I will establish your royal throne over Israel for ever: Regarding the verb rendered will establish, see the comments on 1 Kgs 2.4. Here royal throne is used, as in 1 Kgs 1.13, in the sense of “kingship” or “rule.” The whole clause means that God will cause Solomon’s descendants to rule over the people of Israel forever. Parole de Vie translates “I will establish for ever the royal power of your family in Israel.” See also 1 Kgs 2.4 regarding the possible ways to understand the sense of Israel here.

As I promised David your father: David had earlier reported this promise to Solomon (see 1 Kgs 2.4).

There shall not fail you a man upon the throne of Israel: See the discussion in 1 Kgs 2.4, where the identical clause occurs. Parole de Vie expresses this as “There will always be one of your sons who will be king of the people of Israel after you.”

Good News Translation has turned this embedded quotation into an indirect quotation. Another possible model using indirect discourse is “that he should always have an heir to sit on the throne of Israel” (Knox).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .