_A.M. 2962. B.C. 1042._ Nathan approves David's design of building a house for God, 2 Samuel 7:1. God forbids it, but promises to bless him and his seed, 2 Samuel 7:4. His prayer and thanksgiving, 2 Samuel 7:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
_When the king sat in his house_ That is, was settled in the house which Hiram's men had built for him; then he reflected upon the unsettled state of the ark. For, being a pious prince, he spent much of his time in holy meditations and the exercises of devotion; and among other subjects of considera... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nathan said, Go and do all that is in thy heart_ Pursue thy intentions, and build a house for the ark. The design being pious, and the thing not forbidden by God, Nathan hastily approves it before he had consulted God about it, as both he and David ought to have done in a matter of so great moment.... [ Continue Reading ]
_That night the word of the Lord came to Nathan_ Because David's mistake was pious, and from an honest mind, God would not suffer him to remain long in it. _Shalt thou build a house for me?_ That is, How is it that thou hast formed this design? _Whereas I have not dwelt in any house_, &c. I have not... [ Continue Reading ]
_The tribes of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people Israel _ The word _tribes_ seems here to be put for _judges_, appointed to govern the tribes. Indeed, the Hebrew word שׁבשׂי, _shibtee_, here rendered _tribes_, signifies also _sceptres_, and, consequently, supreme governors or rulers; such as... [ Continue Reading ]
_So shalt thou say unto my servant David_ Lest David should be discouraged, or judge himself neglected of God, as one thought unworthy of so great an honour, God here gives him the honourable title of his servant, thereby signifying that he accepted of his service and good intentions.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest_ In the time of his banishment he was remarkably preserved by God. _Moreover, I will appoint a place_, &c. I will make room for them, whereas hitherto they have been much straitened and distressed by their enemies. Or, _I have appointed a place_ for them,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And as since the time that I commanded judges_ In whose days they were sorely afflicted by the Moabites, Canaanites, Midianites, and others. But all this, as the event showed, was intended to be understood with a condition, except they should notoriously forsake God, which they did, and therefore t... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when thy days are fulfilled_, &c. When the time of thy life shall expire. This phrase implies, that his days should be prolonged to the usual course of nature, and not cut off in the midst, by any violent or untimely death. _Thy seed, which shall proceed out of thy bowels_ This manner of speaki... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shall build a house for my name_ This is meant literally of Solomon, who alone did build the material house or temple; but ultimately of Christ, who is the builder of God's spiritual house or temple. _For my name_ That is, for my service and glory. _For ever_ This is not meant of Solomon, for hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_I will be his father_ I will carry myself toward him as a father, with all affection, and I will own him as my son. This is intended both of Solomon, as a type of Christ, and of Christ himself, as is evident from Hebrews 1:5. _If he commit iniquity_ This agrees only to Solomon and some others of Da... [ Continue Reading ]
_My mercy shall not depart from him_ Or, _my kindness_, as the Hebrew word חסדי, _chasdi_, rather means. That is, the kingdom which I have mercifully and kindly promised to thee and thine. _As I took it from Saul_ In regard of his posterity, for the kingdom was continued to Saul himself during his l... [ Continue Reading ]
_According to all this vision did Nathan speak unto David_ And thereby manifested his integrity, not being ashamed to retract his own words when he was better taught of God. And, as Dionysius observes in the epistle to Novatus, the correction of his fault was more remarkable than the fault itself.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then went King David in_ Into the tabernacle. _And sat before the Lord_ That is, before the ark, the symbol of the divine presence, and where God was then peculiarly present, and was believed by David to be so. David probably _sat_ for a season, while he meditated on these things, and then altered... [ Continue Reading ]
_This_ Which thou hast already done for me, _that thou hast brought me hitherto_ to this pitch of honour, and peace, and prosperity in which, through thy favour, I now stand. _Was small_ Though it was more than I deserved, or could expect, yet thou didst not think it enough for thee to give to me. _... [ Continue Reading ]
_What can David say_ Either in a way of gratitude and praise Words cannot express my obligations to thee, nor my sense of these obligations or in a way of prayer: What can I ask of thee more than thou hast freely done? _Thou knowest thy servant_ Thou knowest my deep sense of thy favours, and my obli... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore thou art great_ Both in power and in goodness, as appears by the great and good things which thou hast done for me. _Neither is there any God besides thee_ Thus Hannah had expressed herself in her song, in which she prophesied of him, 1 Samuel 2:2; 1 Samuel 2:10. _According to all that we... [ Continue Reading ]
_What one nation in the earth_, &c. He seems to have in view the words of Moses in Deuteronomy 4:7; Deuteronomy 4:34. _To make him a name_ That all the world might know and acknowledge his power and glory. _To do for you great things and terrible_, &c. Instead of, _for you_, the Seventy, Vulgate, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_For thou hast confirmed_ Partly by thy promises, and that solemn and sure covenant into which thou hast entered with them; and partly by thy glorious works wrought on their behalf, as it appears this day. _Thou art become their God_ In a peculiar manner, and by special relation and covenant; for ot... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thy servant found it in his heart to pray this prayer_ That prayer which is found in the tongue only will not please God; it must be found in the heart, which must be lifted up to God, and poured out before him. _Thou art that God_ Who hast declared thyself to be Israel's God, and in particular my... [ Continue Reading ]