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
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 17
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
1Ch 17:1-10. David Forbidden to Build God a House.
1. as David sat in his house—The details of this chapter were given in nearly similar terms (2Sa 7:1-29). The date was towards the latter end of David's reign, for it is expressly said in the former book to have been at the cessation of all his wars. But as to narrate the preparations for the removal of the ark and the erection of the temple was the principal object of the historian, the exact chronology is not followed.
5. I … have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another—The literal rendering is, "I was walking in a tent and in a dwelling." The evident intention (as we may see from 1Ch 17:6) was to lay stress upon the fact that God was a Mithhatlek (a travelling God) and went from one place to another with His tent and His entire dwelling (the dwelling included not merely the tent, but the fore-courts with the altar of burnt offerings, &c.) [Bertheau].
6. spake I a word to any of the judges—In 2Sa 7:7 it is "any of the tribes" of Israel. Both are included. But the judges "who were commanded to feed the people," form the more suitable antithesis to David.
Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?—that is, a solid and magnificent temple.
7. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote—a round tower of rude construction, high walled, but open at the top, in which sheep are often enclosed at night to protect them from wild beasts. The meaning is, I elevated you to the throne from a humble condition solely by an act of divine grace, and not from any antecedent merits of your own (see on 1Sa 16:11), and I enabled you to acquire renown, equal or superior to any other monarch. Your reign will ever be afterwards regarded as the best and brightest era in the history of Israel, for it will secure to the nation a settled inheritance of prosperity and peace, without any of the oppressions or disorders that afflicted them in early times.
9, 10. at the beginning, and since the time that I commanded judges—that is, including the whole period from Joshua to Saul.
I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house—This was the language of Nathan himself, who was specially directed to assure David, not only of personal blessing and prosperity, but of a continuous line of royal descendants.
11. I will raise up thy seed—(See on 2Sa 7:12).
13. I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee—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 favor 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).
14. I will settle him in my house—over My people Israel.
and in my kingdom for ever—God here asserts His right of supreme sovereignty in Israel. David and Solomon, with their successors, were only the vicegerents whom He nominated, or, in His providence, permitted.
his throne shall be established for evermore—The posterity of David inherited the throne in a long succession—but not always. In such a connection as this, the phrase "for evermore" is employed in a restricted sense (see on La 3:31). We naturally expect the prophet to revert to David before concluding, after having spoken (1Ch 17:12) of the building of Solomon's temple. The promise that his house should be blessed was intended as a compensation for the disappointment of his wish to build the temple, and hence this assurance is appropriately repeated at the conclusion of the prophet's address [Bertheau].
15. According to all … this vision—The revelation of the divine will was made to the prophet in a dream.
16. David the king … sat before the Lord, and said—(See on 2Sa 7:18).