2 Samuel 7:16, David’s Throne becomes God’s Throne

And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

//The four books of Samuel/Kings and the two books of Chronicles cover much the same time period and tell many of the same stories. But Chronicles was written a couple hundred years later than Samuel/Kings. It therefore sometimes portrays a little different perspective. Consider today’s verse, in which King David is promised in the book of Samuel that his dynasty (his house and kingdom) would continue forever.

Except that it didn’t. Oops! The Davidic kingdom didn’t last much longer than the date the words were written. So what to do about this promise?

The author of the Chronicles rewrites this story to emphasize not David’s kingdom but God’s kingdom, like this:

But I [God] will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. –1 Chronicles 17:14

David’s dynasty is thus allowed to perish, while the slightly-rewritten promise remains intact.

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