The Davidic Covenant, Retold

"Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains." "Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in." "Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house."

"I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever."

David sits before the LORD: "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?… there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee."

What Chronicles leaves out

2 Samuel 7:14 adds: "If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men." Chronicles omits this, consistent with its picture of Solomon without sin. It also changes "thy house and thy kingdom" (Samuel) to "mine house and my kingdom": the kingdom is God's. See the passage page.

A hope after the monarchy

Writing when no Davidic king reigned, the Chronicler kept the promise "for ever." This helped sustain later hopes for a son of David.