2 Samuel 7:12-18

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:18-29

We have here the solemn address David made to God, in answer to the gracious message God had sent him. We are not told what he said to Nathan; no doubt he received him very kindly and respectfully as God's messenger. But his answer to God he took himself, and did not send by Nathan. When ministers deliver God's message to us, it is not to them, but to God, that our hearts must reply; he understands the language of the heart, and to him we may come boldly. David had no sooner received the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:12

And when thy days be fulfilled ,.... The days of his life, which were appointed by the Lord for him to live, and when he had filled up the common term of man's life, as he exactly did; for he lived just seventy years, see 2 Samuel 5:4 , and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers ; die and be buried; for this is a phrase expressive of death, and the grave the common portion of men: I will set up thy seed after thee ; sons to succeed in the kingdom, as they did for the space of five... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:13

He shall build an house for my name ,.... For the honour of it, for the worship and service of God, as it is well known Solomon did; and so his antitype the Messiah, Zechariah 6:12 , and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever ; that is, for a long time. Solomon's reign was forty years, and the kingdom of Judah continued in his posterity until the Babylonish captivity, and a prince that descended from him was the ruler of the people when they returned: this has its... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:14

I will be his father, and he shall be my son ,.... That is, I will be as kind unto him, and careful of him, as a father of a son; or he shall be, and appear to be my son, by adopting grace, as no doubt Solomon was, notwithstanding all his failings. This is applied to Christ, the antitypical Solomon, who was, in an higher sense, the Son of God, even by natural and eternal generation; see Hebrews 1:5 , if he commit iniquity ; which cannot be supposed of Christ; for though he was made sin... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:15

But my mercy shall not depart away from him ,.... Which is not to be understood of special mercy and grace, though it is true of these with respect to Solomon, and so to all the adopted children of God, see Psalm 89:32 ; but then this here designs such mercy as may be taken away from another, and as it was from Saul, as it follows: as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee ; and therefore must be understood of his mercy and kindness, in giving him a kingdom, and setting him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:16

And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee ,.... That is, both his family and his government should be perpetuated, or he should always have one of his family to sit upon his throne; the accomplishment of which, in the beginning of it, he saw with his eyes in his son Solomon, and with an eye of faith in his greater Son the Messiah, in whom only these words will have their complete fulfilment; and so Abarbinel says this vision or prophecy is explained by some of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:17

According to all these words, and according to all this vision ,.... All the words of this prophecy, just as they were delivered to Nathan, were exactly expressed by him; he did not vary from them in the least, but with the greatest faithfulness related them: so did Nathan speak unto David ; though in the part which related to the history of the house of God, it was contrary to the advice which he had given; but he was not ashamed to retract his sense, when he was made acquainted with... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 7:18

Then went King David in ,.... Into the tabernacle where the ark was, which he had prepared for it, 2 Samuel 6:17 , and sat before the Lord ; before the ark, the symbol of his presence, and prayed, and gave thanks, as follows: from whence it appears that a sitting posture was sometimes used in prayer, of which we have other instances, Exodus 17:11 . It is said F25 Vid. D. Herbert. de Cherbury de Relig. Gent. c. 7. p. 65. that Pythagoras, and also Numa, ordered that worshippers... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 7:13

He shall build - That is, Solomon shall build my temple, not thou, because thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars. See 1 Chronicles 22:8 ; (note); and see also the observations at the end, 2 Samuel 7:25 ; (note). The throne of his kingdom for ever - This is a reference to the government of the spiritual kingdom, the kingdom of the Messiah, agreeably to the predictions of the prophet long after, and by which this passage is illustrated: "Of the... read more

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