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 :-; :-). :-. GOD APPOINTS HIS SUCCESSOR TO BUILD IT. read more
David’s desire to honor God 7:1-3It was when God had subdued all of David’s enemies that He gave this covenant to him (2 Samuel 7:1; 2 Samuel 7:9). Those enemies included the Ammonites with whom David was at war when he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband Uriah murdered (ch. 11). Thus it seems clear that God gave the Davidic Covenant to David after he had committed these sins rather than before, as the order of events in the text implies. We have already seen that the order of... read more
The Promise of God to David in Requital of his Desire to Build the TempleThis chapter affords an excellent illustration of the way in which prophecy has often two quite distinct applications, one to the more immediate and the other to the more distant future. The primary reference is to Solomon (see especially 2 Samuel 7:12-14), but the prophecy looks beyond him to a greater Son, of whom he was only an emblem and type. We get a somewhat similar instance in Isaiah 7:14-17 (see especially 2... read more
(3) Go, do all that is in thine heart.—Nathan naturally considered that it must be right for David to execute his pious purpose; but he spoke only according to his own sense of right, and not by Divine direction. read more
The Message of the Second Book of Samuel 2 Samuel 7:7 The second book of Samuel does not contain any very definite divisions, but seems most naturally to fall into three parts. In the first, which includes chapters one to eight, we have the account of David's public doings. In the second section, containing chapters nine to twenty, we have the history of David's court life. At chapter twenty the third and closing section of the book begins. This section constitutes an appendix of... read more
CHAPTER IX.PROPOSAL TO BUILD A TEMPLE.2 Samuel 7:1-29.THE spirit of David was essentially active and fond of work. He was one of those who are ever pressing on, not content to keep things as they are, moving personally towards improvement, and urging others to do the same. Even in Eastern countries, with their proverbial stillness and conservatism, such men are sometimes found, but they are far more common elsewhere. Great undertakings do not frighten them; they have spirit enough for a... read more
4. The Lord’s Promise to David and the Covenant CHAPTER 7 1. David’s desire (2 Samuel 7:1-3 ) 2. Nathan receives the message for David (2 Samuel 7:4-17 ) 3. David in the presence of Jehovah (2 Samuel 7:18-29 ) We reach now a climax. The Lord speaks and reveals His great purposes He had in His eternal councils for David, the king after His own heart. We behold the king in peace sitting in his own house; he had rest from all his enemies. In pious meditation the heart of the king had but... read more
The Lord having given grace to David to subdue the nations surrounding Israel, it is understandable that David's thoughts turned to a serious consideration of what is due the God of Israel. Why should David enjoy a house of cedar while the ark of God was housed in a tent (v.2)? This is a case similar to the previous chapter, where David's godliness deceived him. Of course his godliness was commendable, but it is not to be depended on for guidance. A godly man, out of genuine desire for the... read more
“ GOING AND GROWING ” CONQUERING FOES (2 Samuel 5:0 ) The title of this lesson is the literal rendering of 2 Samuel 5:10 , “David went on and grew great.” The margin reads, “going and growing.” First, he overcame the inhabitants of Jerusalem known as the Jebusites and, capturing the city, made it his capital (2 Samuel 5:6-9 ). The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles 11:4-9 will show the two accounts to complement and confirm one another, Samuel being the more biographic and analistic and... 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