1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.
2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?
7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:
8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.
9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,
10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.
11 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.
12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
13 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:
14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.
15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
16 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?
17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.
18 What can David speak more to thee for the honor of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.
19 O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.
20 O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
21 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?
22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God.
23 Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.
24 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.
25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.
26 And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.
1 Now it came to pass, as David H1732 sat H3427 in his house, H1004 that David H1732 said H559 to Nathan H5416 the prophet, H5030 Lo, I dwell H3427 in an house H1004 of cedars, H730 but the ark H727 of the covenant H1285 of the LORD H3068 remaineth under curtains. H3407
2 Then Nathan H5416 said H559 unto David, H1732 Do H6213 all that is in thine heart; H3824 for God H430 is with thee.
3 And it came to pass the same night, H3915 that the word H1697 of God H430 came to Nathan, H5416 saying, H559
4 Go H3212 and tell H559 David H1732 my servant, H5650 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Thou shalt not build H1129 me an house H1004 to dwell in: H3427
5 For I have not dwelt in H3427 an house H1004 since the day H3117 that I brought up H5927 Israel H3478 unto this day; H3117 but have gone from tent H168 to tent, H168 and from one tabernacle H4908 to another.
6 Wheresoever I have walked H1980 with all Israel, H3478 spake H1696 I a word H1697 to any H259 of the judges H8199 of Israel, H3478 whom I commanded H6680 to feed H7462 my people, H5971 saying, H559 Why have ye not built H1129 me an house H1004 of cedars? H730
7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say H559 unto my servant H5650 David, H1732 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 I took H3947 thee from the sheepcote, H5116 even from following H310 the sheep, H6629 that thou shouldest be ruler H5057 over my people H5971 Israel: H3478
8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, H1980 and have cut off H3772 all thine enemies H341 from before H6440 thee, and have made H6213 thee a name H8034 like the name H8034 of the great men H1419 that are in the earth. H776
9 Also I will ordain H7760 a place H4725 for my people H5971 Israel, H3478 and will plant H5193 them, and they shall dwell H7931 in their place, and shall be moved H7264 no more; neither shall the children H1121 of wickedness H5766 waste H1086 them any more, H3254 as at the beginning, H7223
10 And since the time H3117 that I commanded H6680 judges H8199 to be over my people H5971 Israel. H3478 Moreover I will subdue H3665 all thine enemies. H341 Furthermore I tell H5046 thee that the LORD H3068 will build H1129 thee an house. H1004
11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days H3117 be expired H4390 that thou must go H3212 to be with thy fathers, H1 that I will raise up H6965 thy seed H2233 after H310 thee, which shall be of thy sons; H1121 and I will establish H3559 his kingdom. H4438
12 He shall build H1129 me an house, H1004 and I will stablish H3559 his throne H3678 for H5704 ever. H5769
13 I will be his father, H1 and he shall be my son: H1121 and I will not take H5493 my mercy H2617 away H5493 from him, as I took H5493 it from him that was before H6440 thee:
14 But I will settle H5975 him in mine house H1004 and in my kingdom H4438 for ever: H5769 and his throne H3678 shall be established H3559 for H5704 evermore. H5769
15 According to all these words, H1697 and according to all this vision, H2377 so did Nathan H5416 speak H1696 unto David. H1732
16 And David H1732 the king H4428 came H935 and sat H3427 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Who am I, O LORD H3068 God, H430 and what is mine house, H1004 that thou hast brought H935 me hitherto? H1988
17 And yet this was a small thing H6994 in thine eyes, H5869 O God; H430 for thou hast also spoken H1696 of thy servant's H5650 house H1004 for a great while to come, H7350 and hast regarded H7200 me according to the estate H8448 of a man H120 of high degree, H4609 O LORD H3068 God. H430
18 What can H3254 David H1732 speak more H3254 to thee for the honour H3519 of thy servant? H5650 for thou knowest H3045 thy servant. H5650
19 O LORD, H3068 for thy servant's H5650 sake, and according to thine own heart, H3820 hast thou done H6213 all this greatness, H1420 in making known H3045 all these great things. H1420
20 O LORD, H3068 there is none like thee, neither is there any God H430 beside H2108 thee, according to all that we have heard H8085 with our ears. H241
21 And what one H259 nation H1471 in the earth H776 is like thy people H5971 Israel, H3478 whom God H430 went H1980 to redeem H6299 to be his own people, H5971 to make H7760 thee a name H8034 of greatness H1420 and terribleness, H3372 by driving out H1644 nations H1471 from before H6440 thy people, H5971 whom thou hast redeemed H6299 out of Egypt? H4714
22 For thy people H5971 Israel H3478 didst thou make H5414 thine own people H5971 for H5704 ever; H5769 and thou, LORD, H3068 becamest their God. H430
23 Therefore now, LORD, H3068 let the thing H1697 that thou hast spoken H1696 concerning thy servant H5650 and concerning his house H1004 be established H539 for H5704 ever, H5769 and do H6213 as thou hast said. H1696
24 Let it even be established, H539 that thy name H8034 may be magnified H1431 for H5704 ever, H5769 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 is the God H430 of Israel, H3478 even a God H430 to Israel: H3478 and let the house H1004 of David H1732 thy servant H5650 be established H3559 before H6440 thee.
