(13) I will be his father . . .--Heb., I (on my part) will become a father unto him, and he (on his part) shall become a son to me. (Comp. Psalm 2:7.) After these words, Samuel adds: "If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men." The omission is probably not a mere abridgment. The reference in this prophecy looks beyond Solomon to Him of whom the greatest princes of the house of David were but imperfect types. The warning here omitted was amply fulfilled in the history of Solomon and his successors but it could not apply to the true Anointed of Jehovah, and is therefore suppressed as a transitory element in the prophecy.

And I will not take my mercy away.--Samuel, "and my mercy shall not depart"--the same verb in a different form. But the LXX., Syriac, and Vulgate there agree with Chronicles.

As I took it (away) from him that was before thee.--Samuel, "as I took it away from Said whom I took away from before thee; "repeating the same verb thrice. Our text is probably more correct. So Vulg. and LXX. virtually; but Syriac, "My mercies shall not depart from him, as I made [them] depart from Saul who was before thee."

17:1-27 David's purposes; God's gracious promises. - This chapter is the same as 2Sa 7. See what is there said upon it. It is very observable that what in Samuel is said to be, for thy word's sake, is here said to be, "for thy servant's sake," ver. 19. Jesus Christ is both the Word of God, Re 19:13, and the Servant of God, Isa 42:1; and it is for his sake, upon account of his mediation, that the promises are made good to all believers; it is in him, that they are yea and amen. For His sake it is done, for his sake it is made known; to him we owe all this greatness, from him we are to expect all these great things. They are the unsearchable riches of Christ, which, if by faith we see in themselves, and see in the Lord Jesus, we cannot but magnify as the only true greatness, and speak honourably of them. For this blessedness may we look amidst the trials of life, and when we feel the hand of death upon us; and seek it for our children after us.See Chapter Introduction