Now therefore … keep what thou hast promised him: Solomon has already acknowledged that God kept his promise to David that his son would build the Temple (verse 20). Now Solomon asks God to “keep the other promise you made” (Good News Translation; see 1 Kgs 2.4). Now therefore is literally “And now.” As in English, the Hebrew adverb rendered Now may refer to the present time or it may introduce a new thought or section. Here it refers to the present time or the present situation.

For thy servant David my father, see the comments on this same phrase in the previous verse.

The last half of this verse contains a quotation within a quotation. Good News Translation has turned the words of God into an indirect quotation. God’s words are in the form of a conditional sentence. In some languages it may be more natural to put the “if” part of the condition first followed by the “then” part, that is, “If your sons … then there shall always be one of your descendants….”

There shall never fail you a man before me to sit upon the throne of Israel is literally “there shall not be cut off to you a man before me to sit on the throne of Israel.” See the comments on the similar expression in 1 Kgs 2.4. This same idea may be expressed without the use of a negative statement by saying “one of your descendants will always be the ruler over Israel” or something similar.

If only your sons take heed to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me: See the comments on 1 Kgs 2.4. If only introduces the condition required of the descendants of David: they must carefully pay attention to the way they behave and seek to live as David himself had lived. This element may be translated “provided that…” (New Jerusalem Bible), “on one condition:…” (Parole de Vie), or “on condition that….”

Your sons refers to future generations and should therefore be rendered “your descendants” in most languages.

As noted in 1 Kgs 3.3, as well as verse 23 above, in Hebrew the verb rendered walk is used figuratively with the meaning “to live” or “to behave.”

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 .