2 Samuel 7:15
ESV
but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
NIV
But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
NASB
but My favor shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from you.
CSB
But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
NLT
But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight.
KJV
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
NKJV
But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
What does 2 Samuel 7:15 mean?
God's promise to David can only be explained as God's will. God is guaranteeing David an everlasting kingdom (2 Samuel 7:9–14). Saul, the previous king, egregiously disobeyed God twice, and God took the kingdom away from him (1 Samuel 13; 15). Even though David is a man after God's own heart and never commits idolatry against Him, the same can't be said for his descendants—starting with Solomon who will worship Ashtoreth and Milcom and build high places for Chemosh and Molech (1 Kings 11:1–11).It doesn't stop there. In fact, very few kings from David's line don't worship pagan gods. Fewer still destroy the high places and altars others set up. Solomon, it appears, sacrifices his child; Manasseh and Ahaz definitely do so (2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chronicles 28:1–4).
And yet, God will split the nation rather than take Solomon's son off the throne (1 Kings 12). He'll break unity rather than keep a man from outside David's line to sit on the throne of His people in Jerusalem.
God's promise to David is defined as an "unconditional covenant." It doesn't matter what David or anyone else does; God will do what He promises. But it's also a dual-fulfillment prophecy. David's throne is empty from the Babylonian captivity until now. David's crown can't be worn by a line of his descendants for eternity. But it will be worn for eternity by one of his descendants: Jesus.
It was Jesus who suffered the rods and whips to learn perfect obedience to God (2 Samuel 7:14; Matthew 26:67; 27:30; John 19:1; Hebrews 5:7–8). It is Jesus who is alive again because of God's steadfast love (Acts 2:2–28). And it is Jesus who will give Israel lasting rest (2 Samuel 7:11; Hebrews 4).
David is overwhelmed by God's promise of a reputation, a dynasty, and a son who will sit on the throne (2 Samuel 7:18–29). He doesn't yet know the real blessing: to be the ancestor of God's own Son, the Messiah, who will sacrifice Himself to cover the sins of the world. That promise makes Mary's Psalm the fulfillment of all of David's (Luke 1:46–55).
