What Does 2 Chronicles 19:9 Mean in the King James?
And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The “perfect heart” is a whole heart, sharing its root with shalom, so faithful action grows from inner wholeness.
THE MEANING
This verse speaks to you now: what you do takes its shape from awe of the LORD, steady trust, and a whole heart. “Perfect” here carries the sense of wholeness, joining your inner center with your outward work. The verse describes integrity, not a flawless record.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
A whole heart does not mean never making a mistake; it means an undivided orientation.
THE ROOT
שָׁלֵם
shalem
GROWS FROM
שלם
sh-l-m
To be whole, complete, or sound; also to make good or restore.
The word rendered “perfect” is shalem, from the same root as shalom, wholeness. A whole heart is integrated and undivided, linking the inner center with the work that flows from it.
ALSO GROWS
shalom: Wholeness, well-being, peace.
שָׁלוֹם
Its shared root shows that the heart’s completeness belongs to the same language of wholeness carried by shalom.
shillem: To repay, recompense, or make good.
שִׁלֵּם
This branch carries wholeness into action: making good what is owed or incomplete.
בֶּאֱמוּנָה
be’emunah
GROWS FROM
אמן
ʾ-m-n
To be firm, steady, or reliable; to support or confirm.
“faithfully” in this verse is be’emunah. Be’emunah names the manner of doing as steadiness and trust. Its root family also gives the familiar affirmation Amen, so the verse joins faithful action to what is firm and trusted.
ALSO GROWS
emunah: Steadfastness, trust, faithfulness.
אֱמוּנָה
This is the form in the verse: action proceeds from a firm, steady trust.
amen: Firmly; truly; so be it.
אָמֵן
The shared root connects trust in action with an affirmation that something is firm.
ne’eman: Reliable, trustworthy, steadfast.
נֶאֱמָן
This branch shows the quality of steadiness carried by the root.
THE PATTERN
Action before God takes shape as steady trust flowing from an undivided heart.
And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.And what soever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;THE THREAD
Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.Both verses use forms of אמן (ʾ-m-n), the root of emunah: here it describes doing steadily, and in Habakkuk it is rendered “faith.” The shared root connects trust with the way a life is lived.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us