Bible Commentaries
2 Samuel 7

Verse 2

7:2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within {a} curtains.

(a) Within the tabernacle covered with skins, Exodus 26:7.

Verse 5

7:5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, {b} Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

(b) Meaning, he should not: yet Nathan speaking according to man’s judgment and not by the spirit of prophecy permitted him.

Verse 7

7:7 In all [the places] wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a {c} 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?

(c) Concerning building a house: meaning without God’s express word, nothing should be attempted.

Verse 9

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 {d} great name, like unto the name of the great [men] that [are] in the earth.

(d) I have made you famous through all the world.

Verse 10

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 {e} no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

(e) He promises them quietness, if they will walk in his fear and obedience.

Verse 14

7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the {f} rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

(f) That is, gently, as fathers use to chastise their children.

Verse 16

7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be {g} established for ever.

(g) This was begun in Solomon, as a figure, but accomplished in Christ.

Verse 19

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 {h} man, O Lord GOD?

(h) Does this not come rather from your free mercy, than from any worthiness that can be in man?

Verse 23

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 {i} you great things and terrible, for {k} thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, [from] the {l} nations and their gods?

(i) O Israel.

(k) And inheritance, which is Israel.

(l) From the Egyptians and their idols.

Verse 24

7:24 For thou hast {m} confirmed to thyself thy people Israel [to be] a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.

(m) He shows that God’s free election is the only reason why the Israelites were chosen to be his people.

Verse 26

7:26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts [is] the God over Israel: and let the {n} house of thy servant David be established before thee.

(n) This prayer is most effective when we chiefly seek God’s glory, and the accomplishment of his promise.

Verse 29

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 {o} spoken [it]: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

(o) Therefore I firmly believe it will come to pass.