I will be his father ... — Heb., I (on my part) will become a father unto him, and he (on his part) shall become a son to me. (Comp. Psalms 2:7.) After these words, Samuel adds: “If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.” The omission is probably not a mere abridgment. The reference in this prophecy looks beyond Solomon to Him of whom the greatest princes of the house of David were but imperfect types. The warning here omitted was amply fulfilled in the history of Solomon and his successors but it could not apply to the true Anointed of Jehovah, and is therefore suppressed as a transitory element in the prophecy.

And I will not take my mercy away. — Samuel, “and my mercy shall not depart” — the same verb in a different form. But the LXX., Syriac, and Vulgate there agree with Chronicles.

As I took it (away) from him that was before thee. — Samuel, “as I took it away from Said whom I took away from before thee; “repeating the same verb thrice. Our text is probably more correct. So Vulg. and LXX. virtually; but Syriac, “My mercies shall not depart from him, as I made [them] depart from Saul who was before thee.”

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