2 Samuel 7
PATAnd of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in houour. The more he humbled himself to do honour unto God, the more he was confident he should bo magnified, and had in honour by his people. The esteem of the meanest of which, upon that account, he valued far more than all the vain-glorious praises Michal could bestow on him, for taking ^stato upon him, and neglecting God’s service.
2 Samuel 7:1
jCjlND it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies. Enjoyed himself in the palace Hiram had built for him, (v.. 11.) having no disturbance from the Philistines, or other neighbouring nations. •Ver. 2. That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwelt in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.] Like a religious prince, he spent much of his time in pious meditations: and among other things re- % fleeted upon the meanness of God’s habitation, in comparison with the splendour* of his own. Which he thought ought not to be endured, and therefore resolved to build a stately house for God to dwell in.
2 Samuel 7:3
And Nathan said unto the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart: for the Lord is with tliee. He spake that as a prudent man, not as a prophet. For (as Procopius Gazaeus here observes) the prophets did not see all things; but those only which the Divine grace revealed to them: as Samuel was ignorant which of Jesse’s sons was to be anointed, till God told him. But Nathan had great reason for what he said, because he observed that the Lord had an extraordinary kindness for David, and prospered him in all that he went about. And David withal being a prophet as well as himself, he might presume this intention was suggested to him from God.
2 Samuel 7:4
And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying. God would not suffer him long to remain in an error; but corrected \t the very next night,
2 Samuel 7:5
Go and tell my servant David. He speaks very kindly of him: though he did not approve of his design. Tims saith the Lord, Slialt thou build me a house for me to dwell in?] The meaning is, he should not build one. But this manner of speech declared his mind something sharply: to reprove him for his forwardness (without asking God’s consent), not only in designing, but in making a vow, that he would forthwith build God a house. For it is probable, that upon Nathan’s approving his intention, lie made that vow mentioned Psal. exxxii. 3 — 5. " Surely I will not go up to my bed, nor give sleep to mine eyes, &e. till I have found out a place for the Lord, a habitation for the mighty God of Jacob." Ver. G. Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the t me I brought tip the children of Israel out of Egypt, unto this day.] As much as to say, How comest thou to design mc a fixed house, since neither I, nor any one else, thought of one from the time you have been a people? But have walked in a tent and a tabernacle.] Contented myself with a moveable house, consisting of a tent and a tabernacle: in which I was always present to conduct and lead my people from place to place. By a tent is meant the inward hangings of the house, which were of curious work: anil by tho* tabernacle, the boards to which they were fastened; and the badgers’ skins, &c. wherewith all was covered.
2 Samuel 7:7
In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel. That is, of the judges of Israel, as it is interpreted, 1 Chron. xvii. G. For the word shibte signifies not only. tribes but sceptres; and, consequently, supreme governors and rulers: such as the judges were who had the supreme authority in Israel. And so the following words explain it. Whom I commanded to feed my people Israel.] He did not command the tribes, but the supreme governors of them, to feed, that is, to rule his people, and take care of their happiness. Here, again,feedingis governing; (as I observed, v. 2.) and the Hebrew word for feed being raga, as some pronounce it (in the Syriac, regd), very learned men thence derive the Latin words regere and reges: kings being designed by God to be the pastors of their people. Saying, Why build ye me not a house of cedar?] God was the properest judge what house was agreeable to him, and he never signified that he disliked his present, and desired a more stately habitation. Ver. 8; Now therefore so shall thou say nnto my servant David.] He would not have him think he took it ill that he should design what he never signified to be his desire; but owned him to be his faithful servant, and therefore accepted his pious intentions: as we read expressly 1 Kings viii. 18. which is signified in this message. Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people Israel.] Therefore he needed not to make any doubt, but that God accepted his gratitude in designing to make him a house.
2 Samuel 7:9
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest. In the time of his banishment, when he was remarkably preserved by God. And have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight.] Both those in Israel and those in the neighbouring countries. And have made thee a great name, like to the name of the great men that are in the earth.] Famed in all the countries round about as a potent prince and a mighty warrior: and perhaps as a holy prophet, greatly beloved of God and of-; all his people.
2 Samuel 7:10
Moreover, I will appoint a place for my people Israel. Or, I have constituted (or established) aj)lacefor my people; viz. the land of Canaan. Andwill plant them.] Make them take root there. That they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more.] No longer wander, as they did in the wilderness. Neither shall the children of wickedness.] The idolatrous t people round about them. Afflict them any more, as beforetime.] When theywere in the land of Egypt.
2 Samuel 7:11
And as siyice the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel^. In whose days they were Microsoft ® CHAP. VII.] THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL. sorely afflicted by the Moabites, Canaanites, Midianites, and other people. And have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies.] Given him a quiet possession of the whole kingdom of Israel; which never was in so happy a condition as now. A flourishing people is a great blessing to the king that governs them: and therefore mentioned in this verse, as God’s kindness to David. But this promise was with some exceptions, in case they became disobedient: which provoked G#d to chastise them.: • Also the Lord telleth thee t that he will make thee a house.] A family, or royal ofFspring, that shall reign for many generations; which was a special favour.of God to David: there being none of the Rom?tn emperors, till the time of Antoninus, whose children from the reign of Julius Ccesar succeeded them in the empire, but only Vespasian.
