2 Chronicles 7 18

2 Chronicles 7:18 kjv

Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.

2 Chronicles 7:18 nkjv

then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, 'You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.'

2 Chronicles 7:18 niv

I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, 'You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel.'

2 Chronicles 7:18 esv

then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, 'You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.'

2 Chronicles 7:18 nlt

then I will establish the throne of your dynasty. For I made this covenant with your father, David, when I said, 'One of your descendants will always rule over Israel.'

2 Chronicles 7 verses

2 Chronicles 7 18 Meaning

This verse contains a crucial conditional promise from God to Solomon, directly linked to the Davidic Covenant. It assures the perpetual establishment of the king's throne, signifying a lasting royal lineage in Israel, provided that the king and his descendants walk in integrity and obey God's commands. It reaffirms God's covenant with David, promising that there would always be a male descendant to rule from the throne of Israel, underscoring the divine commitment to the Davidic dynasty under specific conditions for individual reigns.

2 Chronicles 7 18 Context

This verse is God's direct response to King Solomon's fervent prayer of dedication at the Temple in Jerusalem (2 Chr 6:12-42). Immediately following Solomon's extensive appeal for God's presence, forgiveness, and continued blessing upon Israel, particularly for the Davidic line, God appears to Solomon (2 Chr 7:12) and affirms His acceptance of the Temple and His ongoing commitment to His people. Verses 17 and 18 detail the positive conditional aspects: if Solomon and his descendants walk in integrity and keep God's laws, then God will "establish the throne" and ensure the continuation of a ruler from their line. This promise stands in stark contrast to the subsequent verses (19-22), which outline severe consequences, including the destruction of the Temple and exile, if the Davidic kings and the people forsake God. Historically, this response reiterates the crucial nature of obedience within the Davidic Covenant for the practical and ongoing reign of human kings in Israel, distinguishing between the unconditional divine promise for the dynasty's existence and the conditional blessing for its sustained prosperity and rule tied to covenant faithfulness. The Chronicler, writing after the exile, emphasizes this conditionality to explain why the monarchy ultimately failed, redirecting the reader to the importance of loyalty to God and His commandments.

2 Chronicles 7 18 Word analysis

• then (וְאָקִמְתִּי – wə’āqim’tî): This Hebrew conjunction "וְ" (wə, meaning "and" or "then") combined with the verb highlights the direct consequence or result of the condition laid out in the preceding verse (2 Chr 7:17). It indicates God's responsive action.
• I will establish (אָקִים – ’āqîm): From the root קוּם (qum), meaning "to rise," "to stand," "to confirm," or "to set up." This Hiphil stem, first-person singular imperfect tense verb denotes God's powerful and decisive action. It signifies not merely setting up, but confirming and securing the throne with divine authority and permanence. This establishes God as the sovereign guarantor.
• the throne (כִּסֵּא – kisse’): Refers to the seat of royal authority, symbolizing kingship and governmental power. It’s the physical and symbolic representation of dominion.
• of your kingdom (מַמְלַכְתֶּךָ – mamlakhtekha): Denotes the realm, dominion, or reign over which the king has authority. Together with "throne," it signifies the continuity and stability of the entire royal administration.
• as I covenanted (כָּרַתִּי – kārattî): From the Hebrew verb כָּרַת (karat), literally meaning "to cut." This verb is idiomatically used for "cutting a covenant," reflecting the ancient practice of cutting animals and passing between the pieces, symbolizing the binding and often sacrificial nature of an agreement (e.g., Gen 15:10-18). The perfect tense indicates a completed past action, referencing the already established, irrevocable Davidic Covenant.
• with David your father (דָּוִיד אָבִיךָ – dāwîḏ ’āvîkha): This phrase explicitly names David, grounding the promise in the well-known covenant God made with him (2 Sam 7; 1 Chr 17). It emphasizes continuity through lineage and reinforces the foundational divine pledge to David's house.
• saying ('לֵאמֹר – lē’mōr): Standard introductory particle, signaling the beginning of a direct quotation of the promise made to David.
• ‘You shall not lack a man (לֹא יִכָּרֵת אִישׁ – lo’ yikkārēṯ ’îš):
  • לֹא יִכָּרֵת (lo’ yikkārēṯ): "Shall not be cut off." The verb כָּרַת (karat), is used again here in the Niphal stem (passive) "to be cut off." This is a significant wordplay: the "cutting" of the covenant guarantees that the Davidic line will not be "cut off" permanently. It conveys absolute assurance against extinction of the lineage. This also carries a polemic against ancient Near Eastern fears of dynasties ending, as Yahweh promises an unending succession for David.
  • אִישׁ (’îš): "A man," referring to a male descendant or successor. Contextually, it implies a rightful heir to the throne.
• to rule in Israel (יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל – yōšēḇ ʿal kissē’ lĕyiśrā’ēl):
  • יוֹשֵׁב עַל כִּסֵּא (yōšēḇ ʿal kissē’): "One sitting on the throne." This idiom describes the actual occupation of the royal seat, signifying continuous active kingship. It's not just that the dynasty will exist, but that a legitimate ruler from that dynasty will reign.
  • לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (lĕyiśrā’ēl): "For Israel" or "over Israel." Clarifies that this reign is specifically over God's chosen people, connecting the dynastic promise to the national identity and destiny.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "then I will establish the throne of your kingdom": This phrase highlights divine sovereignty. God, not human effort, guarantees the continuation of the monarchy. The establishment is firm, secure, and rooted in God's faithfulness to His earlier promise to David.
• "as I covenanted with David your father": This grounds the immediate promise in the foundational Davidic Covenant (2 Sam 7; 1 Chr 17), demonstrating God's consistent character and His remembrance of His long-standing pledges. It ties Solomon's prosperity to the integrity of this prior divine oath.
• "saying, 'You shall not lack a man to rule in Israel.'": This direct quote is the core of the covenant's assurance for the kingship. The phrase "shall not lack a man" signifies an uninterrupted succession of legitimate male heirs from David's line, ruling over Israel. This ultimate fulfillment is most perfectly seen in Jesus Christ, the Messiah, whose kingdom is truly everlasting and never lacks a King. This promise serves as both a comfort and a call to obedience for the reigning king and his descendants.

