10 And since the time H3117 that I commanded H6680 judges H8199 to be over my people H5971 Israel. H3478 Moreover I will subdue H3665 all thine enemies. H341 Furthermore I tell H5046 thee that the LORD H3068 will build H1129 thee an house. H1004
And the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was hot H2734 against Israel, H3478 and he delivered H5414 them into the hands H3027 of spoilers H8154 that spoiled H8155 them, and he sold H4376 them into the hands H3027 of their enemies H341 round about, H5439 so that they could H3201 not any longer H5750 stand H5975 before H6440 their enemies. H341 Whithersoever they went out, H3318 the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 was against them for evil, H7451 as the LORD H3068 had said, H1696 and as the LORD H3068 had sworn H7650 unto them: and they were greatly H3966 distressed. H3334 Nevertheless the LORD H3068 raised up H6965 judges, H8199 which delivered H3467 them out of the hand H3027 of those that spoiled H8154 them. And yet they would not hearken H8085 unto their judges, H8199 but they went a whoring H2181 after H310 other H312 gods, H430 and bowed H7812 themselves unto them: they turned H5493 quickly H4118 out of the way H1870 which their fathers H1 walked in, H1980 obeying H8085 the commandments H4687 of the LORD; H3068 but they did H6213 not so. And when the LORD H3068 raised H6965 them up judges, H8199 then the LORD H3068 was with the judge, H8199 and delivered H3467 them out of the hand H3027 of their enemies H341 all the days H3117 of the judge: H8199 for it repented H5162 the LORD H3068 because H6440 of their groanings H5009 by reason of them that oppressed H3905 them and vexed H1766 them.
Therefore the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was hot H2734 against Israel, H3478 and he sold H4376 them into the hand H3027 of Chushanrishathaim H3573 king H4428 of Mesopotamia: H763 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 served H5647 Chushanrishathaim H3573 eight H8083 years. H8141
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 cried H6817 unto the LORD: H3068 for he had nine H8672 hundred H3967 chariots H7393 of iron; H1270 and twenty H6242 years H8141 he mightily H2394 oppressed H3905 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
And so it was, when Israel H3478 had sown, H2232 that the Midianites H4080 came up, H5927 and the Amalekites, H6002 and the children H1121 of the east, H6924 even they came up H5927 against them; And they encamped H2583 against them, and destroyed H7843 the increase H2981 of the earth, H776 till thou come H935 unto Gaza, H5804 and left H7604 no sustenance H4241 for Israel, H3478 neither sheep, H7716 nor ox, H7794 nor ass. H2543 For they came up H5927 with their cattle H4735 and their tents, H168 and they came H935 H935 as H1767 grasshoppers H697 for multitude; H7230 for both they and their camels H1581 were without number: H4557 and they entered H935 into the land H776 to destroy H7843 it. And Israel H3478 was greatly H3966 impoverished H1809 because H6440 of the Midianites; H4080 and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 cried H2199 unto the LORD. H3068
And the Philistines H6430 gathered themselves together H622 to fight H3898 with Israel, H3478 thirty H7970 thousand H505 chariots, H7393 and six H8337 thousand H505 horsemen, H6571 and people H5971 as the sand H2344 which is on the sea H3220 shore H8193 in multitude: H7230 and they came up, H5927 and pitched H2583 in Michmash, H4363 eastward H6926 from Bethaven. H1007 When the men H376 of Israel H3478 saw H7200 that they were in a strait, H6887 (for the people H5971 were distressed,) H5065 then the people H5971 did hide H2244 themselves in caves, H4631 and in thickets, H2337 and in rocks, H5553 and in high places, H6877 and in pits. H953
Now there was no smith H2796 found H4672 throughout all the land H776 of Israel: H3478 for the Philistines H6430 said, H559 Lest the Hebrews H5680 make H6213 them swords H2719 or spears: H2595 But all the Israelites H3478 went down H3381 to the Philistines, H6430 to sharpen H3913 every man H376 his share, H4282 and his coulter, H855 and his axe, H7134 and his mattock. H4281
