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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:1-3

Here is, I. David at rest. He sat in his house (2 Sam. 7:1), quiet and undisturbed, having no occasion to take the field: The Lord had given him rest round about, from all those that were enemies to his settlement in the throne, and he set himself to enjoy that rest. Though he was a man of war, he was for peace (Ps. 120:7) and did not delight in war. He had not been long at rest, nor was it long before he was again engaged in war; but at present he enjoyed a calm, and he was in his element... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:4-17

We have here a full revelation of God's favour to David and the kind intentions of that favour, the notices and assurances of which God sent him by Nathan the prophet, whom he entrusted to deliver this long message to him. The design of it is to take him off from his purpose of building the temple and it was therefore sent, 1. By the same hand that had given him encouragement to do it, lest, if it had been sent by any other, Nathan should be despised and insulted and David should be perplexed,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:1

And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house ,.... Which Hiram's servants had built for him, having no occasion to go out to war: and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies ; both at home and abroad; though this rest and peace did not last long; for the next chapter gives an account of each of the people he was engaged in war with, 2 Samuel 8:1 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:2

That the king said unto Nathan the prophet ,.... This is the first time this prophet is made mention of, but often afterwards, yet who he was, and from whence he came, is not known; he appears to be a man of great piety and prudence, as well as endowed with a prophetic spirit, and was very familiar with David, and perhaps dwelt in his palace; being a man on all accounts fit for conversation with princes, to whom David imparted what he had been meditating upon in his heart. The Jews have a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:3

And Nathan said to the king, go, do till that is in thine heart ,.... He perceived it was in his heart to build an house for God; he knew an house was to be built at one time or another, by some person or another; he knew it was a good work, and fit for a king to do, and might think this was a proper time any, he being at leisure, and therefore encouraged him to it: but inasmuch as the time when and the person by whom this was to be built were not pointed out particularly in the word of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:4

And it came to pass that night ,.... The same night following the day in which David and Nathan had had the above conversation, that neither of them might continue long in their error and mistake, and especially lest David, in his great zeal and warm affection, should take an hasty and improper step: that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan ; the word of prophecy, as the Targum; before he was not under a prophetic influence, but spoke in his own words, and had not the word of God; but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:5

Go and tell my servant David ,.... The Lord speaks very honourably and respectfully of him, owns him to be his servant in other things, though he did not choose to employ him in this; and though he was not the person, nor this the time, to build the house of the Lord, yet, as he showed a good will towards it, so far it was acceptable to God: thus saith the Lord, shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in ? no, thou shalt not, as appears from 1 Chronicles 17:4 ; which seems to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:6

Whereas I have not dwelt in any house ,.... Fixed, stated, habitation: since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt , even to this day ; a space of five or six hundred years, though he might before: but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle ; moving from place to place while in the wilderness, and since in the land of Canaan, first at Gilgal, then at Shiloh, afterwards at Nob, and now at Gibeon. "Tent" and "tabernacle" are distinguished, though they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:7

In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel ,.... See Gill on 2 Samuel 7:6 on the places mentioned there: spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel ; or rather the sceptres of Israel; so the word is rendered, Genesis 49:10 ; the sceptre bearers, rulers, and governors, whose custom was to carry a sceptre in their hands, as Ben Melech observes; and so in a parallel text, 1 Chronicles 17:6 , it is, "to any of the judges of Israel"; any of those from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:8

Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David ,.... For it was taken well at his hands, in part, that it was in his heart, and he had a desire to build an house for God, though he was wrong in determining upon it without seeking the Lord; and lest he should be discouraged by the prohibition of him from building, the following things are observed to assure him it was not from disregard unto him, or displeasure at him, that he would not be employed in this service; since the Lord had... read more

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