5. What is the strongest reason for accepting Second Samuel as inspired Scripture?

⁵ However, the strongest evidence for the authenticity of Second Samuel is to be found in the fulfilled prophecies, particularly those relating to the Kingdom covenant with David. God promised David: “Your house and your kingdom will certainly be steadfast to time indefinite before you; your very throne will become one firmly established to time indefinite.” (7:16) Jeremiah, even in the evening of the kingdom of Judah, mentioned the continuity of this promise to the house of David with the words: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘There will not be cut off in David’s case a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Israel.’” (Jer. 33:17) This prophecy has not gone unfulfilled, for Jehovah later brought forth from Judah “Jesus Christ, son of David,” as the Bible clearly testifies.​—Matt. 1:1.

10. What covenant and promise of Jehovah next come to our attention?

¹⁰ God’s covenant with David (7:1-29). We now come to one of the most important events in David’s life, one that is directly connected with the central theme of the Bible, the sanctification of Jehovah’s name by the Kingdom under the promised Seed. This event arises out of David’s desire to build a house for the ark of God. Living in a beautiful house of cedars himself, he indicates to Nathan his desire to build a house for Jehovah’s ark of the covenant. Through Nathan, Jehovah reassures David of His loving-kindness toward Israel and establishes with him a covenant that will abide for all time. However, it will be not David but his seed who will build the house for Jehovah’s name. In addition, Jehovah makes the loving promise: “And your house and your kingdom will certainly be steadfast to time indefinite before you; your very throne will become one firmly established to time indefinite.”​—7:16.

11. With what prayer does David express thankfulness?

¹¹ Overcome by Jehovah’s goodness, as expressed through this Kingdom covenant, David pours out his thankfulness for all of God’s loving-kindness: “What one nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself as a people and to assign himself a name and to do for them great and fear-inspiring things? . . . And you yourself, O Jehovah, have become their God.” (7:23, 24) Fervently he prays for the sanctification of Jehovah’s name and for the house of David to become firmly established before Him.