to Israel as an everlasting covenant
The phrase "to Israel as an everlasting covenant" emphasizes the perpetual nature of God's promises to the descendants of Jacob, who are collectively known as Israel. This covenant is described as "everlasting," indicating its eternal validity and unbreakable nature. The covenant includes the promise of land, descendants, and blessing, as initially given to Abraham in Genesis 12:1-3 and reiterated to Isaac and Jacob. The term "everlasting" is significant in biblical theology, as it points to the enduring relationship between God and His chosen people, Israel. This covenant is foundational to the identity of Israel and is central to the narrative of the Old Testament. It also foreshadows the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ, as seen in passages like Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:6-13, where the promise of a new and better covenant is fulfilled in Christ. The everlasting nature of the covenant assures believers of God's unchanging faithfulness and His ultimate plan of redemption through Jesus, who is the fulfillment of the promises made to the patriarchs.

- God does not leave His promises hovering in mid-air; He “confirmed” them—He set them firmly in place. Psalm 105:8–10 echoes the same language, reminding us that “He remembers His covenant forever… the covenant He made with Abraham… and confirmed to Jacob.”

- This confirmation is not merely emotional reassurance; it is a divine ratification, as unbreakable as His own character (Hebrews 6:17–18).

- Every time Scripture records God confirming a promise—whether to Abraham in Genesis 22:16–18 or to David in 2 Samuel 7:16—it highlights His faithfulness, inviting us to rest in the certainty that “all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20).

- Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, stands as the personal recipient of the patriarchal promise. Genesis 28:13–15 records the night at Bethel when God said, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac… All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring”.

- By choosing Jacob—later renamed Israel (Genesis 32:28)—God shows that His covenant plan moves through real, flawed people whom He transforms by grace (Malachi 1:2; Romans 9:10–13).

- A decree is a sovereign, binding act. In Exodus 32:13 Moses appeals to God’s “oath” to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; the word carries legal force, not casual intention.

- Because it is a decree, no human failure can annul it (Isaiah 46:9–11). That certainty becomes a model for trusting every divine statute, from the moral law (Psalm 19:7) to the promise of salvation (John 6:37–40).

- “Israel” can mean both the man Jacob and the nation that sprang from his twelve sons. Thus the verse shifts from the individual to his descendants, showing continuity from patriarch to people.

- Exodus 19:5–6 elaborates on this national application: “Although the whole earth is Mine, you will be My treasured possession… a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”.

- Even in the New Testament, Paul affirms that the Israelites were entrusted with “the covenants” (Romans 9:4), underscoring God’s ongoing dealings with them.

- “Everlasting” stretches the promise beyond one generation, dynasty, or era. Genesis 17:7 uses the same word when God tells Abraham, “I will establish My covenant… to be your God and the God of your descendants after you”.

- Jeremiah 31:31–34 shows the covenant’s final flowering in the New Covenant, fulfilled in Christ yet still rooted in God’s everlasting commitment to Israel.

- Because it is everlasting, its blessings ultimately spill over to all who are “in Christ.” Galatians 3:29 affirms, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise”, while Revelation 21:3–7 pictures the covenant consummated in the new heavens and new earth.

1 Chronicles 16:17 highlights five linked truths: God firmly establishes His promises; He delivers them personally to Jacob; He does so by royal decree; He extends them to the nation of Israel; and He binds them with everlasting permanence. Together these truths showcase a God whose word is unbreakable, whose covenantal love spans generations, and whose plan culminates in Christ and endures forever.

The same.--It--i.e., the word (1Chronicles 16:15).

For a law=as a fixed decree.

Parallel Commentaries ...