And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
Parallel translations
- WEB Solomon said to God, “You have shown great loving kindness to David my father, and have made me king in his place.
- BSB Solomon replied to God: “You have shown much loving devotion to my father David, and You have made me king in his place.
- NKJV And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great mercy to David my father, and have made me king in his place.
- NASB And Solomon said to God, “You have dealt with my father David with great faithfulness, and have made me king in his place.
- NLT Solomon replied to God, “You showed great and faithful love to David, my father, and now you have made me king in his place.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Solomon responds by praising God's covenant love shown to David and his making Solomon king. He grounds his prayer in God's faithfulness, not his own worth.
Overview
Solomon begins his request by acknowledging the steadfast covenant love (hesed) God showed David. Recognizing kingship as God's gift, he approaches in humility and gratitude. This rooting of prayer in God's prior faithfulness models how believers come to God on the basis of his covenant promises fulfilled in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- 1 Chr 28:5And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.
- Isa 55:3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
- Ps 89:49Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?
- 2 Sam 12:7–8And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
- 1 Chr 29:23Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him.
- Ps 89:20–28I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him:
- 2 Sam 22:51He is the tower of salvation for his king: and sheweth mercy to his anointed, unto David, and to his seed for evermore.
- Ps 86:13For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
- 2 Sam 7:8–9Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
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Christ at the center
Temple, priesthood, and the repeated need for a faithful king who seeks the LORD all point past every imperfect reign to the King and Temple who finally and fully dwell with God's people.
How 2 Chronicles 1:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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