And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
I will set up thy seed after thee ..., х zar`ªkaa (H2233)] - used collectively for the whole descendants. It is customary for the oldest son born after the father's succession to the throne to succeed him in his dignity as king. David had several sons by Bathsheba, born after his removal to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:14-16: cf. 1 Chronicles 3:5; 1 Chronicles 17:11). But by a special ordinance and promise of God, his successor was to be a son born after this time; and the departure from the established usage of the East, in fixing the succession, can be accounted for on no other known ground except the fulfillment of the divine promise (see the notes at 1 Kings 2:12).