Thou hast also given H5414 me the necks H6203 of mine enemies; H341 that I might destroy H6789 them that hate H8130 me. They cried, H7768 but there was none to save H3467 them: even unto the LORD, H3068 but he answered H6030 them not. Then did I beat H7833 them small as the dust H6083 before H6440 the wind: H7307 I did cast them out H7324 as the dirt H2916 in the streets. H2351 Thou hast delivered H6403 me from the strivings H7379 of the people; H5971 and thou hast made H7760 me the head H7218 of the heathen: H1471 a people H5971 whom I have not known H3045 shall serve H5647 me. As soon as they hear H8088 H241 of me, they shall obey H8085 me: the strangers H1121 H5236 shall submit H3584 themselves unto me. The strangers H1121 H5236 shall fade away, H5034 and be afraid H2727 out of their close places. H4526 The LORD H3068 liveth; H2416 and blessed H1288 be my rock; H6697 and let the God H430 of my salvation H3468 be exalted. H7311 It is God H410 that avengeth H5414 H5360 me, and subdueth H1696 the people H5971 under me. He delivereth H6403 me from mine enemies: H341 yea, thou liftest me up H7311 above those that rise up H6965 against me: thou hast delivered H5337 me from the violent H2555 man. H376 Therefore will I give thanks H3034 unto thee, O LORD, H3068 among the heathen, H1471 and sing praises H2167 unto thy name. H8034 Great H1431 deliverance H3444 giveth he to his king; H4428 and sheweth H6213 mercy H2617 to his anointed, H4899 to David, H1732 and to his seed H2233 for H5704 evermore. H5769
Thine hand H3027 shall find out H4672 all thine enemies: H341 thy right hand H3225 shall find out H4672 those that hate H8130 thee. Thou shalt make H7896 them as a fiery H784 oven H8574 in the time H6256 of thine anger: H6440 the LORD H3068 shall swallow them up H1104 in his wrath, H639 and the fire H784 shall devour H398 them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Chronicles 17
Commentary on 1 Chronicles 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
1Ch 17:1-10. David Forbidden to Build God a House.
1. as David sat in his house—The details of this chapter were given in nearly similar terms (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.
5. 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 (as we may see from 1Ch 17:6) was to lay stress upon the fact that God was a Mithhatlek (a travelling God) and 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, &c.) [Bertheau].
6. spake I a word to any of the judges—In 2Sa 7:7 it is "any of the tribes" of Israel. Both are included. But the judges "who were commanded to feed the people," form the more suitable antithesis to David.
Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?—that is, a solid and magnificent temple.
7. 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 (see on 1Sa 16:11), 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.
9, 10. at the beginning, and since the time that I commanded judges—that is, including the whole period from Joshua to Saul.
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.
11. I will raise up thy seed—(See on 2Sa 7:12).
13. I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee—My procedure in dealing with him will be different from My disposal of Saul. Should his misconduct call for personal chastisement, I shall spare his family. If I see it necessary to withdraw My favor and help for a time, it will be a corrective discipline only to reform and restore, not to destroy. (On this passage some have founded an argument for Solomon's repentance and return to God).
14. I will settle him in my house—over My people Israel.
and in my kingdom for ever—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.
his throne shall be established for evermore—The posterity of David inherited the throne in a long succession—but not always. In such a connection as this, the phrase "for evermore" is employed in a restricted sense (see on La 3:31). We naturally expect the prophet to revert to David before concluding, after having spoken (1Ch 17:12) of the building of Solomon's temple. The promise that his house should be blessed was intended as a compensation for the disappointment of his wish to build the temple, and hence this assurance is appropriately repeated at the conclusion of the prophet's address [Bertheau].
15. According to all … this vision—The revelation of the divine will was made to the prophet in a dream.
16. David the king … sat before the Lord, and said—(See on 2Sa 7:18).