2 Chronicles 7 18 Bonus section

• The Nuance of Covenant Unconditionality vs. Conditionality: It is crucial to distinguish between the unconditional nature of God's covenant with David concerning the permanence of his dynasty (i.e., there will always be a Davidic heir) and the conditional nature of the reign and prosperity of individual kings from that line. 2 Chronicles 7:18 focuses on the latter, underscoring that the blessings of the covenant for the present reigning king (stability, peace, secure rule) were dependent on obedience. This duality helps reconcile prophecies that seem absolute (e.g., Psa 89) with the historical reality of the Davidic line's struggles and the exile.
• A Chiastic Connection: The repetition of the root כָּרַת (karat)—first as "I covenanted" (karatti) and then as "you shall not be cut off" (yikkarét)—creates a striking linguistic connection. The "cutting" of the covenant is God's divine act of promise that guarantees the dynasty will not be "cut off" permanently. This literary device emphasizes God's faithfulness and the strong, unbreakable bond of His promise, despite the conditionality for individual rulers.
• The Chronicler's Purpose: The Chronicler highlights this promise and its conditionality to offer hope and direction to the returning exiles. It serves as a reminder that their past suffering was a direct result of their forefathers' disobedience (not God's failure), and that future blessing and the potential restoration of the Davidic throne were intrinsically linked to personal and national faithfulness to the Lord. It’s a call to repentance and adherence to the Law for God's blessing to manifest in their time.

2 Chronicles 7 18 Commentary

This verse, rooted in God's response to Solomon's Temple dedication, articulates a profound truth about divine promise and human responsibility. While God's covenant with David (2 Sam 7) unconditionally promised an eternal dynasty for David's house, 2 Chronicles 7:18—along with its parallel in 1 Kings 8:25 and David's charge to Solomon in 1 Kings 2:4—emphasizes the conditional nature of individual kings' prosperity and secure reign within that dynasty. The promise of an unbroken succession on the throne of Israel, "You shall not lack a man to rule," is contingent upon the Davidic kings and their descendants walking in integrity and obedience to God's statutes and judgments, just as David did. The Chronicler, writing in the post-exilic period, uses this divine declaration to explain why the Davidic monarchy was interrupted and why the kingdom was divided and eventually exiled. It was not because God failed to keep His unconditional promise of a lasting dynasty, but because individual kings failed to meet the conditions for continued divine favor on their personal reign. This serves as a vital lesson: God's covenant promises are steadfast, but human obedience profoundly impacts the experience of those promises. Ultimately, the promise of "not lacking a man to rule in Israel" finds its full and eternal fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Son of David, whose reign is without end and whose throne is everlasting, thereby eternally satisfying God's covenant oath.