Bibelkommentare

David consults the prophet Nathan about building a temple for the Lord, and is encouraged by him to do it, 2 Samuel 7:1-3. That night Nathan receives a revelation from God, stating that Solomon, not David, should build the temple, 2 Samuel 7:4-16. Nathan delivers the Divine message, and David magnifies God for his mercies, and makes prayer and supplication, 2 Samuel 7:17-29.

When the king sat in his house - That is, when he became resident in the palace which Hiram, king of Tyre, had built for him.

And the Lord had given him rest - This was after he had defeated the Philistines, and cast them out of all the strong places in Israel which they had possessed after the overthrow of Saul; but before he had carried his arms beyond the land of Israel, against the Moabites, Syrians, and Idumeans. See 2 Samuel 8:1-14.

I dwell in a house of cedar - That is, a house whose principal beams, ceiling, and wainscot, were cedar.

Dwelleth within curtains - Having no other residence but the tabernacle, which was a place covered with the skins of beasts, Exodus 26:14.

Nathan said to the king - In this case he gave his judgment as a pious and prudent man, not as a prophet; for the prophets were not always under a Divine afflatus; it was only at select times they were thus honored.

For the Lord is with thee - Thou hast his blessing in all that thou doest, and this pious design of thine will most certainly meet with his approbation.

Shalt thou build me a house - That is, Thou shalt not: this is the force of the interrogative in such a case.

With any of the tribes - "Spake I a word to any of the Judges" is the reading in the parallel place, 1 Chronicles 17:6, and this is probably the true reading. Indeed, there is but one letter of difference between them, and letters which might be easily mistaken for each other: שבטי shibtey, tribes, is almost the same in appearance with שפטי ht shophetey, judges; the ב beth and the פ pe being the same letter, the apex under the upper stroke of the פ pe excepted. If this were but a little effaced in a MS., it would be mistaken for the other, and then we should have tribes instead of judges. This reading seems confirmed by 2 Samuel 7:11.

I will appoint a place - I have appointed a place, and have planted them. See the observations at the end, 2 Samuel 7:25 (note).

The Lord - will make thee a house - Thou hast in thy heart to make me a house; I have it in my heart to make thee a house: thy family shall be built up, and shall prosper in the throne of Israel; and thy spiritual posterity shall remain for ever. God is the author of all our holy purposes, as well as of our good works, he first excites them; and if we be workers together with him, he will crown and reward them as though they were our own, though he is their sole author.