1Nathan, first approving David's purpose to build God an house, 3afterward by the word of the Lord forbiddeth it, but with assurance of favour, 11and a promise of especial blessings in his seed. 16David's prayer and thanksgiving.
1NOW 1it came to pass, 2as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.
1 This history is also described in 2 Samuel 7 almost verbatim. See there a broader exposition of obscure places.
2 That is, when he had attained to rest and peace.
2Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
3¶And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
5For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I 3brought up Israel unto this day; but 4have 5gone 6from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
3 In 2 Sam. 7:6 it is added: out of Egypt.
4 This is said in regard that the tabernacle continued not in any fixed place, neither when Israel was in the wilderness, nor when they were in the land of Canaan.
5 Hebr. been.
6 Hebr. out of the tent into the tent.
67Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?
7 That is, where the ark of the covenant was brought, upon which I do manifest My presence.
7Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I tooka thee from the sheepcote,beven from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:
a 1 Sam. 16:11; Psalm 78:70.
b pasturage, sheep pens
8And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.
9Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved 8no more; neither shall the 9children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,
8 That is, it shall not be transported from one place to another.
9 That is, wicked men, who are totally given up to iniquity.
10And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will 10subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee 11that 12the LORD will build thee an house.
10 That is, quelled, humiliated.
11 That is, that He will give thee posterity to inherit thy kingdom. See verses 25, 27.
12 That is, I; for the Lord speaks here.
11¶And it shall come to pass, when 13thy days be expired 14that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I 15will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish 16his kingdom.
13 Namely, the days of thy life.
14 That is, that thou shalt die.
15 Compare 2 Sam. 7 on verse 12.
16 Understand not only Solomon and other descendants of David, but also Christ Himself; for, Solomon’s kingdom did not continue always, but Christ’s Kingdom continues for ever, Luke 1:32, 33.
1217He shall build mec an house, and I will stablish his throne 18for ever.
17 Solomon built an house of wood and stone, but Christ a spiritual house, which is His church.
c 1 Kings 5:5; 6:12.
18 This suits only with Christ, not with Solomon.
13 Id will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him 19that was before thee:
d Psalm 89:26, 28; Heb. 1:5, 6.
19 Hereby He understands Saul, who, for his disobedience, was deposed from the kingdom.
14But Ie will settle him in mine house and 20in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.
e Luke 1:33.
20 That is, in My church.
1521According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
21 That is, according to all these words, revealed and commanded by visions.
16¶And David the king came and 22sat 23before the LORD, and said, 24Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me 25hitherto?
22 Namely, so long until he had finished his prayer, which follows here.
23 Understand this as such, that David has sat before the ark of the covenant, which was a sign of God’s presence.
24 See Gen. 32:10.
25 Namely, to the royal dignity.
17And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house 26for a great while to come, and 27hast regarded me 28according to the estate of a man 29of high degree, O LORD God.
26 That is, of things which are yet afar off, and which would not come to pass till along while after my time.
27 See 2 Sam. 7:19. Or thus: Thou hast regarded me after the manner of a man of high decree (namely, whereas I was but a shepherd).
28 Namely, speaking unto me most graciously by Nathan. Hebr. after the manner (or order) of a man.
29 Or, excellence, eminence.
1830What can David speak more to thee for the honour 31of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.
30 As if he said: Words do fail me to set forth and praise Thy mercies as they ought to be.
31 Namely, shown to.
19O LORD, 32for thy servant's sake, and 33according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.
32 By the servant of the Lord some do here understand Jesus Christ, the Savior, promised unto the fathers, as Isa. 49:6, and elsewhere.
33 That is, according to Thy lovingkindness.
20O LORD,fthere is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, 34according to all that we have heard with our ears.
f Deut. 3:24; 4:35; 6:4; 1 Kings 8:23, 60; Psalm 86:8; Isa. 37:16, 20; Dan. 3:29; Hosea 13:4.
34 Which appears and is made manifest by all the wonderful works and acts which Thou hast done since the world began, especially unto our fathers, as we have heard of them.
21Andg what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, 35whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?
g Deut. 4:7; 33:29; Psalm 147:20.
35 Israel did not seek God, but God has sought Israel, and has chosen them for His people, to consecrate and set apart for Himself. This is also to be understood of spiritual Israel, that is, the elect children of God; for no man cometh to Christ, the fountain of life, unless the Father draw him.
22For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God.
23Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.
24Let 36it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.
36 Namely, what Thou hast spoken unto Thy servant.
25For thou, O my God, 37hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found 38in his heart 39to pray before thee.
37 Namely, by the prophet Nathan, discovering unto him what Thou, in Thy counsel, hast determined concerning him.
38 This is inserted here out of 2 Sam. 7:27.
39 What David prayed at this time is described in greater detail in 2 Samuel 7.
26And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
27Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.