2 Samuel 7:5. Shalt thou build me an house, &c.— The interrogation here has the force of a negative. The meaning is, Thou shalt not build me, &c. See Psalms 132:3; Psalms 132:18. read more
2 Samuel 7:7. Spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel— The Judges of Israel. [שׁפטי] Houbigant. Hallet in his notes, vol. 2: p. 25 makes the same remark. read more
2 Samuel 7:10-11. I will appoint—and will plant— I have appointed—and have planted] Houbigant. And move no more— Neither may the sons of iniquity afflict them any more, as they have done before time; and even from the time when I placed judges over my people Israel, 2 Samuel 7:11. I also have given thee rest from all thine enemies, &c. Houbigant. An house— A family. Hamm. in Psalms 113:9. See 2 Samuel 7:27. read more
2 Samuel 7:13-16. I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever— We have often had occasion to remark, in the course of these notes, that the phrase for ever and those similar to it, frequently signify in the Old Testament only a considerable length of time. There can be no doubt that these words, in their primary sense, refer to Solomon and his kingdom. But as David was heir of that two-fold government, concerning which we have spoken at large on the book of Genesis; (see particularly... read more
2 Samuel 7:18. And sat before the Lord— Dr. Pococke, in his first volume, p. 213, has given us the figure of a person half sitting, and half kneeling; that is, kneeling so far as to rest the most muscular part of his body on his heels: which, he observes, is the manner in which inferior persons sit at this day before great men, and that it is considered as a very humble posture. Agreeably to which he informs us, in his second volume, p. 102, that the attendants of the English consul, when he... read more
2 Samuel 7:19. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God?— See 1Ch 17:17 where we read, And thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree. David is full of pious wonder, that God should be willing to shew his kindness to him even dead, as is the manner of men, who establish by will their benevolence towards their relations, desiring it to be derived to their sons, and to be perpetual. He renders the passage, For thou providest for the house of thy servant for a long... read more
2 Samuel 7:23. To do for you— Instead of for you, the LXX, Vulgate, and Arabic read, for them, which is certainly right. See Houbigant, Hallet, &c. By referring to 1Ch 17:21 the embarrassment of this verse may be removed, and the whole rendered thus: For what one nation upon earth is there like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, that he might make to himself a name; might do in their favour great and terrible things, and might drive the nations, and their gods,... read more
CHAPTER 7 :-. NATHAN APPROVES THE PURPOSE OF DAVID TO BUILD GOD A HOUSE. read more
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,... read more
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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 2 Samuel 7:3
2 Samuel 7:3. Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart— Nathan answered as a prudent man, not as a prophet; for the prophets did not know all events, but such only as God thought fit to reveal to them. Nathan, however, had great reason for what he said; for he knew the regard which the Lord had shewn to David, and thence might well conclude, that he would approve this pious design; besides, as David was himself a prophet, Nathan might well presume that this intention was... read more