1 Chronicles 17

Jehovah

Jehovah — the covenant name of the God of Israel, the premortal Jesus Christ

Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: 1 Chronicles 17:4–10

Jehovah, the premortal Christ, speaks through Nathan. He reminds David that He took him from the sheepfold and walked with Israel from tent to tent, and promises to build David a lasting house.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• a parallel account in 2 Samuel 7:4-11 — The same oracle through Nathan in Samuel.

Son of David

Son of David — the promised Messiah-King from David's line

And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 1 Chronicles 17:11–12

The LORD promises David a descendant who will build His house and whose throne lasts forever. Solomon partly fulfilled it by building the temple, but only Jesus Christ, the Son of David, has an everlasting throne and builds the true house of God.

• a parallel account in 2 Samuel 7:12-13 — The same promise of the seed and the eternal throne.
• fulfilled by Luke 1:32-33 — Gabriel: the Lord God shall give Jesus the throne of his father David, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.
• interpreted by Acts 2:30 — Peter says God swore to David that of his fruit He would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.
• alluded to by Zechariah 6:12 — The Branch 'shall build the temple of the LORD.'

Son of God

I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: 1 Chronicles 17:13

God promises a Father-and-Son relationship with David's royal descendant. Hebrews quotes this promise to show that Jesus is the Son of God, greater than the angels.

• quoted by Hebrews 1:5 — 'I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son,' applied to Christ.
• a parallel account in 2 Samuel 7:14 — The same Father-Son promise in Samuel.
• the same title in Psalm 2:7 — 'Thou art my Son' — the royal Son of God theme.

Millennial Reign

But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. 1 Chronicles 17:14

The promised Son will be set in God's own house and kingdom forever, on a throne established forevermore. No mortal king could fulfill this. It points to Christ's eternal kingship, which will be seen on earth when He reigns in His millennial kingdom.

• alluded to by Isaiah 9:7 — 'Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom ... for ever' — the Messiah's endless reign.
• fulfilled by Luke 1:33 — 'He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.'

Jehovah

And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? 1 Chronicles 17:16–20

David humbly marvels that the LORD would make such promises to him, and declares that there is none like Him. The God he is praying to is Jehovah, the premortal Christ, who would one day be born into David's own line.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• a parallel account in 2 Samuel 7:18-22 — David's same prayer in Samuel.

Redeemer

Redeemer — one who buys back and frees

And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt? 1 Chronicles 17:21–22

The LORD personally 'went to redeem' Israel out of Egypt and made them His own people. The Redeemer of Israel from bondage is Jehovah, who as Jesus Christ redeems all of us from sin and death.

How we know: Jehovah is the premortal Christ (Abraham 1:16; D&C 110:3–4)

• a parallel account in 2 Samuel 7:23-24 — The same praise of the God who redeemed Israel.

Lord of Hosts

Lord of Hosts — Jehovah, commander of heaven's armies

Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee. 1 Chronicles 17:24

David prays that God's name will be magnified as 'the LORD of hosts,' the God of Israel, as He establishes David's house. The LORD of hosts is Jehovah, and the house He establishes leads to Jesus Christ.

How we know: the verse itself names Him

• a parallel account in 2 Samuel 7:26 — The same prayer that the LORD of hosts be magnified.