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:
I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it. My procedure in dealing with him will be different from my disposal of Saul. Should his misconduct call for personal chastisement, I shall spare his family. If I see it necessary to withdraw my favour and help for a time, it will be a corrective discipline, only to reform and restore, not to destroy. On this passage some have founded an argument for Solomon's repentance and return to God.