2 Chronicles 6:17 (KJV)

What does 2 Chronicles 6:17 mean?

In 2 Chronicles 6:17, Solomon asks the LORD, Israel’s God, to carry out what he had spoken to David, Solomon’s father. Solomon’s request concerns the future of David’s royal family, as the preceding verse shows.

Solomon is praying at the dedication of the temple he has built in Jerusalem. He addresses God publicly and calls David “thy servant,” placing David’s royal position in relation to the God he served.

The Hebrew behind 2 Chronicles 6:17

• “verified” — אָמַן (ʾaman): This word carries the sense of being made firm or confirmed. Here Solomon asks for God’s spoken word to prove reliable through what happens.
• “word” — דָּבָר (davar): This word can mean a spoken word, a statement, or a matter. In this verse, it refers to what God had spoken to David, rather than to a single word.

Why 2 Chronicles 6:17 matters

• Solomon’s request has a specific background. The preceding verse speaks of David’s descendants continuing to sit on Israel’s throne, provided they take care to walk in God’s law.
• Solomon’s prayer is addressed to “the LORD God of Israel.” The future of David’s family is therefore spoken of in connection with the people David’s descendants would rule.
• The prayer moves from a promise already partly fulfilled to a request about what lies ahead. In verse 15, Solomon says God has kept what he spoke to David; in verse 17, Solomon asks that God’s word be confirmed.