction of his house, and the transfer of the throne of Judah to another family. Compare the punishments of Jeroboam 1 Kings 14:10, Baasha 1 Kings 16:2-4, and Ahab 1 Kings 21:20-22. But the promises to David (marginal references) prevented this removal of the dynasty; and so Jehoram was punished in other ways 2Ki 8:22; 2 Chronicles 21:12-19.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 8:19. To give him alway a light — To give him a successor in his own family.