The Second Book of Samuel, otherwise called the Second Book of the Kings
2 Samuel 7
Chapter VII · Vol. II, pp. 685–686
1 Nathan, first approving the purpose of David to build God an house, 4 afterward by the word of God forbiddeth it. 12 He promiseth him benefits and blessings in his seed. 18 David's prayer and thanksgiving.
1 And it came to pass, awhen the king sat in his house, and bthe LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies,
2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, cI dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
3 And Nathan said to the king, dGo, do all that is in thine heart;1 for the LORD is with thee.
d 1 Co.13.9. 2 Ki.4.27. 1 Sa.16.6.
1 Nathan spoke according to his own judgment. He drew his conclusion from David's divine call to the kingdom, the evident prosperity that God had bestowed upon him, and the goodness of the object proposed. But God, who judges not as man judges, directs the prophet to countermand his own order.—Note, It is not enough to mean well in what we propose for God's cause and honour, we must take care that the plan, the time, and the agency are such as God approves. But how may these be known, if there be no prophet to receive and deliver the mind of God? Search the Scriptures, pray for the Spirit, and wait upon Providence.—C.
5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, fShalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
6 Whereasg 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.
7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel, spake I a word with hany of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Ii took thee from the sheep-cote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
i 1 Sa.16.11. Ps.78.70,71; 113.7,8; 75.5,6. 1 Ch.17.7. Da.2.21.
9 And I kwas 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.
10 (Moreover, lI will appoint2 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,
l 1 Ki.4.21,24,25. ch.viii.x., with Ju.iii.iv.vi.x.xiii. 1 Sa.iv.vii.xi.xiii.xvii.xxxi. Is.9.7. Je.25.5,6. Eze.34.25; 37.25,26. Ho.2.18.
2 This verse, as the words will bear, and the whole passage requires, should be translated not in the future, but in the past time. C.——Infidels, with a view to disprove the application of ver. 14 to the Messiah, allege that the prophet here speaks of the future prosperity of the Jews, as to be afterwards fixed and no more afflicted, which circumstances are totally repugnant to their fate, as hitherto connected with the coming of Christ. But Kennicott shows that this verse should run thus: 'I have appointed and have planted; neither do the children of wickedness afflict them as before,' &c.—I.
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 mwill make thee an house.
12 And nwhen thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers,3 I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
n 1 Ki.8.20. Ac.13.36. Job 5.26.
3 This is not merely a beautiful figure, but a literal and true description of death. In sleep the bodily senses are alone affected, the spirit is as wakeful as at other times. So in death, the dust sleeps, the spirit returns to God who gave it, Ec.12.7. 2 Co.5.1-11.—C.
14 Ip will be his father, and he shall be my son. Ifq he commit iniquity,4 I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
p 1 Ch.28.6,7. He.1.5. Ps.89.26,27. Jn.10.30.
q Ps.89.30-35. He.12.6-10. Je.30.11. 1 Co.10.13, with Is.53.2-12. 2 Co.5.21. 1 Pe.2.24; 3.18.
4 How could this be Messiah, seeing it is admitted this son may commit iniquity? The passage should be translated thus:—'Even in his sufferings for iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men (i.e. with the rod due to men), and with the stripes (due to) the children of Adam;' words that clearly point to him upon whom 'the Lord hath laid the iniquity of us all.'—C.
15 But rmy mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16 And sthine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, uWho am I, O LORD God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?5
u Ge.32.10. Ju.6.15. Job 7.17. 1 Sa.18.18. Ps.8.4; 144.3,4. Ep.3.8.
A.M. cir. 2962. B.C. cir. 1042.
5 Dr. J. Pye Smith translates the passage thus:—'What am I, O Lord, Jehovah, and what my house, that thou hast brought me to this point (of exaltation)? And little (is) even this in thine eyes, O Lord, Jehovah; thou hast even spoken with respect to the house of thy servant, unto a vast extent. And this (is) the law of the Adam, O Lord, Jehovah.' This passage reveals the second Adam as David's son, with a spiritual house, and an everlasting kingdom. It cannot mean Solomon, for he was on the throne during David's life; but the 'seed' here promised, ver. 12, is set up after David's death, and his throne and kingdom (ver.13) are for ever.—C.
19 And xthis 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 yis this the manner6 of man, O LORD 7God?
20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, LORD God, zknowest thy servant.
z 1 Sa.16.7. Ps.132.1-5. Mat.11.26. Lu.12.32.
21 Fora 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 bthou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 And cwhat one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God dwent 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?
c 1 Ch.17.21. De.4.7; 33.29. Ps.147.20. Am.3.2. Ro.3.1; 9.3-5.
d Ex.3.7,8; 19.5,6. Nu.14.13-21. Is.63.7-14. De.4.30-34. Je.32.20,21. Tit.2.14. Re.5.9,10.
24 For ethou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel, to be a people unto thee for 8ever; 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, festablish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.
26 And glet 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.
g Mat.6.9. Ps.72.18,19. Jn.12.28.
27 For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast irevealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house; therefore hath thy servant kfound in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
i Heb. opened the ear, 1 Ch.17.25. Ru.4.4. 1 Sa.9.15.
k Ps.10.17; 73.28. Ro.8.26,27.
28 And now, O LORD God, thou art that God, and lthy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
29 Therefore now mlet it please thee to 9bless 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.1
m 1 Ch.17.27. ver.25. Nu.6.24-26. Ep.1.3. Ps.72.17. Is.45.17.
9 Heb. be thou pleased and bless.
1 The two leading petitions in this sublime and affecting prayer are, (1) That the crown might remain in David's family, and that none of his children might ever forfeit it by misconduct. (2) That his kingdom might have its chief perfection and its lasting perpetuity in Him who was 'David's Son and David's Sire,' at once his root and his offspring, the Messiah now again promised.—I.
Notes
Reflections.—Gracious souls are never weary of working for the Lord; nor can they with pleasure enjoy their own conveniences while his ordinances are in distress. It is good to strengthen the hands of such as have at heart to build up the church of God: but all our success depends on God's presence and assistance. Even prophets may be too rash: they are no further infallible than as inspired by the Holy Ghost. God may approve a work, and yet not the doing of it by a particular person. Nay, he may accept his purpose, and yet not allow him to execute it. All true honour and happiness come from God. Yet the good purposes of ministers, magistrates, and parents sometimes entail upon churches, nations, and families the most remarkable mercies. But how great things God hath laid up for them that fear him! how abundant, free, tender, and lasting are the blessings of his promise! Yea, pleasant, fervent, and successful are those supplications now, which are animated by and do reduplicate upon the promises of God impressed on our heart; particularly those respecting Jesus Christ and his grace. Let us then boldly ask what God hath promised. Let us never stagger at the greatness of the mercy, but pray in faith, nothing doubting. Let it be our constant desire that God in all things may be glorified. If we find in our hearts to pray, God will not fail to hear and answer.