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2 SAMUEL 7
PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS
| NASB | NKJV | NRSV | TEV | NJB (MT versing) |
| David Plans to Build A Temple | God's Covenant with David | David Wishes to Build a Temple but God Wills that He Establish an Everlasting Kingdom | Nathan's Message to David | Nathan's Prophecy |
| 7:1-3 | 7:1-3 | 7:1-3 | 7:1-2 | 7:1-3 |
| 7:3-7 | ||||
| 7:4-7 | 7:4-11 | 7:4-17 | 7:4 | |
| 7:5-6 | ||||
| God's Covenant with David | 7:7-16 | |||
| 7:8-17 | 7:8-16 | |||
| 7:12-17 | ||||
| 7:17 | 7:17 | |||
| David's Prayer | David's Thanksgiving to God | David's Prayer of Thanksgiving | David's Prayer | |
| 7:18-29 | 7:18-29 | 7:18-29 | 7:18-24 | 7:18a |
| 7:18b-24 | ||||
| 7:25-27 | 7:25-29 | |||
| 7:28-29 |
READING CYCLE THREE (see
"Bible Interpretation Seminar")
FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL
This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS
the "eternity" factor (vv. 16,24,25,29) must refer to the Messiah who was from Abraham, Judah, David, born during the Roman Empire.
WORD AND PHRASE STUDY
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 7:1-3
1Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the Lord
had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2that the king said to Nathan the prophet,
"See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains." 3Nathan said
to the king, "Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you."
7:1 "in his house" This refers to David's palace which Hiram of Tyre helped build (cf. 2 Sam. 5:11-12).
▣ "the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies" This is an aspect of YHWH's covenant promise (cf. vv. 9,11; i.e., "the Lord is with you," v. 3, cf. Deut. 28:7). This peace showed YHWH's presence and blessing as well as David's covenant obedience. Most covenants are conditional ("if. . .then"; i.e., 1 Kgs. 9:4-7).
SPECIAL TOPIC: WHY DO OT COVENANT PROMISES SEEM SO DIFFERENT FROM NT COVENANT PROMISES?
7:2 "Nathan" As David used the High Priest to know YHWH's will (i.e., Urim and Thummim), he also used prophets to hear from YHWH. The two main prophets during the period were
▣ "the ark of God" See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ARK OF THE COVENANT.
▣ "dwells within tent curtains" It is uncertain the shape of David's new tent (2 Sam. 6:17; 1 Chr. 15:1,3; 16:1). Many scholars assume it was a combination of
YHWH designed His first tabernacle to be portable to go with Israel during the Exodus and Conquest (vv. 6-7), but now Jerusalem had become its permanent home. This was the special place that YHWH Himself chose to dwell (see Deut. 12:5,11,21; 14:23,24; 16:6,11; 26:2).
Not only did the "tent" dwell (BDB 442, KB 444, Qal PERFECT) but YHWH Himself dwelt there, in the holy of holies, above the wings of the cherubim on the lid of the ark.
▣ "tent curtains" The tabernacle in the wilderness is called by two names.
I am not sure if there is an intended difference or just literary variety.
The problem has to do with which tent is being referred to here. It seems that the tabernacle of the wilderness, first set up in the Promised Land at Shiloh (cf. Josh. 18:1; 19:51; 1 Sam. 2:22), was later moved to Gibeon, where it stayed during David's life (cf. 1 Chr. 16:39-40; 2 Chr. 1:2-6) and was not moved to Jerusalem until Solomon's reign (cf. 2 Chr. 1:3-4,13).
7:3 "Go, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you" These are two Qal IMPERATIVES. However, Nathan spoke presumptuously from his own opinion without prayer and consultation with YHWH. We must remember "revelation" is from YHWH (v. 4), not the mind and heart of man, even a called and gifted man!
For "mind," which is literally "heart" (BDB 523), see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEART.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 7:4-7
4But in the same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,
5"Go and say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord, "Are you the
one who should build Me a house to dwell in? 6For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought
up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle.
7Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel,
which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?'"'
7:5 "My servant David" See SPECIAL TOPIC: MY SERVANT.
▣ "Are you the one who. . ." This was the key question. Should David, a man of war (cf. 1 Chr. 22:8; 28:3), build YHWH's temple/house or should his son, a man of peace?
The UBS Handbook for Translators, p. 252, mentions that both pronouns "you" and "Me" are emphasized.
7:7 This is similar to the statement in 1 Kgs. 8:16 (i.e., Solomon's dedication of the Temple).
However, the parallel in 1 Chr. 17:6 has "Judges." The word "Judges" (BDB 1047, שׁפט is very close to "tribes" (BDB 986, שׁבטי). Judges fits the context much better.
▣ "which I commanded to shepherd My people" This seems to refer to the different leaders from different tribes.
However, if it should be "judges" (see note above), it would simply refer to "leaders" of different types (cf. v. 11).
