Yet the Lord was not willing to destroy the house of David because of the covenant which He had made with David, and because He had promised to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.
Parallel translations
- WEB However Yahweh would not destroy David’s house, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children always.
- KJV Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever.
- BSB Yet the LORD was unwilling to destroy the house of David, because of the covenant He had made with David, and since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.
- NKJV Yet the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that He had made with David, and since He had promised to give a lamp to him and to his sons forever.
- NLT But the Lord did not want to destroy David’s dynasty, for he had made a covenant with David and promised that his descendants would continue to rule, shining like a lamp forever.
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
Despite Jehoram's wickedness, God refused to destroy David's house because of his covenant promise. God's faithfulness preserved the royal line.
Overview
Yahweh would not end the dynasty, honoring his covenant to give David a 'lamp' and enduring descendants. God's mercy here rests not on the king's worth but on his own promise. This preserved line ultimately leads to Jesus Christ, the everlasting Son of David, in whom the covenant finds its fulfillment.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Kgs 11:36To his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a lamp always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there.
- Ps 132:17–18There I will make the horn of David to bud. I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.
- 2 Sam 7:12–17When your days are fulfilled, and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who will proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
- Luke 1:79to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
- Luke 1:69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
- 1 Kgs 11:13However I will not tear away all the kingdom; but I will give one tribe to your son, for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen.”
- 2 Sam 23:5Most certainly my house is not so with God, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he doesn’t make it grow.
- Jer 33:20–26“Yahweh says: ‘If you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, so that there shall not be day and night in their season;
- Ps 89:28–34I will keep my loving kindness for him forever more. My covenant will stand firm with him.
- 2 Sam 21:17But Abishai the son of Zeruiah helped him, and struck the Philistine, and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, “Don’t go out with us to battle any more, so that you don’t quench the lamp of Israel.”
- 2 Chr 22:11But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stealthily rescued him from among the king’s sons who were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah, so that she didn’t kill him.
- Ps 89:39You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have defiled his crown in the dust.
- Isa 7:6–7“Let’s go up against Judah, and tear it apart, and let’s divide it among ourselves, and set up a king within it, even the son of Tabeel.”
- Ps 132:11Yahweh has sworn to David in truth. He will not turn from it: “I will set the fruit of your body on your throne.
- 2 Kgs 8:19However Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always.
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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 21:7 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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