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2 Samuel 7:4-16

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David has a desire to build a house for the LORD, but is not allowed to do so because the LORD’s plan is that David’s son, Solomon, will be the one to build the temple. Although the LORD did not choose to allow the temple to be build by David, He makes an even greater promise to David that will not be completely fulfilled until Jesus Christ establishes His kingdom on earth.

Verses 1-3: During a period when the LORD had given David peace from Israel’s enemies, David had time to think about things closer to home. He recognized the irony in the fact that he lived in a house of cedar but the ark of the LORD resided within “curtains” (a tent). Nathan the prophet, knowing that the LORD had always been with David in everything that he did, advised him to do whatever he thought should be done since the LORD would bless him.

4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

“And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan” – Nathan had assumed that David’s ideas would be in the LORD’s will, but now the LORD speaks to Nathan to correct that misconception.

“saying, Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?” – The LORD asks whether David should be the one build a house for the LORD. The rhetorical nature of the question shows that the answer is “no.” According to 1 Chr. 22:8; 28:3, David was not chosen by LORD to build the temple because he was a man of war who had shed much blood. Instead, David’s son, Solomon, would be a man of peace and the LORD would appoint him to build the temple. The LORD had used David to free Israel from the oppression of the Philistines and other surrounding nations, ushering in a time of peace. This time of peace would then allow Solomon the freedom to build the temple.

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. 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?

The LORD points out that from the time of Moses until the present time He had not dwelt in a permanent building but had been satisfied to dwell in a tent that was moved from place to place. Throughout that time, He had never complained that Israel had not built a house of cedar for Him to dwell in. Although David’s desire to build a house for the LORD was admirable (1 Kings 8:18), it had not come from the LORD.

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:

“Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts” – The LORD reinforces that this message from Him is specifically to David, whom He calls His servant.

“I took thee from the sheepcote [abode of shepherds/sheep], from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel” – The LORD reminds David that he once was a lowly shepherd but he is now the king of Israel. The LORD makes it clear that He was the One Who exalted David to the place of being king. David has been promoted from shepherding sheep to shepherding the LORD’s people.

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.

“And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest” – The LORD prospered David, guiding and protecting him in everything he did.

“and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight” – David’s victories over his enemies were because of the LORD. The LORD worked on the battlefield as well as behind the scenes to strengthen David and to weaken and destroy the enemies of Israel.

“and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth” – David was not a mediocre king who would soon be forgotten after his death. David was known as a great king in the region and even today, David is remembered as Israel’s greatest king. Israel’s Messiah (Christ) is known as “the Son of David” (Matt. 22:41-42) and His kingdom will be a continuation of David’s kingdom.

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,

“Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel” – This place is the land of Canaan, which the LORD promised to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 13:14-17; Isaac - Gen. 17:19; 26:1-4, Jacob – Gen. 28:1-4, 13-15). The present day Palestinians and anti-Semites believe that Israel has no claim to the land in which they now reside but the LORD promised that land to Israel as an eternal possession (Gen. 48:3-4 “And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession”).

“and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more” – This promise has not yet been fully fulfilled because Israel has been expelled from the land more than once since David’s time. However, in the future kingdom of Christ, Israel will permanently dwell safely in the land forever under His protection.

“neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime” – In the Christ’s future kingdom, Israel will dwell safely in the land and will not have to fear oppression from their enemies like they have done from the time when they first entered the land of Canaan.

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.

“And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel” – This verse is a continuation of the sentence began in the previous verse where the LORD promised that a time will be coming when Israel would no longer be oppressed by enemy nations “as beforetime.” Adding to the time of oppression that was “beforetime” (previously), the LORD mentions the oppression of Israel that has occurred during the time of the judges after the death of Joshua. This oppression came about during the times when Israel turned away from following the LORD.

“and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies” – Under David’s righteous rule, the LORD has given Israel peace from the oppression of their enemies. The rest under David will be temporary but the peace in the kingdom of Jesus Christ will be permanent.

“Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house” – In addition to the peace the LORD has given David, He will also make David a “house” (family dynasty). In most kingdoms around the world, the royal family line changes frequently. Before a king could pass the crown to his son, it was possible that he could be assassinated and another man take the throne. The new king would typically kill all the potential heirs of the previous king so that his own crown would be uncontested. The LORD promises David that this will not be the case for his family line. In fact, David’s royal line culminates with Jesus Christ, Who will reign in an everlasting kingdom.

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 LORD promises that when David dies, his son will take the throne and his throne will be established by the LORD. It will not be a man attempting to hold onto the throne because the LORD will establish the kingdom under the descendants of David. Like many prophesies in scripture, the prophesy recorded in vs. 12-16 has a near fulfillment and a far fulfillment. The near fulfillment would be through David’s son, Solomon. The far fulfillment will be through Jesus Christ, Who is a descendant of David’s royal line (Rom. 1:3 “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh”).

13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 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:

“He shall build an house for my name” – This promise pertains primarily to Solomon, who will build the physical temple.

“and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever” – This promise pertains to Solomon in the sense that Solomon will continue the royal Davidic line, which the LORD will ensure will continue forever. This promise, however, pertains to a greater extent to the throne of Jesus Christ, Who will reign eternally.

“I will be his father, and he shall be my son” – While true to an extent of Solomon, the LORD’s tender care for His Son is more evident in the case of Jesus Christ, the Father’s beloved Son (Matt 3:17 “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”).

“If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men” – The LORD’s chastening hand would be against Solomon in his later years when his foreign wives drew his heart away from the LORD, for the LORD raised up adversaries against Solomon (1 Kings 11:14, 23). Since Jesus was sinless, He could only have been chastened for our iniquities and sins, taking the beatings from the rod of men and stripes that we deserved (Isa. 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed”).

15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

The LORD promises that David’s royal line will be established forever.

“But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee” – Saul’s royal line ended with his death since he was not able to pass the crown to his son. Saul was rejected by the LORD because of his rebellion (1 Sam. 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king”). In the case of David’s descendants, there would always be a path of reconciliation when they sinned because the LORD would never reject David’s descendants from being the royal line.

“And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever” – David’s royal line would permanently have a place on the throne over Israel. God chose that the Messiah (Christ) would come through David’s royal descendants and the kingdom of Jesus Christ will be an eternal one.

Verses 17-29: After Nathan delivered this message from the LORD, David was humbled and went to the LORD in prayer and asked “Who am I?” He knew he wasn’t worthy of what the LORD had promised him. He then exalted the LORD for redeeming Israel and for what He had done for David. He closed the prayer in gratitude for the LORD’s promise, for he had wanted to build a house for the LORD and instead the LORD promised to build David’s “house.”