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 7:8-17
8"Now therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, 'Thus says the
Lord of hosts, "I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep,
to be ruler over My people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone and
have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of
the great men who are on the earth. 10I will also appoint a place for My people Israel
and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the
wicked afflict them any more as formerly, 11even from the day that I commanded
judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The
Lord also declares to you that the Lord
will make a house for you. 12When your days are complete and you lie down with your
fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his
kingdom. 13He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his
kingdom forever. 14I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits
iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, 15but
My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before
you. 16Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be
established forever."'" 17In accordance with all these words and all this vision, so Nathan
spoke to David.
7:8 "the Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord OF HOSTS.
▣ "I took you from the pasture" David was the younger, most unlikely choice for king (cf. 1 Samuel 16). There are several ways YHWH shows His sovereign choice.
7:9 This wording is similar to YHWH's promise to Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3. As a matter of fact, it is a continuation of those promises.
SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT PROMISES TO THE PATRIARCHS
7:10 YHWH is promising a home land. This promise is the focus of the OT, while the promise to David's seed and an eternal kingdom is the focus of the NT (i.e., Micah 5:2-5).
Canaan is often called YHWH's land. Notice the land given to Israel was the only land bridge between the two major powers of the ANE.
Only God could keep them in the land (i.e., supernatural acts). Also notice the things mentioned in vv. 8-10 are "grace" acts. The OT is as much a reflection and revealer of the grace of God as is the NT. It is difficult theologically to balance
They are both true, yet #1 must have priority.
▣ "I will plant them" This VERB (BDB 642, KB 694, Qal PERFECT with waw, the FIRST PERSON emphasizes YHWH's action) is agricultural imagery, but it is used of YHWH's actions for Israel in Exod. 15:17; Ps. 44:2; 80:8,15; Isa. 5:2,7; Jer. 2:21; 11:17; 12:2; 24:6; 31:28; 32:41; 42:10; Ezek. 17:23; Amos 9:15. The vine often symbolizes Israel. YHWH is the husbandman. The ground, the plants, the crop are His!
▣ "and not be disturbed again" Israel was "disturbed" by "the wicked" because of her covenant disobedience (cf. Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). Verse 10 implies a new day of covenant obedience (cf. Deut. 30:1,15,19). The promises of YHWH to Israel were always conditional. There is tension here because YHWH's ultimate purpose was the redemption of all people. On one level, His purposes are sure, but on another level the blessings are conditional on individual and corporate choices!
SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN
SPECIAL TOPIC: ELECTION/PREDESTINATION AND THE NEED FOR A THEOLOGICAL BALANCE
7:11-12 Here is the play on the word "house." David wants to build YHWH a "house" (i.e., temple) but YHWH instead will build David a house (i.e., dynasty, see Contextual Insights, B.).
7:12 Notice death is not seen as an enemy but a consummate act before reunion with family. Death is only a terror to those who do not know YHWH (cf. 1 Chr. 17:11 and 1 Cor. 15:50-58)!
SPECIAL TOPIC: WHERE ARE THE DEAD?
7:13-14 "he. . .him" These PRONOUNS refer directly to Solomon. Clearly "I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever" refers to a future Davidic seed (cf. Isaiah 7; 11; Jer. 23:5-6; Dan. 2:44-45; 7:14, 18, 27; Micah 5:2-5; Luke 1:32,33; Acts 2:30).
7:13 "lovingkindness" See SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed).
7:14 "he will be a son to Me" This is a play on "son" (cf. Ps. 2:7; Acts 13:23; Heb. 1:5; 5:5).
SPECIAL TOPIC: "SONS OF. . ." (OT)
| ▣ | |
| NASB, NRSV, TEV, REB, JPSOA | "when" |
| NKJV, NJB, LXX, Peshitta | "if" |
This is a very ambiguous relative (BDB 81-84). No theological emphasis should be made about this second phrase of v. 14. Here are the options.
▣ "I will discipline him" This is imagery of God as "father' (cf. 1 Chr. 17:13; 22:10; 28:6; Ps. 2:7; 89:26-26; Heb. 12:5-13).
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD
| 7:15 | |
| NASB | "My lovingkindness" |
| NKJV, LXX, Peshitta | "My mercy" |
| NRSV | "my steadfast love" |
| NJB | "my faithful love" |
| REB | "my love" |
| JPSOA | "My favor" |
This is the recurrent covenant term hesed (BDB 338). It denotes YHWH's loyalty to His covenant promises, even in the light of His people's disobedience (v. 14b). It is the closest OT parallel to "agape."
SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed)
7:16 This same great promise is seen in Ps. 89:29,36,37. The problem comes in the OT exiles of the covenant people from Canaan (i.e., Assyrian and Babylonian) and the Roman destruction of all Jewish nationalism in a.d. 70.
This is part of the tension between YHWH's promises and Israelite's covenant obedience.
For the ambiguity of "forever" in the OT see SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam).
| ▣ | |
| NASB, NKJV, NJB, LXX, Peshitta, NET | "before Me" |
| NKJV, JPSOA | "before you" |
| REB | "in my sight" |
The MT has "before me" (cf. vv. 26,29). The UBS Text Project, p. 222, gives it a "C" rating (considerable doubt).
