📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 17:14
What does 1 Chronicles 17:14 mean?
"but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever. His throne will be established forever.”’”"
— 1 Chronicles 17:14 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
It will happen, when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your offspring after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.
I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will not take my loving kindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before you;
but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever. His throne will be established forever.”’”
According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, “Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?
This was a small thing in your eyes, God; but you have spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have respected me according to the standard of a man of high degree, Yahweh God.
Explanation
This verse comes from God's response to King David, delivered through the prophet Nathan, after David had expressed a desire to build a permanent temple for the Lord. David felt uneasy living in a palace of cedar while the Ark of the Covenant remained in a tent, and he proposed to construct a fixed dwelling place for God. God's answer, given that same night to Nathan, reverses the arrangement: rather than David building a house for God, God promises to build a "house" for David — meaning a lasting dynasty. The verse quoted here is the climactic promise within that message, specifically referring to David's son (initially pointing to Solomon, who would build the temple) and the perpetual establishment of his throne.
In plain language, the verse says that God will place this promised descendant securely within God's own household and kingdom, and that his rule will never come to an end — it will be established forever. The "house" here has a double meaning: it refers both to the temple that Solomon would build and to the larger reality that David's royal line is being folded into God's own reign. God is saying that this descendant belongs permanently within the sphere of divine rule and blessing.
Historically, this passage is part of the Davidic Covenant, one of the most significant covenants in the Old Testament. Written by the Chronicler (traditionally understood to be compiling and interpreting Israel's history for a post-exilic Jewish community), this account parallels a similar narrative in 2 Samuel 7. The Chronicler's audience had experienced the loss of the monarchy through exile in Babylon, so retelling this promise served to reass
Compare translations
Go deeper with ScriptureCompanion AI
Ask questions about any verse, follow reading plans, write personal prayers, and track your daily habit — all grounded in verified scripture text.