2 Samuel 7:12

12 When you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will make one of your sons king and will keep his kingdom strong. ¹

2 Samuel 7:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 7:12

And when thy days be fulfilled
The days of his life, which were appointed by the Lord for him to live, and when he had filled up the common term of man's life, as he exactly did; for he lived just seventy years, see ( 2 Samuel 5:4 ) ( Psalms 90:10 ) ;

and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers;
die and be buried; for this is a phrase expressive of death, and the grave the common portion of men:

I will set up thy seed after thee;
sons to succeed in the kingdom, as they did for the space of five hundred years; though here it respects one particular seed or son, even Solomon, as appears by what follows:

which shall proceed out of thy bowels;
be begotten by him, and born unto him, and has regard to a future son of his not yet born; not Absalom nor Adonijah, nor any of the rest born in Hebron were to succeed him in the kingdom, but one as yet unborn:

and I will establish his kingdom;
so that he shall have a long and happy reign, as Solomon had.

2 Samuel 7:12 In-Context

10 I have chosen a place for my people Israel and have settled them there, where they will live without being oppressed any more. Ever since they entered this land, they have been attacked by violent people, but this will not happen again. I promise to keep you safe from all your enemies and to give you descendants.

12 When you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will make one of your sons king and will keep his kingdom strong.

13 He will be the one to build a temple for me, and I will make sure that his dynasty continues forever.

14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him as a father punishes his son.

Cross References

• 1. 7.12Psalms 89.3, 4; 132.11;John 7.42;Acts 2.30.