25 For thou, O my God, H430 hast told H1540 H241 thy servant H5650 that thou wilt build H1129 him an house: H1004 therefore thy servant H5650 hath found H4672 in his heart to pray H6419 before H6440 thee.
26 And now, LORD, H3068 thou art God, H430 and hast promised H1696 this goodness H2896 unto thy servant: H5650
27 Now therefore let it please H2974 thee to bless H1288 the house H1004 of thy servant, H5650 that it may be before H6440 thee for ever: H5769 for thou blessest, H1288 O LORD, H3068 and it shall be blessed H1288 for ever. H5769
1 And it came to pass, when David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Jehovah `dwelleth' under curtains.
2 And Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thy heart; for God is with thee.
3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith Jehovah, Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in:
5 for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel, unto this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from `one' tabernacle `to another'.
6 In all places wherein I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, Why have ye not built me a house of cedar?
7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be prince over my people Israel:
8 and I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a name, like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth.
9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the first,
10 and `as' from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all thine enemies. Moreover I tell thee that Jehovah will build thee a house.
11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days are fulfilled that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will set up thy seed after thee, who shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
12 He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever.
13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee;
14 but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be established for ever.
15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
16 Then David the king went in, and sat before Jehovah; and he said, Who am I, O Jehovah God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?
17 And this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; but thou hast spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Jehovah God.
18 What can David `say' yet more unto thee concerning the honor which is done to thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.
19 O Jehovah, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou wrought all this greatness, to make known all `these' great things.
20 O Jehovah, there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem unto himself for a people, to make thee a name by great and terrible things, in driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou redeemest out of Egypt?
22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, Jehovah, becamest their God.
23 And now, O Jehovah, let the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast spoken.
24 And let thy name be established and magnified for ever, saying, Jehovah of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and the house of David thy servant is established before thee.
25 For thou, O my God, hast revealed to thy servant that thou wilt build him a house: therefore hath thy servant found `in his heart' to pray before thee.
26 And now, O Jehovah, thou art God, and hast promised this good thing unto thy servant:
27 and now it hath pleased thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Jehovah, hast blessed, and it is blessed for ever.
1 And it cometh to pass as David sat in his house, that David saith unto Nathan the prophet, `Lo, I am dwelling in a house of cedars, and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah `is' under curtains;'
2 and Nathan saith unto David, `All that `is' in thy heart do, for God `is' with thee.'
3 And it cometh to pass on that night that a word of God is unto Nathan, saying,
4 `Go, and thou hast said unto David My servant, Thus said Jehovah, Thou dost not build for Me the house to dwell in:
5 for I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought up Israel till this day, and I am from tent unto tent: and from the tabernacle,
6 whithersoever I have walked up and down among all Israel, a word spake I, with one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed My people, saying, Why have ye not built for Me a house of cedars?
7 `And now, thus dost thou say to My servant, to David, Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, I have taken thee from the habitation, from after the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel,
8 and I am with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and I cut off all thine enemies from thy presence, and have made for thee a name like the name of the great ones who `are' in the earth.
9 `And I have prepared a place for My people Israel, and planted it, and it hath dwelt in its place, and is not troubled any more, and the sons of perverseness add not to wear it out as at first,
10 yea, even from the days that I appointed judges over My people Israel. `And I have humbled all thine enemies, and I declare to thee that a house doth Jehovah build for thee,
11 and it hath come to pass, when thy days have been fulfilled to go with thy fathers, that I have raised up thy seed after thee, who is of thy sons, and I have established his kingdom,
12 he doth build for Me a house, and I have established his throne unto the age;
13 I am to him for a father, and he is to Me for a son, and My kindness I turn not aside from him as I turned it aside from him who was before thee,
14 and I have established him in My house, and in My kingdom unto the age, and his throne is established unto the age.'
