2 Samuel 7
After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
After a time of conquests, David is given a period of rest. In the next chapter, we’ll get a rundown of the many victories David had during this period, so these two chapters could possibly be out of order. This could be an evidence of ordering chapters due to a topical nature or an order of importance.
Regardless, after these victories, David is sitting in his large, opulent palace while the ark fo the covenant is given a tent. This does not sit well with David. He feels guilty for it. He wants to change it. Instead of taking it into his own hands, he does consult Nathan, a prophet. Nathan will figure prominently when we get to David’s dalliance with Bathsheba. He says God is with him in it. This is a response based on what Nathan sees in David’s heart. We will see in a moment that it is presumptuous.
4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’
God had never asked for anyone to build a house for Him. David’s desire is both lovely, kind and shows the deep emotional connection he has to God.
8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.
In short, God has brought David to this position (I took you from the pasture), has protected him (I have been with you wherever you have gone) and has exalted him (I have made your name great). He further explains that this protection extends to Israel. There will be no more oppression. There will be rest in the land.
“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”
17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
God promises David a succession of his lineage that will always hold the throne. This happened for nearly 400 years until it was wiped out due to wickedness. But in the future, another ruler, from he stem of Jesse (David’s father), will rule (Isaiah 11:1-2). This ruler will reign for eternity (Jesus).
David’s earthly legacy will be established by God. This kingdom will be Solomon’s kingdom, and he will be the one to build God’s temple. Every subsequent kingdom will share a blessing from God and at least have the ability to connect and grow in relationship with God.
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human! 20 “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant. 22 “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
David is astounded at God’s providence in his life. That God would explain to him the future plan for the house of David is an amazing privilege David has.
25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.
David asks that God come through with His promise. This, David knows, will be a glorification of His name into the world.
27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”
David asks for a blessing over the house. He prays from the heart. For his entire life God has been there for him, showing him a path to the kingship and the other things he must do, and for it David knows that blessing in his life is a glorification for the world to see.
After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
After a time of conquests, David is given a period of rest. In the next chapter, we’ll get a rundown of the many victories David had during this period, so these two chapters could possibly be out of order. This could be an evidence of ordering chapters due to a topical nature or an order of importance.
Regardless, after these victories, David is sitting in his large, opulent palace while the ark fo the covenant is given a tent. This does not sit well with David. He feels guilty for it. He wants to change it. Instead of taking it into his own hands, he does consult Nathan, a prophet. Nathan will figure prominently when we get to David’s dalliance with Bathsheba. He says God is with him in it. This is a response based on what Nathan sees in David’s heart. We will see in a moment that it is presumptuous.
4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’
God had never asked for anyone to build a house for Him. David’s desire is both lovely, kind and shows the deep emotional connection he has to God.
8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.
In short, God has brought David to this position (I took you from the pasture), has protected him (I have been with you wherever you have gone) and has exalted him (I have made your name great). He further explains that this protection extends to Israel. There will be no more oppression. There will be rest in the land.
“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”
17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
God promises David a succession of his lineage that will always hold the throne. This happened for nearly 400 years until it was wiped out due to wickedness. But in the future, another ruler, from he stem of Jesse (David’s father), will rule (Isaiah 11:1-2). This ruler will reign for eternity (Jesus).
David’s earthly legacy will be established by God. This kingdom will be Solomon’s kingdom, and he will be the one to build God’s temple. Every subsequent kingdom will share a blessing from God and at least have the ability to connect and grow in relationship with God.
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human! 20 “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant. 22 “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
David is astounded at God’s providence in his life. That God would explain to him the future plan for the house of David is an amazing privilege David has.
25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.
David asks that God come through with His promise. This, David knows, will be a glorification of His name into the world.
27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”
David asks for a blessing over the house. He prays from the heart. For his entire life God has been there for him, showing him a path to the kingship and the other things he must do, and for it David knows that blessing in his life is a glorification for the world to see.