¹⁶ Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, ^(A)‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, ^(B)if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.’

⁴ that the Lord may ^(A)establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ^(B)‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, ^(C)to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, ^(D)you shall not lack^[a] a man on the throne of Israel.’

¹⁴ You are ^(A)my friends ^(B)if you do what I command you. ^15 (C)No longer do I call you servants,^[a] for the servant ^(D)does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for ^(E)all that I have heard from my Father ^(F)I have made known to you.

¹⁸ then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ^(A)‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’

^12 (A)When your days are fulfilled and ^(B)you lie down with your fathers, ^(C)I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ^13 (D)He shall build a house for my name, and ^(E)I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ^14 (F)I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, ^(G)I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, ^15 (H)but my steadfast love will not depart from him, ^(I)as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. ^16 (J)And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.^{[a] (K)}Your throne shall be established forever.’”

³⁷ “Thus says the Lord God: This also ^(A)I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: ^(B)to increase their people like ^(C)a flock.

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

Aleph