5 Go H3212 and tell H559 my servant H5650 David, H1732 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Shalt thou build H1129 me an house H1004 for me to dwell in? H3427
Thou knowest H3045 how that David H1732 my father H1 could H3201 not build H1129 an house H1004 unto the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 his God H430 for H6440 the wars H4421 which were about him on every side, H5437 until the LORD H3068 put H5414 them under the soles H3709 of his feet. H7272 But now the LORD H3068 my God H430 hath given me rest H5117 on every side, H5439 so that there is neither adversary H7854 nor evil H7451 occurrent. H6294
Since the day H3117 that I brought forth H3318 my people H5971 Israel H3478 out of Egypt, H4714 I chose H977 no city H5892 out of all the tribes H7626 of Israel H3478 to build H1129 an house, H1004 that my name H8034 might be therein; but I chose H977 David H1732 to be over my people H5971 Israel. H3478 And it was in the heart H3824 of David H1732 my father H1 to build H1129 an house H1004 for the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel. H3478 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto David H1732 my father, H1 Whereas H3282 H834 it was in thine heart H3824 to build H1129 an house H1004 unto my name, H8034 thou didst well H2895 that it was in thine heart. H3824 Nevertheless H7535 thou shalt not build H1129 the house; H1004 but thy son H1121 that shall come forth out H3318 of thy loins, H2504 he shall build H1129 the house H1004 unto my name. H8034
And David H1732 said H559 to Solomon, H8010 My son, H1121 as for me, it was in my mind H3824 to build H1129 an house H1004 unto the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 my God: H430 But the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came to me, saying, H559 Thou hast shed H8210 blood H1818 abundantly, H7230 and hast made H6213 great H1419 wars: H4421 thou shalt not build H1129 an house H1004 unto my name, H8034 because thou hast shed H8210 much H7227 blood H1818 upon the earth H776 in my sight. H6440
Now the Levites H3881 were numbered H5608 from the age H1121 of thirty H7970 years H8141 and upward: H4605 and their number H4557 by their polls, H1538 man by man, H1397 was thirty H7970 and eight H8083 thousand. H505 Of which, H428 twenty H6242 and four H702 thousand H505 were to set forward H5329 the work H4399 of the house H1004 of the LORD; H3068 and six H8337 thousand H505 were officers H7860 and judges: H8199 Moreover four H702 thousand H505 were porters; H7778 and four H702 thousand H505 praised H1984 the LORD H3068 with the instruments H3627 which I made, H6213 said David, to praise H1984 therewith. And David H1732 divided H2505 them into courses H4256 among the sons H1121 of Levi, H3878 namely, Gershon, H1648 Kohath, H6955 and Merari. H4847 Of the Gershonites H1649 were, Laadan, H3936 and Shimei. H8096 The sons H1121 of Laadan; H3936 the chief H7218 was Jehiel, H3171 and Zetham, H2241 and Joel, H3100 three. H7969 The sons H1121 of Shimei; H8096 Shelomith, H8019 H8013 and Haziel, H2381 and Haran, H2039 three. H7969 These were the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of Laadan. H3936 And the sons H1121 of Shimei H8096 were, Jahath, H3189 Zina, H2126 and Jeush, H3266 and Beriah. H1283 These four H702 were the sons H1121 of Shimei. H8096 And Jahath H3189 was the chief, H7218 and Zizah H2125 the second: H8145 but Jeush H3266 and Beriah H1283 had not many H7235 sons; H1121 therefore they were in one H259 reckoning, H6486 according to their father's H1 house. H1004 The sons H1121 of Kohath; H6955 Amram, H6019 Izhar, H3324 Hebron, H2275 and Uzziel, H5816 four. H702 The sons H1121 of Amram; H6019 Aaron H175 and Moses: H4872 and Aaron H175 was separated, H914 that he should sanctify H6942 the most H6944 holy things, H6944 he and his sons H1121 for H5704 ever, H5769 to burn incense H6999 before H6440 the LORD, H3068 to minister H8334 unto him, and to bless H1288 in his name H8034 for H5704 ever. H5769 Now concerning Moses H4872 the man H376 of God, H430 his sons H1121 were named H7121 of the tribe H7626 of Levi. H3878 The sons H1121 of Moses H4872 were, Gershom, H1647 and Eliezer. H461 Of the sons H1121 of Gershom, H1647 Shebuel H7619 was the chief. H7218 And the sons H1121 of Eliezer H461 were, Rehabiah H7345 the chief. H7218 And Eliezer H461 had none other H312 sons; H1121 but the sons H1121 of Rehabiah H7345 were very H4605 many. H7235 Of the sons H1121 of Izhar; H3324 Shelomith H8019 the chief. H7218 Of the sons H1121 of Hebron; H2275 Jeriah H3404 the first, H7218 Amariah H568 the second, H8145 Jahaziel H3166 the third, H7992 and Jekameam H3360 the fourth. H7243 Of the sons H1121 of Uzziel; H5816 Michah H4318 the first, H7218 and Jesiah H3449 the second. H8145 The sons H1121 of Merari; H4847 Mahli, H4249 and Mushi. H4187 The sons H1121 of Mahli; H4249 Eleazar, H499 and Kish. H7027 And Eleazar H499 died, H4191 and had no sons, H1121 but daughters: H1323 and their brethren H251 the sons H1121 of Kish H7027 took H5375 them. The sons H1121 of Mushi; H4187 Mahli, H4249 and Eder, H5740 and Jeremoth, H3406 three. H7969 These were the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 after