15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so spake Nathan unto David.
16 And David the king cometh in and sitteth before Jehovah, and saith, `Who `am' I, O Jehovah God, and what my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?
17 And this is small in Thine eyes, O God, and Thou speakest concerning the house of thy servant afar off, and hast seen me as a type of the man who is on high, O Jehovah God!
18 `What doth David add more unto Thee for the honour of Thy servant; and Thou Thy servant hast known.
19 O Jehovah, for Thy servant's sake, and according to Thine own heart Thou hast done all this greatness, to make known all these great things.
20 O Jehovah, there is none like Thee, and there is no god save Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
21 `And who `is' as Thy people Israel, one nation in the earth whom God hath gone to ransom to Him for a people, to make for Thee a name great and fearful, to cast out from the presence of Thy people whom Thou hast ransomed out of Egypt -- nations?
22 Yea, Thou dost appoint Thy people Israel to Thee for a people unto the age, and Thou, O Jehovah, hast been to them for God.
23 `And now, O Jehovah, the word that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant, and concerning his house, let be stedfast unto the age, and do as Thou hast spoken;
24 and let it be stedfast, and Thy name is great unto the age, saying, Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, is God to Israel, and the house of Thy servant David is established before Thee;
25 for Thou, O my God, Thou hast uncovered the ear of Thy servant -- to build to him a house, therefore hath Thy servant found to pray before Thee.
26 `And now, Jehovah, Thou `art' God Himself, and Thou speakest concerning Thy servant this goodness;
27 and now, Thou hast been pleased to bless the house of Thy servant, to be to the age before Thee; for Thou, O Jehovah, hast blessed, and it is blessed to the age.'
1 And it came to pass as David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Behold, I dwell in a house of cedars, and the ark of the covenant of Jehovah under curtains.
2 And Nathan said to David, Do all that is in thy heart; for God is with thee.
3 And it came to pass that night that the word of God came to Nathan saying,
4 Go and say to David my servant, Thus saith Jehovah: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in;
5 for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day; but I have been from tent to tent, and from [one] tabernacle [to another].
6 In all my going about with all Israel, did I speak a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why build ye me not a house of cedars?
7 And now, thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I took thee from the pasture-grounds, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel;
8 and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name, like unto the name of the great men that are on the earth.
9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and be disturbed no more; neither shall the sons of wickedness waste them any more, as formerly,
10 and since the days that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. And I will subdue all thine enemies; and I tell thee that Jehovah will build thee a house.
11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days are fulfilled that thou must go [to be] with thy fathers, that I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
12 It is he who shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever.
13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son; and I will not take away my mercy from him, as I took it from him that was before thee;
14 and I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be established for ever.
15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
16 And king David went in and sat before Jehovah, and said, Who am I, Jehovah Elohim, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
17 And this hath been a small thing in thy sight, O God; and thou hast spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, Jehovah Elohim.
18 What can David [say] more to thee for the glory of thy servant? thou indeed knowest thy servant.
19 Jehovah, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, to make known all these great things.
20 Jehovah, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
21 And who is like thy people Israel, the one nation in the earth that God went to redeem to be a people to himself, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, which thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?
22 And thy people Israel hast thou made thine own people for ever; and thou, Jehovah, art become their God.
23 And now, Jehovah, let the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.
24 Let it even be established, and let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, is God to Israel; and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.
25 For thou, my God, hast revealed to thy servant that thou wilt build him a house; therefore hath thy servant found [in his heart] to pray before thee.
26 And now, Jehovah, thou art that God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant;
27 and now, let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever; for thou, Jehovah, hast blessed [it], and it shall be blessed for ever.
1 It happened, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh [dwells] under curtains.
2 Nathan said to David, Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you.
3 It happened the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus says Yahweh, You shall not build me a house to dwell in:
5 for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up Israel, to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from [one] tent [to another].
6 In all places in which I have walked with all Israel, spoke I a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
7 Now therefore thus shall you tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel:
8 and I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.
9 I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the first,
10 and [as] from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that Yahweh will build you a house.
