2 Samuel 7:3-13

3 And Nathan said to the king, Go thou, and do all thing that is in thine heart, for the Lord is with thee.
4 And it was done in that night, and lo! the word of the Lord, was made to Nathan, [saying,]
5 Go thou, and speak to my servant David, (and say,) The Lord saith these things, Whether thou shalt build to me an house to dwell in? (Shalt thou build a house for me to live in?)
6 Soothly I have not dwelled in an house from the day in which I led the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt till into this day; but I have gone in a tabernacle and in a tent,
7 by all places, to which I passed with all the sons of Israel? Whether I speaking spake to (any)one of the lineages of Israel, to whom I commanded, that he should feed my people Israel, and said, Why buildedest thou not an house of cedar to me? (to all the places, to which I went with all the people of Israel. Did I speak to anyone of the tribes of Israel, to whom I commanded, that they should feed my people Israel, and did I ever ask them, Why hast thou not built a cedar house for me?)
8 And now thou shalt say these things to my servant David, The Lord of hosts saith these things, I took thee from [the] pastures following flocks, that thou shouldest be duke on my people Israel (so that thou couldest be the leader of my people Israel),
9 and I was with thee in all things, wherever thou hast gone, and I have killed all thine enemies from thy face, and I have made to thee a great name, by the name of great men that be in earth; (and I was with thee in all things, wherever thou hast gone, and I have killed all thy enemies before thee, and I have made a great name for thee, like the names of the great men who be on the earth;)
10 and I shall set a place to my people Israel, and I shall plant him, and I shall dwell with him, and he shall no more be troubled, and the sons of wickedness shall not add to, that they torment him as before, (and I shall set a place for my people Israel, and I shall plant them, and I shall live with them, and they shall no more be troubled, and the sons of wickedness shall not torment them anymore, like they did in the past,)
11 (like they did) from the day in which I ordained judges upon my people Israel; and I shall give rest to thee from all thine enemies. And the Lord before-saith to thee, that he shall make an house to thee (And the Lord saith in advance to thee, that he shall make a house for thee);
12 and when thy days be fulfilled, and thou hast slept with thy fathers, (that is, when thou hast died,) I shall raise up thy seed after thee, which shall go out of thy womb, and I shall make steadfast his realm (and I shall establish his kingdom).
13 (And) He shall build an house to my name, and I shall make stable the throne of his realm till into without end;

2 Samuel 7:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 7

This chapter expresses David's concern for building an house for the ark of God, which he communicated to Nathan the prophet, and was approved of by him, 2Sa 7:1-3; and who was that night sent by the Lord to David, to acquaint him, that as he had for many years dwelt in a tent, and had never given directions to the tribes of Israel, and the rulers of them, to build him an house, so neither should David build him one; but his son that would succeed him in the throne should; and also observes to him the many great things he had done for him, and promises him more, and particularly the establishment of his throne and kingdom for ever, in which he has respect to the Messiah, that should spring from him, 2Sa 7:4-17. Then follows a prayer of David, in which he expresses the sense he had of the greatness and goodness of God, and of his own unworthiness to receive such favours from him he had, returns him thanks for the promises he had made, and prays for the performance of them, 2Sa 7:18-29.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.