Some scholars think a scribal error occurred in the MT because "before you" appears at the end of v. 15. Option #2 fits the latter part of v. 16 better.
7:17 These words were not the prophet Nathan's but YHWH's! This is revelation.
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 7:18-29
18Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and
he said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have
brought me this far? 19And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O
Lord God, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant
concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord God.
20Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O
Lord God! 21For the sake of Your word, and according to
Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know. 22For this
reason You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there
is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23And what one
nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to
make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before
Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods?
24For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever,
and You, O Lord, have become their God. 25Now therefore,
O Lord God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and
his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken, 26 that Your name may be
magnified forever, by saying, 'The Lord of hosts is God over Israel'; and
may the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, O
Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant,
saying, 'I will build you a house'; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.
28Now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth,
and You have promised this good thing to Your servant. 29Now therefore, may it please
You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O
Lord God, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your
servant be blessed forever."
7:18-29 This is David's prayer of thanks for YHWH's wonderful promises about his descendants. The parallel is in 1 Chr. 17:16-27.
7:18 "sat before the Lord" This must have been somewhere in the new tent.
The problem occurs when we try to interpret David's actions in light of the Mosaic covenant. Did David
These were all actions limited to Levitical priests.
There is also the unusual VERB "sat" (BDB 442, KB 444, Qal IMPERFECT with waw). No priest ever "sat" in the inner shrine. It may be an idiom of remaining a long time. If "sat" is literal it may be a gesture of humility or contrition.
SPECIAL TOPIC: LEVITICAL PRIESTS
▣ "Who am I. . .and my house?" This is a good question (cf. v. 5). Was YHWH good to David and his descendants because they were "elect," "special"? Absolutely not! God loves all people made in His image (cf. Gen. 1:26,27; Ps. 8:4; John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; 4:10; Titus 2:11; 3:4; 2 Pet. 3:9; see SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN). David was a means (like Israel) to a divine end (v. 19).
| ▣ | |
| NASB | "the custom of man" |
| NKJV | "the manner of man" |
| NRSV | "instruction for the people" |
| TEV | "let a man see this" |
| NJB | "such is human destiny" |
| JPSOA | "the law for the people" |
| LXX | "the Law for the person" |
| Peshitta | "the guidance of men" |
The MT has "the law of Adam." The parallel in 1 Chr. 17:17 has "according to the standard of a man of high degree" (see detailed notes online at 1 Chr. 17:17).
The Hebrew phrase is uncertain, even though the UBS Text Project, p. 222, gives it an "A" rating. No suggestion has solved this enigma. I think it may be related to v. 14c (i.e., "rod of men"). That would make it plural "the instruction (law) for men (mankind)." A Messianic revelation of a future Davidic king to rule the world.
7:20 The VERB "know" has several connotations. Here, I think it denotes intimate fellowship. YHWH knows David, though sinful, he has a "whole heart" for Him.
7:21 This is crucial information. YHWH acts
SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT)
7:22 Notice how David characterizes YHWH.
David heard these truths by revelation and tradition. Now he has personally experienced YHWH's great heart and acts!
7:23 This verse speaks of the uniqueness of Israel as YHWH's means of revealing Himself to the nations. YHWH wanted to bless Israel to attract all other peoples to Himself, but Israel was so disobedient to His covenants that the nations saw only YHWH's judgment on His own people (cf. Galatians 3).
| ▣ | |
| NASB, NKJV | "for Your land" |
| NRSV, NJB, REB, JPSOA, LXX | "by driving out" |
| Peshitta | "for Your people" |
The MT has "for Your land," but the parallel in 1 Chr. 17:21 has "a driving out before Your people." The UBS Text Project, p. 224, gives the 1 Chronicles 17 parallel and LXX a "C" rating (considerable doubt).
▣ "from the nations and their gods" YHWH has always wanted to reveal His uniuqeness. Genesis 1 is, in some ways, an attack on the false gods of Mesopotamia (i.e., astral deities), as the plagues of Exodus are an attack on the Egyptian nature deities! There is one, and only one, God (i.e., Deut. 6:4-6).
▣ "redeemed" See SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM.
7:24 "You have established" This VERB (BDB 465, KB 464, Polel IMPERFECT with waw) is used often in Samuel for YHWH's special actions.
The UBS Handbook, p. 771, makes a good point: "This seems to be a key word in this chapter. Note its use in verses 12 and 13." The VERB focuses on YHWH's redemptive will and actions to accomplish it.
7:24,25,29 "forever" See SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam).
7:28 "your words are truth" The VERB (BDB 224, KB 243, Qal) could be
Most English translations have it as a statement but the NET Bible translates it as a JUSSIVE, "May your words prove to be true." The key to all Christian theology is the truth and trustworthiness of Scripture.
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE BIBLE (it's uniqueness and inspiration)
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.
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