11 It shall happen, when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
12 He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.
13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my loving kindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before you;
14 but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.
15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
16 Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?
17 This was a small thing in your eyes, God; but you have spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, Yahweh God.
18 What can David [say] yet more to you concerning the honor which is done to your servant? for you know your servant.
19 Yahweh, for your servant's sake, and according to your own heart, have you worked all this greatness, to make known all [these] great things.
20 Yahweh, there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
21 What one nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, to make you a name by great and awesome things, in driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeem out of Egypt?
22 For your people Israel did you make your own people forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God.
23 Now, Yahweh, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, be established forever, and do as you have spoken.
24 Let your name be established and magnified forever, saying, Yahweh of Hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and the house of David your servant is established before you.
25 For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house: therefore has your servant found [in his heart] to pray before you.
26 Now, Yahweh, you are God, and have promised this good thing to your servant:
27 and now it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you: for you, Yahweh, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.
1 Now when David was living in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, See, I am living in a house of cedar-wood, but the ark of the Lord's agreement is under the curtains of a tent.
2 And Nathan said to David, Do whatever is in your heart, for God is with you.
3 But that same night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 Go and say to David my servant, The Lord says, You are not to make me a house for my living-place:
5 For from the day when I took Israel up, till this day, I have had no house, but have gone from tent to tent, and from living-place to living-place.
6 In all the places where I have gone with all Israel, did I ever say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I made the keepers of my people, Why have you not made for me a house of cedar?
7 So now, say to my servant David, The Lord of armies says, I took you from the fields, from keeping sheep, so that you might be a ruler over my people Israel;
8 And I have been with you wherever you went, cutting off before you all those who were against you; and I will make your name like the name of the greatest ones of the earth.
9 And I will make a resting-place for my people Israel, planting them there, so that they may be in the place which is theirs and never again be moved; and never again will they be made waste by evil men, as they were at first,
10 From the time when I put judges over my people Israel; and I will overcome all those who are against you; and I will make you great and the head of a line of kings.
11 And when the time comes for you to go to your fathers, I will put in your place your seed after you, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong.
12 He will be the builder of my house, and I will make the seat of his authority certain for ever.
13 I will be to him a father and he will be to me a son; and I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him who was before you;
14 But I will make his place in my house and in my kingdom certain for ever; and the seat of his authority will never be overturned.
15 So Nathan gave David an account of all these words and this vision.
16 Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now?
17 And this was only a small thing to you, O God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, looking on me as on one of high position, O Lord God.
18 What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant.
19 O Lord, because of your servant, and from your heart, you have done all these great things and let them be seen.
20 O Lord, there is no one like you, and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears.
21 And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, making his name great and to be feared, driving out the nations from before your people whom you made free and took out of Egypt?
22 For your people Israel you made yours for ever; and you, Lord, became their God.
23 And now, Lord, let your words about your servant and about his family be made certain for ever, and do as you have said.
24 So let your words be made certain and your name be made great, when men say, The Lord of armies is the God of Israel; and when the family of David your servant is made strong before you.
25 For you, O my God, have let your servant see that you will make him head of a line of kings; and so it has come into your servant's heart to make his prayer to you.
26 And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have said you will give this good thing to your servant:
27 And now you have been pleased to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you; you, O Lord, have given your blessing, and a blessing will be on it for ever.
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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 17 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
In the Chronicle, as in 2 Samuel 7, the account of the removal of the ark to the city of David is immediately followed by the narrative of David's design to build a temple to the Lord; and this arrangement is adopted on account of the connection between the subjects, though the events must have been separated by a period of several years. Our account of this design of David's, with its results for him and for his kingdom, is in all essential points identical with the parallel account, so that we may refer to the commentary on 2 Sam 7 for any necessary explanation of the matter. The difference between the two narratives are in great part of a merely formal kind; the author of the Chronicle having sought to make the narrative more intelligible to his contemporaries, partly by using later phrases current in his own time, such as אלהים for יהוה , מלכוּת for ממלכה , partly by simplifying and explaining the bolder and more obscure expressions. Very seldom do we find divergences in the subject-matter which alter the meaning or make it appear to be different. To supplement and complete the commentary already given in 2nd Samuel, we will now shortly treat of these divergences. In 1 Chronicles 17:1, the statement that David communicated his purpose to build a temple to the Lord to the prophet Nathan, “when Jahve had given him rest from all his enemies round about,” is wanting. This clause, which fixes the time, has been omitted by the chronicler to avoid the apparent contradiction which would have arisen in case the narrative were taken chronologically, seeing that the greatest of David's wars, those against the Philistines, Syrians, and Ammonites, are narrated only in the succeeding chapter. As to this, cf. the discussion on 2 Samuel 7:1-3.
