But I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom for ever: But renders the common Hebrew conjunction. Various other versions likewise have a contrasting conjunction at this point since there is a contrast between what God did in regard to Saul and what he will do for Solomon (so New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New American Bible). However, many modern versions have no overt connector here (so Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, Jerusalem Bible). Here my house most likely refers to the people of Israel. For I will confirm him in my house, Parole de Vie has “I will keep him at the head of my people.” It is possible to take the words my house and my kingdom as hendiadys, meaning “my royal house,” that is, Israel. But more likely, the two nouns have different referents; my house refers to either the people of Israel or the Temple, and my kingdom refers to the nation of Israel.

And his throne shall be established for ever: See Psa 89.36-37. This statement confirms the same promise as found at the end of verse 12, where it is stated in active rather than passive form. In those languages that have no passive or where it would be unnatural, translators may repeat the rendering in verse 12. It is clearly God who is the agent of this action. The Hebrew expression translated for ever does not literally mean “without end.” It means “a very, very long time.” But the writer may well have believed that a descendant of David would rule again in Jerusalem following the return of the people from the Babylonian Exile. The Davidic dynasty did end in 587 or 586 B.C. when Babylonian armies destroyed Jerusalem and carried off King Zedekiah into captivity (see 2 Chr 36.17-20). Writers of the New Testament understood the royal line of David to continue forever in the person of Jesus (see Matt 2.1-6; 21.9; Luke 3.31).

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .