Unless otherwise stated, all citations are taken from the New International Version (NIV).
2 Samuel 7 (The Davidic Covenant)
Summary: David is given rest from war (v.1). He gets the idea to build a temple for God’s Ark (v.2). But God tells David that he can’t build a house and doesn’t even want one (v.6). God reproves David for thinking that he ever wanted a house (i.e. a temple). God promises to make David great (v.10). God tells him that he will make a house for David (v.11). He also predicts that one of David’s offspring will take over the nation forever (vv.11-14). He promises never to remove his love from David’s line (v.15). Nathan told all of this to David (v.17). David is thankful that God blessed him and predicted the future to him (v.19). David interpreted this covenant as eternal (v.25).
David is shut down
(7:1-2) After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
“The king was settled in his palace.” David had spent the majority of his life sleeping on the grass hills of Israel (e.g. shepherding, fleeing Saul). Now, he’s sleeping in a comfy palace. He must’ve felt restless.
“The Lord had given him rest from all his enemies.” David spent the majority of his life fighting wild animals, Philistines, Ammonites, and his own countrymen. Now, he’s at peace because God had given him victory. He begins to feel uncomfortable about all of this.
This is the first mention of Nathan the prophet. He becomes a key figure in David’s life (2 Sam. 12). He also helps to write much of the historical material in both David and Solomon’s lives (1 Chron. 29:29; 2 Chron. 9:29).
“Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” David had taken over the capital city of Jerusalem (ch.5), and he had retrieved the Ark (ch.6). Now, David must’ve been feeling restless for his next project. He decides that he wants to give something to God. But the story is different than what we might expect. The parallel account is found in 1 Chronicles 17.
(7:3) Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
Nathan the prophet assumes that this is a good idea, and he gives David the green light.
(7:4-5) But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying: 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?’”
God hasn’t spoken this much for 500 years. Indeed, the “Lord’s words recorded here constitute the longest recorded monologue attributed to him since the days of Moses (197 words).”[1] This shows the importance of the covenant that God is about to make with David.
(7:6) “I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling.”
God didn’t want a stationary temple. God preferred a “mobile home” or an “RV” to show that his holiness could be moved. God’s desire was to “walk in the midst” of the people (Deut. 23:14; cf. Lev. 26:12; Gen. 3:8). This is fulfilled in Jesus who came and “tabernacled” among people (Jn. 1:14). Jesus was God embodied in the world (Jn. 2:19-21), similar to the moveable tabernacle—only to a far greater degree.
(7:7) Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”‘
God never asked for a temple. Youngblood writes, “If a house is to be built for him—not that he needs it to dwell in, of course (cf. 1 Kings 8:27; Isa 66:1-2; Acts 7:48; 17:24-25; Heb 8:1-2; 9:24; Sib Oracles 4:8-11), but as a symbol of his presence among his people—he himself will name the time, the place, and the builder (vv.5-7).”[2]
David wants to give to God, but God wants to give to David
(7:8-9) “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.’”
God had always provided for David in the past. The mention of making him a “great name” is similar to the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:2). Bergen adds, “Though the ark resided in a lifeless tent of skin, in a very real sense the Lord resided in the living tent of David.”[3] He continues, “[Later] prophets referred to the Davidic dynasty as the ‘tent of David’ (cf. Isa 16:5; Amos 9:11; Acts 15:16); the metaphor is appropriate to this passage.”[4]
It was typical for kings to payback the gods with temples for success in warfare.
(7:10) And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.
God will continue to provide for David in the future.
God blesses David: The Davidic Covenant
This is what is referred to as the Davidic Covenant. The Davidic Covenant “receives more attention in the Hebrew Bible than any covenant except the Sinaitic.”[5] The term “covenant” is not used here, but the rest of the Bible uses this term to describe this promise from God (2 Sam. 23:5; 1 Kings 8:23; 2 Chronicles 13:5; Ps. 89:3, 28, 34, 39; 132:12; Isa. 55:3; Jer. 33:21). Youngblood observes, “Relationships between the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants are especially close.”[6]
(7:11) Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.