In 1 Chronicles 17:10, וּלמיּמים , like וּלמן־היּום (2 Samuel 7:11), is to be connected with the preceding בּראשׁונה in this sense: “As in the beginning (i.e., during the sojourn in Egypt), and onward from the days when I appointed judges,” i.e., during the time of the judges. למן is only a more emphatic expression for מן , to mark off the time from the beginning as it were (cf. Ew. §218, b ), and is wrongly translated by Berth. “until the days.” In the same verse, והכנעתּי , “I bow, humble all thine enemies,” substantially the same as the והניחתי , “I give thee peace from all thine enemies” (Sam.); and the suffix in אויביך is not to be altered, as Berth. proposes, into that of the third person אויביו , either in the Chronicle or in Samuel, for it is quite correct; the divine promise returning at the conclusion to David direct, as in the beginning, 1 Chronicles 17:7 and 1 Chronicles 17:8, while that which is said of the people of Israel in 1 Chronicles 17:9 and 1 Chronicles 17:10 is only an extension of the words, “I will destroy all thine enemies before thee” (1 Chronicles 17:8).
In 1 Chronicles 17:11, עם־אבתיך ללכת , “to go with thy fathers,” used of going the way of death, is similar to “to go the way of all the world” ( 1 Kings 2:2), and is more primitive than the more usual אבות עם שׁכב (2 Samuel 7:12). מבּניך יהיה עשׁר , too, is neither to be altered to suit ממּעיך יצא אשׁר of Samuel; nor can we consider it, with Berth., an alteration made by the author of the Chronicle to get rid of the difficulty, that here the birth of Solomon is only promised, while Nathan's speech was made at a time when David had rest from all his enemies round about (2 Samuel 8:1), i.e., as is usually supposed, in the latest years of his life, and consequently after Solomon's birth. For the difficulty had already been got rid of by the omission of those words in 1 Chronicles 17:1; and the word, “I have cut off all thine enemies from before thee” (1 Chronicles 17:8), does not necessarily involve the destruction of all the enemies who ever rose against David, but refers, as the connection shows, only to the enemies who up till that time had attacked him. Had the author of the Chronicle only wished to get rid of this supposed difficulty, he would simply have omitted the clause, since “they seed” included the sons of David, and needed no explanation if nothing further was meant than that one of his sons would ascend the throne after him. And moreover, the thought, “thy seed, which shall be among thy sons,” which Bertheau finds in the words, would be expressed in Hebrew by מבּניך אשׁר , while מבּניך יהיה אשׁר signifies, “who will come out of (from) thy sons;” for מן היה does not denote to be of one, i.e., to belong to him, but to arise, be born, or go forth, from one: cf. Ben. 1 Chronicles 17:16; Ecclesiastes 3:20. According to this, the linguistically correct translation, the words cannot be referred to Solomon at all, because Solomon was not a descendant of David's sons, but of David himself.
(Note: As old Lavater has correctly remarked: Si tantum de Salomone hic locus accipiendus esset, non dixisset: semen quod erit de filiis tuis, sed quod erit de te .)
The author of the Chronicle has interpreted אחריך את־זרעך theologically, or rather set forth the Messianic contents of this conception more clearly than it was expressed in ממּעיך יצא אשׁר . The seed after David, which will arise from his sons, is the Messiah, whom the prophets announced as the Son of David, whose throne God will establish for ever (1 Chronicles 17:12). This Messianic interpretation of David's זרע explains the divergence of the chronicler's text in 1 Chronicles 17:13 and 1 Chronicles 17:14 from 2 Samuel 7:14-16. For instance, the omission of the words after בּן in 2 Samuel 7:13, “If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men” (2 Samuel 7:14), is the result of the Messianic interpretation of זרעך , since the reference to the chastisement would of course be important for the earthly sons of David and the kings of Judah, but could not well find place in the case of the Messiah. The only thing said of this son of David is, that God will not withdraw His grace from him.