2 Samuel 7:12
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set tip thy seed after thee-. To sit upon his throne.,’.:’.> Which shall proceed out of thy bowels.] This shews that he speaks of one who was not yet born, viz. Solomon:.and that Absalom, Adonijah, and the rest who pretended to the kingdom, were, not designed for it: being already proceeded from him; And I will establish his kingdom.] He reigned a long time himself; and so did his posterity after him.
2 Samuel 7:13
He shall build a house for my name; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. The latter f>art of this verse can belong to none but the Messiah; if. the words for ever be taken in their full extent., -
2 Samuel 7:14
And I will be his father, and he shall be my son. This the apostle shews is meant of Christ, Heb. i. 5. For though Solomon was called Jedidiah, in token that he was beloved of God, yet, in the complete sense of the words, Christ only is intended: who is God’s beloved Son, in whom he is well-pleased. f -’’ If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.] This is a mixed prophecy, some part of which belongs to_ Christ, and the other part to Solomon, and his successors in the kingdom of Israel: who, it is plain, is solely intended in these words. And by the rod of men, arid the stripes of the children of men, is meant gentle correction; such as parents give their children.
2 Samuel 7:15
But my mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. He pro-.mise£ not to translate the kingdom into another family; as he took it from Saul, to give it to David: but the kingdom shall continue in his line. Ver. 1G. And thy house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.] That is, saith Kimchi, foT a long time, between lour and five hundred years, which was a rare, thing, and seldom known, that the kingly authority continued in any one family so long. But this is chiefly intended of the kingdom of Christ, as Procopius Gazaeus here observes:.from whence the Jews said, (Johnxii.34.) " We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever." This is confirmed by the rule which Maimonides lays down in his More Ncvochim, that though olam alone doth not necessarily signify eternally, yet when it is joined with ath, cither before or after it, it doth so signify. And that is the case h£re; this kingdom is said to be established ath olam: which can belong to none but Christ; for David’s kingdom had an end, but Christ’s hath none; (par. ii. cap. 28.)
2 Samuel 7:17
According to all these words, and.according to. this vision, so Nathan spake, ^unto David. This shews the integrity of the prophet; who was not ashamed to retract his own words when he was better taught of God. And, as Dionysius observes, in an epistle to Novatus, fiuZov tarat tov <T<pa\fjLaTOQ to KaTopSwfia, the correction of his fault was more eminent and remarkable than the fault itself..-
2 Samuel 7:18
Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord. That is, before the ark; which, as I have often said; was the symbol of his Divine presence. Sitting,, among the heathens, was thought a posture proper enough in the Divine service; as Vossius hath observed, lib. ii. de Orig. et Progressu Idololat. cap. 34. “Quippe index animi magis compositi, et hoc agentis;!’ being an indication of a more composed mind, and attending to what they were about. -But among the. Israelites none were allowed to sit in the temple, except the king: unto whom t this was in T dulged, if we can believe (he Talmudists: whose general maxim was this, " It was not lawful for any one to sit in the court of the house of God; but only for the king of the house of David/’ (See Seldeh, lib.ii. de Synedriis, cap. 13. sect. 4.) But they have framed this notion merely from this single passage;- there being no other place in the whole Scripture to support this assertion, that the king might sit at prayer: but, on the ^contrary, on the sabbath, and on festival days, when he came to the temple, he stood by the exterior pillar of the inward court of the house of God; asmay be learnt from Ezek. xlvi. 1, 2. compared /with 2 Kings xi. 14. and 2 Chron. xxiii. 13. Nor is there any other posture of worship mentioned in Scripture, but standing, or kneeling, or falling on the face. And therefore Abarbinel ingenuously confesses, that this is not the opinion of all their doctors, several of which in this forsake the Talmudists; and allege a weighty reason for it.: •because the angels themselves, who are higher than kings, arc not permitted to sit before ^the Lord: but Isaiah saith, vi. 2. that the seraphim stood about the throne; and TVIicaiah saith, he saw t the host of heaven stand before the Lord, 1 Kings xxii. 19. and see Zech. iii. 7. From which they conclude,* if there be no sitting allowed above, by. what right was it granted to the kings of David’s family here below? Many great men, therefore, translate the Hebrew word jashab, not sat, but remained before the LoTd; particularly Vetablus, upon 1 Chron. xvii.lG. And others^ who allow the king might sit in the temple, yet confess he might not sit at prayer: and therefore expound this place thus: lie took his seat in the tabernacle before the ark; and then he made the following prayer, standing up, as the manner was, when they worshipped God. And he said, Who am J, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?] He begins his address to God in a very becoming manner.; with a most profound debasement of himself, and confession of his own unwqrthiness, to receive such blessings as God had already bestowed on him.
2 Samuel 7:19
And this ivas yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken of thy servant’s house for a great tvlyle to come. Next, he magnifies the loving-kindness of God, who did not think it enough that he had made 2U
2 Samuel 7:23
Therefore Michal, the daughter of Said, had no child unto the day of her death. Which is thus explained, in the Gemara Sanhedrin, cap”. 2. sect. 8. She had children before this fact, but none after it as long as she lived. (See iii. 5.) David, perhaps, quite left her bed.