This chapter begins with David wanting to build a house for God (v.2), but now, God says that he wants to give a house to David.
(7:12) “‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.’”
“Offspring” (zeraʿ) literally means “seed.” This links the Davidic Covenant with the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 15:4; 17:7-10, 19). Indeed, this is the person who would destroy the works of Satan himself (Gen. 3:15).
(7:13) “He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”
This literal descendant will build a “house” (i.e. temple) for David, and God will create an eternal dynasty through his line (“forever”).
(7:14) “I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.”
The Davidic Covenant is fulfilled partially in Solomon, who was disciplined by God. But it will be fulfilled ultimately and eternally through Christ. This passage is cited in the NT to refer to Jesus (2 Cor. 6:18; Heb. 1:5; cf. Lk. 1:32-33). The Qumran community around the Dead Sea also interpreted this passage as messianic (4Q Florilegium).[7] Youngblood comments, “No longer is it possible to insist that the NT writers overstepped their bounds in claiming that the divine sonship of the Messiah (in their case, Jesus) is adumbrated in 2 Samuel 7, Psalm 2, and elsewhere. They were making use of well-established, exegetical methodologies that had long been recognized in Jewish scholarly circles.”[8]
(2 Sam. 7:14) If this passage is prophetic of Jesus, why does it say that he sins?
(7:15) “But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.”
God will discipline, but not reject the line of David. Saul was so bad that Jonathan died. But God is promising that David’s offspring would be disciplined, but never rejected.
(7:16) “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”
God repeats that this covenant will be eternal two more times (“forever… forever…”). There are two ways for it to be possible for David to have an eternal kingdom: (1) David’s heirs will go on forever, or (2) one of David’s heirs will live forever (i.e. Jesus).
(7:17) Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
This entire communiqué was passed from Nathan to David.
David is humbled
(7:18) Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?”
David shows incredible humility. He doesn’t claim that he deserved these promises—only that God was gracious to a little shepherd boy by turning him into a king.
(7:19) “And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!”
David understood that this promise related to a King in the “future,” not just Solomon.
(7:20-21) “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.”
David is speechless after hearing this covenant. This covenant was not because of David’s righteousness, but because of God own word.
(7:22) “How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.”
This causes David to appreciate the grandeur and uniqueness of God to a greater degree.
(7:23-24) “And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.”
David understood that this promise wasn’t merely for him, but for the entire nation of Israel. And to repeat, this promise was eternal (“forever”).
(7:25-27) “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. 26 Do as you promised, so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight. 27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.”
This covenant wasn’t bilateral. It was unilateral. At the same time, David prays that God would bring this about. He says that he wouldn’t have had the “courage” to pray this unless God had promised it (v.27).
Later, God gives conditions to individuals like Solomon (1 Kings 9:4-9), but this doesn’t nullify God’s future promise to ultimately preserve the nation. This fits with the idea that God will “discipline” his people (v.14), but will never abandon them.
(7:28) “Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.”
David knew that this covenant would come to fruition because God’s words are “trustworthy.” God doesn’t lie, and indeed, he “cannot lie” (Heb. 6:18; Titus 1:2).
(7:29) “Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”
Once again, David affirms that this promise would be eternal (“forever”). The term “forever” is used eight times in this covenant.
Concluding insights
Everyone we have ever met is a needy, broken person (including us!). So, when we encounter God, we think that he’s the same way. He just wants to take and take and take some more. He is a cosmic black hole, sucking the happiness and excitement out of our lives.
This is simply not true! All of God’s needs are met. They always have been, and they always will be. This is because God has the attribute of self-existence (see “Self-Existence”).
[1] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 336.
[2] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 885.
[3] Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 339.
[4] Emphasis mine. Robert D. Bergen, 1, 2 Samuel, vol. 7, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996), 339.
[5] Jon D. Levenson, The Davidic Covenant and Its Modern Interpreters,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 41, 2 [1979]: 205-6. Cited in Youngblood, R. F. (1992). 1, 2 Samuel. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Vol. 3, p. 881). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
[6] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 883.
[7] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 891.
[8] Ronald F. Youngblood, “1, 2 Samuel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1992), 891.