1Ch 17:1 Now it came to pass, as 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.
2Sa 7:1-2 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; 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.
as David sat in his house - The details of this chapter were given in nearly similar terms in 2Sa_7:1-29. The date was towards the latter end of David’s reign, for it is expressly said in the former book to have been at the cessation of all his wars. But as to narrate the preparations for the removal of the ark and the erection of the temple was the principal object of the historian, the exact chronology is not followed.
Dwelleth within curtains - in a tabernacle within curtains; not the tabernacle of Moses, for that was at Gibeon, 1Ch_21:29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that time in the high place at Gibeon; but that which David had made for it, which consisted of curtains that were drawn around it, 2Sa_6:17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD and set it in its place in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it. And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. It gave him a concern that he should dwell in so magnificent a palace, and the ark of God should have so mean an habitation; wherefore it was upon his mind to build a grand edifice for it, and this he suggested hereby to Nathan.
1Ch 17:2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.
2Sa 7:3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.
Nathan said to David - The piety of the design commended it to the prophet’s mind, and he gave his hasty approval and encouragement to the royal plans. In this case he gave his judgment as a pious and prudent man, not as a prophet; for prophets did not always speak under divine influence. David and he should have consulted the Lord about it; in this they erred, and for which they were tacitly reproved;
Nathan said to David - The design being pious and the thing not forbidden by God, Nathan hastily approves it, before he had consulted God about it, as both he and David ought to have done in a matter of so great moment. And therefore Nathan meets with this rebuke, that he is forced to acknowledge his error, and recant it. For the holy prophets did not speak all things by prophetic inspiration, but some things by an human spirit.
1Ch 17:3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
2Sa 7:4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,
the word of God came to Nathan - the word of prophecy; before he was not under a prophetic influence, but spoke in his own words, and had not the word of God; but now it came to him: The command was given to the prophet on the night immediately following; that is, before David could either take any measures or incur any expenses. Because David's mistake was pious, and from an honest mind, God would not suffer him to lie long in it.
Blessings are promised to the family and posterity of David. These promises relate to Solomon, David's immediate successor, and the royal line of Judah . But they also relate to Christ, who is often called David and the Son of David. To him God gave all power in heaven and earth, with authority to execute judgment. He was to build the gospel temple, a house for God's name; the spiritual temple of true believers, to be a habitation of God through the Spirit. The establishing of his house, his throne, and his kingdom for ever, can be applied to no other than to Christ and his kingdom: David's house and kingdom long since came to an end. The committing iniquity cannot be applied to the Messiah himself, but to his spiritual seed; true believers have infirmities, for which they must expect to be corrected, though they are not cast off.
1Ch 17:4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
2Sa 7:5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
Go and tell David my servant - The Lord speaks very honorably and respectfully of him, owns him to be his servant in other things, though he did not choose to employ him in this.
1Ch 17:5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
2Sa 7:6 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.
I have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another - The literal rendering is, “I was walking in a tent and in a dwelling.” The evident intention was to lay stress upon the fact that God went from one place to another with His tent and His entire dwelling (the dwelling included not merely the tent, but the fore-courts with the altar of burnt offerings, etc.)
Have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle - Implying the frequent moving of the tabernacle, while in the wilderness, and since in the land of Canaan , first at Gilgal, then at Shiloh , afterwards at Nob, and now at Gibeon , as opposed to a settled resting in one place. Observe the constant reference to the Exodus and to the details as given in the books of Moses.
in a tent and in a tabernacle - "Tent" and "tabernacle" are distinguished; the tent was the curtains of goats' hair, and the tabernacle the linen curtains, see Exo_26:1. The one may note the curtains and hangings within, the other the frame of boards, and coverings upon it.
The Lord gave two reasons why David's proposal to build Him a temple should not be carried out: (1) He had hitherto lived in a tent in the midst of His people; (2) He had not commanded any former prince or tribe to build a temple.
1Ch 17:6 Wheresoever 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?
2Sa 7:7 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?
An house of cedar - that is, a solid and magnificent temple. Beams of cedar marked a costly building. The cedar of Lebanon is a close-grained, light-colored, yellowish wood, with darker knots and veins.
spake I a word to any of the judges - In 2Sa_7:7 it is “any of the tribes” of Israel. The judges “who were commanded to feed the people,” form the more suitable antithesis to David.
1Ch 17:7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:
2Sa 7:8 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:
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote - a round tower of rude construction, high walled, but open at the top, in which sheep are often enclosed at night to protect them from wild beasts. The meaning is, I elevated you to the throne from a humble condition solely by an act of divine grace, and not from any antecedent merits of your own, and I enabled you to acquire renown, equal or superior to any other monarch. Your reign will ever be afterwards regarded as the best and brightest era in the history of Israel, for it will secure to the nation a settled inheritance of prosperity and peace, without any of the oppressions or disorders that afflicted them in early times.
I took thee from the sheepcote - for that was his employment, to keep his father's sheep, before he was taken into Saul's court, and married his daughter, when after his death he came to have the crown, of Israel: now this is said, not to upbraid him with his former meanness, but to observe the goodness of God unto him, and what reason he had for thankfulness.
Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David - For it was taken well at his hands, in part, that it was in his heart, and he had a desire to build an house for God, though he was wrong in determining upon it without seeking the Lord; and lest he should be discouraged by the prohibition of him from building, the following things are observed to assure him it was not from disregard unto him, or displeasure at him, that he would not be employed in this service; since the Lord had given sufficient tokens of his favor to him, and with which he should be content, as having honor enough done him; it was enough that God had raised him up from a low estate to great grandeur and dignity:
1Ch 17:8 And 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.
2Sa 7:9 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.
I was with thee whithersoever thou hast walked - When he went against Goliath, when he went forth against the Philistines, when in Saul's court, when he fled from Saul, and was obliged to go to various places, God was with him protecting and preserving him, prospering and succeeding him every where, and in everything:
and have cut off all thine enemies from before you - as Saul, and others in the land of Israel , and the Philistines, and other enemies round about him, so that he had rest from them all:
1Ch 17:9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,
2Sa 7:10 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,
I will ordain a place - The land of Canaan: this the Lord had of old appointed to them, and had introduced them into and settled them in it, but not entirely and alone; in many places the Canaanites had inhabited; but now they should be expelled, and the Israelites should have the place to themselves:
neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more - when in Egypt, and in the times of the judges; all which is supposed, provided they did not depart from the Lord, but abode by his word, worship, and ordinances, and obeyed his will; for it was by their obedience they held their tenure of the land of Canaan; or all this may respect future times, when they shall be converted to the Messiah, and return to their own land, and ever continue in it, and never more be harassed and distressed.
Neither shall the children of wickedness - They shall no more be brought into servitude as they were in the time they sojourned in Egypt.
1Ch 17:10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.
2Sa 7:11 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.
that he will make thee an house - not only build up his family, and make that numerous, but establish the house of his kingdom; that whereas he was desirous of building an house for God, God would build up an house for him; which would be a clear proof, that though he did not think fit to make use of him in the building of his house, yet he was not cast out of his favor, nor was it to be so interpreted by himself or others.
I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house - This was the language of Nathan himself, who was specially directed to assure David, not only of personal blessing and prosperity, but of a continuous line of royal descendants.
1Ch 17:11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
2Sa 7:12 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.
The prophet, having detailed God’s past mercies to David, now passes on to direct prophecy, and that one of the most important in the Old Testament.
I will raise up thy seed - In one sense this refers to Solomon, David’s successor and the builder of the temple. But we have the direct authority of Peter Act_2:29-30 Men, brothers, it is permitted to say to you with plainness as to the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit upon his throne, for applying it to Christ the seed of David, and His eternal kingdom; and the title the Son of David given to the Messiah in the rabbinical writings, as well as its special application to Jesus in the New Testament, springs mainly from the acknowledged Messianic significance of this prophecy. Isa_55:3 Bow down your ear, and come to Me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Act_13:34 And that He raised Him up from the dead, no more to return to corruption, He spoke in this way: "I will give you the holy promises of David."
I will raise up thy seed after thee - sons to succeed in the kingdom, as they did for the space of five hundred years; though here it respects one particular seed or son, even Solomon, as well as a reference to the promised Messiah. So the following words may be understood, part of his posterity in general, part of Solomon, and part of Christ only, according to the different nature of the several passages.
1Ch 17:12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
2Sa 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
I will establish his throne for ever - David was a type of Christ; and concerning him the prophecy is literally true.
He shall build an house - For the fulfillment of this in the person of Solomon, see 1Ki_8:16-20. For its application to Christ, Eph_1:20-22 which He worked in Christ in raising Him from the dead, and He seated Him at His right hand in the heavenlies, far above all principality and authority and power and dominion, and every name being named, not only in this world, but also in the coming age. And He has put all things under His feet and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, 1Ti_3:15 But if I should delay, that you may know how you ought to behave in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth. Heb_3:6 But Christ was faithful as a Son over his own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Zec_6:12-13 And speak to him, saying, So speaks the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the Man whose name is The BRANCH! And He shall spring up out of His place, and He shall build the temple of the LORD. Even He shall build the temple of the LORD; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne. And He shall be a priest on His throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
I will establish his throne forever - The words show distinctly that this prophecy looks beyond the succession of the kings of Judah of the house of David, and embraces the throne of Christ according to the Angel’s interpretation given in Luk_1:31-33 And behold! You shall conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end, where the reference to this passage cannot be mistaken. This is also brought out fully in Psa_89:29 Also I have set his seed forever, and his throne as the days of the heavens. Psa_89:36-37 His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, and like a faithful witness in the heavens. Selah.
1Ch 17:13 I 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 that was before thee:
2Sa 7:14-15 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: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son - That is, I will be as kind unto him, and careful of him, as a father of a son; or he shall be, and appear to be my son, by adopting grace, as no doubt Solomon was, notwithstanding all his failings. This is applied to Christ, the antitypical Solomon, who was, in an higher sense, the Son of God, even by natural and eternal generation; Heb_1:5 For to which of the angels did He say at any time, "You are My Son, this day I have begotten You?" And again, "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?"
I will not take my mercy away from him - He will not cut off his family from the throne, as He did that of his predecessor Saul. Should his misconduct call for personal chastisement, God will spare his family. If He sees it necessary to withdraw His favor and help for a time, it will be a corrective discipline only to reform and restore, not to destroy.
I will not take my mercy away from him - His house shall be a lasting house, and he shall die in the throne of Israel, his children succeeding him; and the spiritual seed, Christ, possessing and ruling in that throne to the end of time. The family of Saul became totally extinct; the family of David remained till the incarnation. Joseph and Mary were both of that family; Jesus was the only heir to the kingdom of Israel ; he did not choose to sit on the secular throne, he ascended the spiritual throne, and now he is exalted to the right hand of God, a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance and remission of sins.
as I took it from him who was before thee - and therefore must be understood of his mercy and kindness, in giving him a kingdom, and setting him on the throne; this should not be taken away from him, as it was from Saul, whom God rejected from being king; not him personally, but his posterity.
1Ch 17:14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.
2Sa 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
I will settle him in my house - God here asserts His right of supreme sovereignty in Israel. David and Solomon, with their successors, were only the vicegerents whom He nominated, or, in His providence, permitted. Strictly and properly this expression agrees with Christ, to whom alone that promise also of an everlasting establishment in this kingdom belongs.
1Ch 17:15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
2Sa 7:17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
According to all these words, and according to all this vision - All the words of this prophecy, just as they were delivered to Nathan, were exactly expressed by him; he did not vary from them in the least, but with the greatest faithfulness related them:
so did Nathan speak unto David - it was contrary to the advice which he had given; but he was not ashamed to retract his sense, when he was made acquainted with the mind of God.
1Ch 17:16 And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
2Sa 7:18 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?
Sat before the Lord - In the tent where the ark was. It appears that a sitting posture was sometimes used in prayer. David's prayer consists of two parts - thanksgiving for the promise (1 Chronicles 17:16-22), and supplication for its fulfillment (1 Chronicles 17:23-27). The thanksgiving consists of a confession of unworthiness of all the great things that the Lord had hitherto done for him, and which He had still further increased by this glorious promise, and praise to the Lord that all this had been done in proof of His true Deity, and to glorify His name upon His chosen people Israel.
he said, who am I, O Lord God - a creature, a sinful creature, a mean and unworthy one, undeserving of a place in the house of God, and of access unto him, and to receive any favor from him, less than the least of all saints, less than the least of all mercies:
he said, who am I, O Lord God - These words recall Jacob's prayer in Gen_32:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have done to Your servant. For with my staff I passed over this Jordan, and now I have become two bands. David acknowledged himself to be unworthy of the great mercy which the Lord had displayed towards him, that he might give the glory to God alone.