The case is exactly similar, with the difference between 2 Samuel 7:14 and 2 Samuel 7:16. Instead of the words, “And thy house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee, thy throne shall be established for ever” (Sam.), the promise runs thus in the Chronicle: “And I will settle ( העמיד , cause to stand, maintain, 1 Kings 15:4; 2 Chronicles 9:8) him (the seed arising from thy sons) in my house and in my kingdom for ever, and his throne shall be established for evermore.” While these concluding words of the promise are, in the narrative in Samuel, spoken to David, promising to him the eternal establishment of his house, his kingdom, and his throne, in the Chronicle they are referred to the seed of David, i.e., the Messiah, and promise to Him His establishment for ever in the house and kingdom of God, and the duration of His throne for ever. That בּיתי here does not signify the congregation of the Lord, the people of Israel, as Berth. thinks it must be translated, is clear as the sun; for בּית , immediately preceding, denotes the temple of Jahve, and בּיתי manifestly refers back to לי בּית (1 Chronicles 17:12), while such a designation of the congregation of Israel or of the people as “house of Jahve” is unheard of in the Old Testament. The house of Jahve stands in the same relation to the kingdom of Jahve as a king's palace to his kingdom. The house which David's seed will build to the Lord is the house of the Lord in his kingdom: in this house and kingdom the Lord will establish Him for ever; His kingdom shall never cease; His rule shall never be extinguished; and He himself, consequently, shall live for ever. It scarcely need be said that such things can be spoken only of the Messiah. The words are therefore merely a further development of the saying, “I will be to him a Father, and I will not take my mercy away from him, and will establish his kingdom for ever,” and tell us clearly and definitely what is implicitly contained in the promise, that David's house, kingdom, and throne will endure for ever (Sam.), viz., that the house and kingdom of David will be established for ever only under the Messiah. That this interpretation is correct is proved by the fact that the divergences of the text of the chronicler from the parallel narrative cannot otherwise be explained; Thenius and Berth. not having made even an attempt to show how בּבּיתי והעמדתּיהוּ could have arisen out of בּיתך ונאמן . The other differences between the texts in the verses in question, לי (Chron.) for לשׁמי , את־כּסאו for ממלכתּו כּסּא את (1 Chronicles 17:12, cf. 2 Samuel 7:13), and לפניך היה מאשׁר instead of וגו אשׁר שׁאוּל מעם (1 Chronicles 17:13, cf. 2 Samuel 7:15), are only variations in expression which do not affect the sense. With reference to the last of them, indeed, Berth. has declared against Thenius, that the chronicler's text is thoroughly natural, and bears marks of being more authentic than that of 2 Sam 7.
In the prayer of thanksgiving contained in 1 Chronicles 17:16 to 27 we meet with the following divergences from the parallel text, which are of importance for their effect on the sense.
Instead of the words האדם תּורת וזאת (2 Samuel 7:19), the Chronicle has המּעלה האדם כּתור וּראיתני , and sawest me (or, that thou sawest me) after the manner of men; תּור being a contraction of תּורה = תּורה . ראה , to see, may denote to visit (cf. 2 Samuel 13:5; 2 Kings 8:29), or look upon in the sense of regard, respicere . But the word המּעלה remains obscure in any case, for elsewhere it occurs only as a substantive, in the significations, “the act of going up” (or drawing up) (Ezra 7:9), “that which goes up” (Ezekiel 11:5), “the step;” while for the signification “height” (locus superior) only this passage is adduced by Gesenius in Thes. But even had the word this signification, the word המּעלה could not signify in loco excelso = in coelis in its present connection; and further, even were this possible, the translation et me intuitus es more hominum in coelis gives no tolerable sense. But neither can המעלה be the vocative of address, and a predicate of God, “Thou height, Jahve God,” as Hgstb. Christol. i. p. 378 trans., takes it, with many older commentators. The passage Psalms 92:9, “Thou art מרום , height, sublimity for ever, Jahve,” is not sufficient to prove that in our verse המּעלה is predicated of God. Without doubt, המּעלה should go with וגו ראיתני , and appears to correspond to the למרחוק of the preceding clause, in the signification: as regards the elevation, in reference to the going upwards, i.e., the exaltation of my race (seed) on high. The thought would then be this: After the manner of men, so condescendingly and graciously, as men have intercourse with each other, hast Thou looked upon or visited me in reference to the elevation of myself or my race, - the text of the Chronicle giving an explanation of the parallel narrative.
