11. that thou must go to be with] Samuel and thou shalt sleep with, the usual euphemism for “to die.”
¹²He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne for ever.
12. me an house] Samuel an house for my name.
¹³I 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:
13. my son] Here Samuel adds, If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men: this the Chronicler omits in order that not even a suggestion of the coming evil days might at this stage rest on David and his line.
from him that was before thee] Samuel from Saul whom I put away before thee. The reading in Chronicles is to be preferred.
¹⁴but I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for ever. ¹⁵According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
14. I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever] Samuel And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee (but read before me). The reading in Samuel is no doubt the original. The change made in Chronicles neatly expresses the Chronicler’s conviction that the kingdom of Israel was not a human but a Divine institution, its true ruler being God Himself.
in mine house] Numbers xii. 7; compare 1 Timothy iii. 15.
¹⁶Then David the king went in, and sat before the Lord; and he said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?