1.
And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
came to pass . This chapter takes its place with Genesis 15 . It is the unconditional Covenant with David, to give him the Throne; as that was with
Abraham , to give him the Land.
the king . Thus now dignified.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
2.
That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
Nathan . The first occurrence of his name. Compare 1 Chronicles 29:29 . An important figure in David's reign, and associated with his son Solomon (verses: 2 Samuel 7:12 , 2Sa 7:13 ; 2 Samuel 12:25 . 1 Kings 1:10-45 ).
See now . Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6 .
of . Genitive of Material. App-17 ,
God . Hebrew. Elohim . App-4 .
curtains . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause) for the tent formed by them. Compare 2 Samuel 6:17 .
3.
And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.
Nathan said. Not from Jehovah, as in 2 Samuel 7:5 , but from himself: and said what was wrong.
do all that , &c. This is seldom safe advice.
4.
And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,
that night. After these words all the MSS. have a hiatus, marking a solemn pause, and pointing back to the corresponding night of Genesis 15:12-17 , thus connecting the two great unconditional Covenants. See note on 2 Samuel 7:1 .
5.
Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
My servant . Note the repetition of this word throughout this chapter. See note on 2 Samuel 7:18 .
6.
Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
children = sons.
walked = have been walking [habitually].
and in a tabernacle = as my habitation. Hebrew. mishkan. App-40 .
7.
In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
tribes , or "judges", as Chron. 2 Samuel 17:6 .
8.
Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
the LORD of hosts . Hebrew. Jehovah. Sebaioth. App-4 . One of the Jehovah titles. Compare 2 Samuel 5:10 ; 2 Samuel 6:2 , and see note on 1 Samuel 1:3 .
I took . Compare 1 Samuel 16:11 , 1 Samuel 16:12 .Psalms 78:70 , Psalms 78:71 .
over . Some codices, with one early printed edition, Syriac, and Vulgate, omit this second "over".
9.
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
have made = I will assuredly make.
10.
Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
wickedness . Hebrew ' amal. App-44 .
11.
And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
He . Hebrew. Jehovah . App-4 .
house . Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6 , for household or family: i.e. a line of succession.
12.
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
sleep with thy fathers . Figure of speech Euphemism ( App-6 ), put for "die". See note on Deuteronomy 31:16 .
My his Father = to him for a Father.
My son = to Me for a son.
iniquity . Hebrew ` avah. App-44 .
men. Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 .Psalms 89:31 , Psalms 89:32 .
men. Hebrew. 'adam. App-14 .
13.
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
15.
But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
mercy = lovingkindness.
as = according as.
16.
And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
thee . Some codices, with Septuagint and Syriac, read "Me".
17.
According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
18.
Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
Then . It is grace that really humbles.
sat before the LORD . Very different from sitting before one's self, as in 2 Samuel 7:1 .
Who am I . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 . Compare 2 Samuel 7:1 . When David sat in his own house he sat before him-self. See Structure, p. 416, "Q" and "Q".
O Lord GOD = O Adonai Jehovah . Adonai because
(1) David is the servant and He the master;
(2) because this title has to do with lordship in the earth. App-4 . Compare verses: 2 Samuel 7:7 , 2 Samuel 7:19 (twice), 2 Samuel 7:20 , 2Sa 7:28 , 2 Samuel 7:29 , six times in this chapter.
19.
And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?
manner = Torah or Law.
man. Hebrew. ha-adam = the man. "And is this the law of the man? "i.e. the Man of Psalms 8:5 , Psalms 8:6 , who is to have dominion over all the earth, embracing all the world in the scope of this blessing in connection with the Messiah. This is an exclamation of greatest surprise and wonder of this revelation concerning David's son and David's Lord.
20.
And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.
21.
For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
22.
Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
Wherefore Thou art great . Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6 , wherefore I will declare and praise Thee as great.
O LORD God = O Jehovah Elohim. Note the change, because it is not now in connection with the earth, but what He is in Himself.
23.
And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
what . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
like Israel . Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "like Thy People Israel".
redeem . Hebrew. padah. See notes on Exodus 13:13 and 2 Samuel 6:6 .
24.
For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.
25.
And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.
26.
And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
27.
For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
28.
And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
29.
Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.