(Note: This interpretation of this extremely difficult word corresponds in sense to the not less obscure words in 2nd Samuel, and gives us, with any alteration of the text, a more fitting thought than the alterations in the reading proposed by the moderns. Ewald and Berth. would alter וראיתני into והראיתני (hiph.), and המעלה into למעלה , in order to get the meaning, “ Thou hast caused me to see like the series of men upwards, ” i.e., the line of men who stretch from David outward into the far future in unbroken series, which Thenius rightly calls a thoroughly modern idea. Böttcher ' s attempt at explanation is much more artificial. He proposes, in N. k. Aehrenlese , iii. S. 225, to read למעלה ... וּראיתני , and translates: “ so that I saw myself, as the series of men who follow upwards shall see me, i.e., so that I could see myself as posterity will see me, at the head of a continuous family of rulers: ” where the main idea has to be supplied.)
The divergence in 1 Chronicles 17:18, את־עבדּך לכבוד אליך instead of אליך לדבּר (2 Samuel 7:20), which cannot be an explanation or interpretation of Samuel's text, is less difficult of explanation. The words in Samuel, “What can David say more unto Thee?” have in this connection the very easily understood signification, What more can I say of the promise given me? and needed no explanation. When, instead of this, we read in the Chronicle, “What more can Thy servant add to Thee in regard to the honour to Thy servant?” an unprejudiced criticism must hold this text for the original, because it is the more difficult. It is the more difficult, not only on account of the omission of לדבּר , which indeed is not absolutely necessary, though serving to explain יוסיף , but mainly on account of the unusual construction of the nomen כבוד with את־עבדּך , honour towards Thy servant. The construction יהוה את דּעה is not quite analogous, for כבוד is not a nomen actionis like דּעה ; את־ כבד is rather connected with the practice which begins to obtain in the later language of employing את as a general casus obliquus , instead of any more definite preposition (Ew. §277, d , S. 683f., der 7 Aufl.), and is to be translated: “honour concerning Thy servant.” The assertion that את־עבדּך is to be erased as a later gloss which has crept into the text, cuts the knots, but does not untie them. That the lxx have not these words, only proves that these translators did not know what to make of them, and so just omitted them, as they have omitted the first clause of 1 Chronicles 17:19. In 1 Chronicles 17:19 also there is no valid ground for altering the עבדּך בּעבוּר of the Chronicle to make it correspond to דּברך בּעבוּר in Samuel; for the words, “for Thy servant's sake,” i.e., because Thou hast chosen Thy servant, give a quite suitable sense; cf. the discussion on 2 Samuel 7:21. In the second half of the verse, however, the more extended phrases of 2nd Samuel are greatly contracted.
The combining of ונוראות גּדלּות with שׁם לך לשׂוּם as one sentence, “to make Thee a name with great and fearful deeds,” is made clearer in 2nd Samuel by the interpolation of לכם ולעשׂות , “and for you doing great and fearful things.” This explanation, however, does not justify us in supposing that ולעשׂות has been dropped out of the Chronicle. The words ונוראות גּדלּות are either to be subordinated in a loose connection to the clause, to define the way in which God has made Himself a name (cf. Ew. §283), or connected with שׂוּם in a pregnant sense: “to make Thee a name, (doing) great and fearful things.” But, on the other hand, the converse expression in Samuel, “fearful things for Thy land, before Thy people which Thou redeemedst to Thee from Egypt (from) the nations and their gods,” is explained in Chronicles by the interpolation of לגרשׁ : “fearful things, to drive out before Thy people, which ... nations.” The divergences cannot be explained by the hypothesis that both texts are mutilated, as is sufficiently shown by the contradictions into which Thenius and Bertheau have fallen in their attempts so to explain them.
All the remaining divergences of one text from the other are only variations of the expression, such as involuntarily arise in the endeavour to give a clear and intelligible narrative, without making a literal copy of the authority made use of. Among these we include even להתפּלּל עבדּך מצא , “Thy servant hath found to pray” (1 Chr. 1725), as compared with להתפּלּל את־לבּו עבדּך מצא , “Thy servant hath found his heart,” i.e., found courage, to pray (2 Samuel 7:28); where it is impossible to decide whether the author of the books of Samuel has added את־לבּו as an explanation, or the author of the Chronicle has omitted it because the phrase “to find his heart” occurs only in this single passage of the Old Testament. להת עבדּך מצא signifies, Thy servant has reached the point of directing this prayer to Thee.