¹⁶ Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, ^(A)‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, ^(B)only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’

⁴ that the Lord may ^(A)fulfill His word which He spoke concerning me, saying, ^(B)‘If your sons take heed to their way, to ^(C)walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ^(D)‘you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

^14 (A)You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, ^(B)for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

¹⁸ then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ^(A)‘You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.’

^12 (A)“When your days are fulfilled and you ^(B)rest with your fathers, ^(C)I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ^13 (D)He shall build a house for My name, and I will ^(E)establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ^14 (F)I will be his Father, and he shall be ^(G)My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the ^[a]blows of the sons of men. ¹⁵ But My mercy shall not depart from him, ^(H)as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ And ^(I)your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before ^[b]you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

³⁷ ‘Thus says the Lord God: ^(A)“I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will ^(B)increase their men like a flock.

Meditations on the Excellencies of the Word of God

א ALEPH