Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 6:16

"Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk in my law as thou hast walked before me." — 2 Chronicles 6:16 (ASV)

Now therefore. — And now. This is also found in 2 Chronicles 6:17.

Keep that which thou hast promised — that is, Your further promise. See the fulfillment of the former promise, as described in 2 Chronicles 6:10 (see above).

There shall not fail thee. — See margin. The Authorized Version follows the Septuagint, Οὐκ ἐκλείψει σοι; and the Vulgate, “non deficiet ex te.”

To sit. — Hebrew, sitting; Septuagint, καθήμενος.

Yet so that. — Only if; assigning a single condition; provided that ... . Septuagint, πλὴν ἐὰν φυλάξωσιν; Vulgate, “ita tamen si custodierint.”

Take heed to. — Hebrew, keep (2 Chronicles 6:14–16).

In my law. — The only variant from 1 Kings 8:25. The chronicler has avoided a seeming tautology, as elsewhere. Syriac, “before me in the Law.”