1 And it came to pass, when the king H4428 sat H3427 in his house, H1004 and the LORD H3068 had given him rest H5117 round about H5439 from all his enemies; H341
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 Then Nathan H5416 said H559 unto David, H1732 Do H6213 all that is in thine heart; H3824 for God H430 is with thee. And it came to pass the same night, H3915 that the word H1697 of God H430 came to Nathan, H5416 saying, H559 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 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. 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 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 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 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 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 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 He shall build H1129 me an house, H1004 and I will stablish H3559 his throne H3678 for H5704 ever. H5769 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: 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 According to all these words, H1697 and according to all this vision, H2377 so did Nathan H5416 speak H1696 unto David. H1732 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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. 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. And now, LORD, H3068 thou art God, H430 and hast promised H1696 this goodness H2896 unto thy servant: H5650 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
At the end H7118 of twelve H8648 H6236 months H3393 he walked H1934 H1981 in H5922 the palace H1965 of the kingdom H4437 of Babylon. H895 The king H4430 spake, H6032 and said, H560 Is not H3809 this H1932 H1668 great H7229 Babylon, H895 that I H576 have built H1124 for the house H1005 of the kingdom H4437 by the might H8632 of my power, H2632 and for the honour H3367 of my majesty? H1923
That he would grant G1325 unto us, G2254 that we being delivered G4506 out of G1537 the hand G5495 of our G2257 enemies G2190 might serve G3000 him G846 without fear, G870 In G1722 holiness G3742 and G2532 righteousness G1343 before G1799 him, G846 all G3956 the days G2250 of our G2257 life. G2222
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 7
Commentary on 2 Samuel 7 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 7
2Sa 7:1-3. Nathan Approves the Purpose of David to Build God A House.
2. the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar—The palace which Hiram had sent men and materials to build in Jerusalem had been finished. It was magnificent for that age, though made wholly of wood: houses in warm countries not being required to possess the solidity and thickness of walls which are requisite for dwellings in regions exposed to rain and cold. Cedar was the rarest and most valuable timber. The elegance and splendor of his own royal mansion, contrasted with the mean and temporary tabernacle in which the ark of God was placed, distressed the pious mind of David.
3. Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart—The piety of the design commended it to the prophet's mind, and he gave his hasty approval and encouragement to the royal plans. The prophets, when following the impulse of their own feelings, or forming conjectural opinions, fell into frequent mistakes. (See on 1Sa 16:6; 2Ki 4:27).
2Sa 7:4-17. God Appoints His Successor to Build It.
4-17. it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan—The command was given to the prophet on the night immediately following; that is, before David could either take any measures or incur any expenses.
11. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house—As a reward for his pious purpose, God would increase and maintain the family of David and secure the succession of the throne to his dynasty. [See on 1Ch 17:10].
12. I will set up thy seed after thee, &c.—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 Bath-sheba born after his removal to Jerusalem (2Sa 5:14-16; compare 1Ch 3:5). 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 fulfilment of the divine promise.
13. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever—This declaration referred, in its primary application, to Solomon, and to the temporal kingdom of David's family. But in a larger and sublimer sense, it was meant of David's Son of another nature (Heb 1:8). [See on 1Ch 17:14.]
2Sa 7:18-29. David's Prayer and Thanksgiving.
18. Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord—Sitting was anciently an attitude for worship (Ex 17:12; 1Sa 4:13; 1Ki 19:4). As to the particular attitude David sat, most probably, upon his heels. It was the posture of the ancient Egyptians before the shrines; it is the posture of deepest respect before a superior in the East. Persons of highest dignity sit thus when they do sit in the presence of kings and it is the only sitting attitude assumed by the modern Mohammedans in their places and rites of devotion.
19. is this the manner of man, O Lord God?—that is, is it customary for men to show such condescension to persons so humble as I am? (See 1Ch 17:17.)
20. what can David say more unto thee?—that is, my obligations are greater than I can express.