the house H1004 of their fathers; H1 even the chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 as they were counted H6485 by number H4557 of names H8034 by their polls, H1538 that did H6213 the work H4399 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 from the age H1121 of twenty H6242 years H8141 and upward. H4605 For David H1732 said, H559 The LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 hath given rest H5117 unto his people, H5971 that they may dwell H7931 in Jerusalem H3389 for ever: H5769 And also unto the Levites; H3881 they shall no more carry H5375 the tabernacle, H4908 nor any vessels H3627 of it for the service H5656 thereof. For by the last H314 words H1697 of David H1732 the Levites H3881 were numbered H4557 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and above: H4605 Because their office H4612 was to wait H3027 on the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 in the courts, H2691 and in the chambers, H3957 and in the purifying H2893 of all holy things, H6944 and the work H4639 of the service H5656 of the house H1004 of God; H430 Both for the shewbread, H3899 H4635 and for the fine flour H5560 for meat offering, H4503 and for the unleavened H4682 cakes, H7550 and for that which is baked in the pan, H4227 and for that which is fried, H7246 and for all manner of measure H4884 and size; H4060 And to stand H5975 every morning H1242 to thank H3034 and praise H1984 the LORD, H3068 and likewise at even; H6153 And to offer H5927 all burnt sacrifices H5930 unto the LORD H3068 in the sabbaths, H7676 in the new moons, H2320 and on the set feasts, H4150 by number, H4557 according to the order H4941 commanded unto them, continually H8548 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 And that they should keep H8104 the charge H4931 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and the charge H4931 of the holy H6944 place, and the charge H4931 of the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 their brethren, H251 in the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Samuel 7
Commentary on 2 Samuel 7 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 7
2Sa 7:1-3. Nathan Approves the Purpose of David to Build God A House.
2. the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar—The palace which Hiram had sent men and materials to build in Jerusalem had been finished. It was magnificent for that age, though made wholly of wood: houses in warm countries not being required to possess the solidity and thickness of walls which are requisite for dwellings in regions exposed to rain and cold. Cedar was the rarest and most valuable timber. The elegance and splendor of his own royal mansion, contrasted with the mean and temporary tabernacle in which the ark of God was placed, distressed the pious mind of David.
3. Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart—The piety of the design commended it to the prophet's mind, and he gave his hasty approval and encouragement to the royal plans. The prophets, when following the impulse of their own feelings, or forming conjectural opinions, fell into frequent mistakes. (See on 1Sa 16:6; 2Ki 4:27).
2Sa 7:4-17. God Appoints His Successor to Build It.
4-17. it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan—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.
11. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house—As a reward for his pious purpose, God would increase and maintain the family of David and secure the succession of the throne to his dynasty. [See on 1Ch 17:10].
12. I will set up thy seed after thee, &c.—It is customary for the oldest son born after the father's succession to the throne to succeed him in his dignity as king. David had several sons by Bath-sheba born after his removal to Jerusalem (2Sa 5:14-16; compare 1Ch 3:5). But by a special ordinance and promise of God, his successor was to be a son born after this time; and the departure from the established usage of the East in fixing the succession, can be accounted for on no other known ground, except the fulfilment of the divine promise.
13. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever—This declaration referred, in its primary application, to Solomon, and to the temporal kingdom of David's family. But in a larger and sublimer sense, it was meant of David's Son of another nature (Heb 1:8). [See on 1Ch 17:14.]
2Sa 7:18-29. David's Prayer and Thanksgiving.
18. Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord—Sitting was anciently an attitude for worship (Ex 17:12; 1Sa 4:13; 1Ki 19:4). As to the particular attitude David sat, most probably, upon his heels. It was the posture of the ancient Egyptians before the shrines; it is the posture of deepest respect before a superior in the East. Persons of highest dignity sit thus when they do sit in the presence of kings and it is the only sitting attitude assumed by the modern Mohammedans in their places and rites of devotion.
19. is this the manner of man, O Lord God?—that is, is it customary for men to show such condescension to persons so humble as I am? (See 1Ch 17:17.)
20. what can David say more unto thee?—that is, my obligations are greater than I can express.