he said, who am I, O Lord God - David's prayer is full of the breathings of devout affection toward God. He had low thoughts of his own merits. All we have, must be looked upon as Divine gifts. He speaks very highly and honorably of the Lord's favors to him.
and what is my house - or family, the family of Jesse; for though it sprung from a prince in Israel , yet was but low and mean, in comparison of some others, and especially unworthy of the regard of the great God:
that thou hast brought me hitherto - to such grandeur and dignity, as to be king over all Israel and Judah, to have all his enemies subdued under him, and to be at peace and rest from them, and established in his kingdom; and which he signifies the Lord alone had brought him to, through many difficulties and tribulations, and which he could never have attained unto by his own wisdom and power, nor by the assistance of his friends; it was all the Lord's doing, and wondrous in his eyes.
1Ch 17:17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.
2Sa 7:19 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?
1Ch 17:18 What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.
2Sa 7:20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.
For the honor of thy servant - The Septuagint omits “Thy servant” 1Ch 17:18 What shall David do more toward thee to glorify [thee]? and thou knowest thy servant (Septuagint)
1Ch 17:19 O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.
2Sa 7:21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
according to thine own heart - of his own sovereign good will and pleasure, of his own grace, not according to the merits and deserts of David:
for your servant’s sake - It is very observable that what in 2 Samuel is said to be, “for thy word's sake,” is here said to be, “for thy servant's sake”. Jesus Christ is both the Word of God, Rev_19:13 And He had been clothed in a garment dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God and the Servant of God, Isa_42:1 Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; My Elect, in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit on Him; He shall bring out judgment to the nations and it is for his sake, upon account of his mediation, that the promises are made good to all believers; it is in him, that they are yea and amen. For His sake it is done, for his sake it is made known; to him we owe all this greatness, from him we are to expect all these great things. They are the unsearchable riches of Christ, which, if by faith we see in themselves, and see in the Lord Jesus, we cannot but magnify as the only true greatness, and speak honorably of them. For this blessedness may we look amidst the trials of life, and when we feel the hand of death upon us; and seek it for our children after us.
1Ch 17:20 O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
2Sa 7:22 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.
neither is there any God beside thee - there is but one God, the living and true God, the former and maker of all things; all others are but fictitious and factitious gods.
according to all that we have heard with our ears - concerning what he did in the land of Egypt upon the Egyptians, and in the wilderness, in favor of the Israelites, and in the land of Canaan, by driving out the inhabitants before the people of Israel, and in the times of the judges, in raising them up to deliver his people.
1Ch 17:21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom 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?
2Sa 7:23 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?
And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel - For the knowledge and worship of the true God among them, for laws and or given them, and for blessings of goodness bestowed upon them:
1Ch 17:22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God.
2Sa 7:24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.
thou, Lord becamest their God - their covenant God, they having avouched him to be their God, and he having avouched them to be his people, Deu_26:17-19 You have today said that the LORD is your God, and that you would walk in His ways, and keep His statutes and His commandments and His judgments, and listen to His voice. And the LORD has taken you today to be His peculiar people, as He has promised you, and to keep all His commandments, and to make you high above all nations which he has made, in praise and in name and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the LORD your God, even as He has spoken.
1Ch 17:23 Therefore 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.
2Sa 7:25 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.
And now, O Lord God - From confessions of unworthiness, and of the goodness of God, and a recital of favors conferred on him and the people of Israel , David proceeds to petitions.
1Ch 17:24 Let it 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.
2Sa 7:26 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.
thy name be magnified for ever - David desired the performance of the above things not so much for his own sake, and for the sake of his family, as for the glory of God; his great concern was, that God might be magnified, and his greatness displayed, in making him and his family great; and particularly that he might be magnified and glorified in that famous Son of his, the Messiah, as he has been, Joh_13:31 Then when he had left, Jesus said, Now the Son of man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. and by all his people in succeeding ages:
1Ch 17:25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.
2Sa 7:27 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.
Thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee -David felt himself encouraged to offer this prayer through the revelation which he had received.
1Ch 17:26 And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
2Sa 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
1Ch 17:27 Now 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.
2Sa 7:29 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.
Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant - Not according to the merits of him or his family, but according to the sovereign will and pleasure of God;
Blessed for ever - David's prayer concludes, as God's promise did, 1Ch_17:14, with that which is for ever. God's word looks at things eternal. And so should our desires and hopes.
