Albert Barnes Commentary 2 Samuel 7
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 7
Albert Barnes Commentary
2 Samuel 7
"And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies round about," — 2 Samuel 7:1 (ASV)
There is no indication of how soon these things occurred after the ark was brought up, but it was probably not long afterward.
"that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains." — 2 Samuel 7:2 (ASV)
Nathan the prophet - He is first mentioned here but plays an important part later (for example, 2 Samuel 12:1; 1 Kings 1:10; 1 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Chronicles 9:29).
From the latter two passages, it appears that he wrote the history of David’s reign and at least part of Solomon’s. His distinctive title is "the prophet," while Gad’s was "the seer" (compare to 1 Samuel 9:9). He was probably much younger than David.
In 2 Samuel 7:3, he spoke his own private opinion; in 2 Samuel 7:4, this was corrected by the word of the Lord.
"for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle." — 2 Samuel 7:6 (ASV)
Have walked - Implying the frequent moving of the tabernacle in the times of the Judges, as opposed to a settled resting in one place. The word "tent" refers especially to the outward covering of skins, etc.; the "tabernacle" denotes the framework of boards and bars. Observe the constant reference to the Exodus and to the details given in the books of Moses.
"In all places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel, spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built me a house of cedar?" — 2 Samuel 7:7 (ASV)
The tribes of Israel - The duplicate passage reads “judges” (see the margin and compare 2 Samuel 7:11). But a comparison with passages such as Psalm 78:67-68, 1 Kings 8:16, and 1 Chronicles 28:4 favors the reading “tribes.” The phrase is a condensed one, meaning that whatever tribe had in the past supplied the ruler of Israel—whether Ephraim in the days of Joshua, Benjamin in the time of Saul, or Judah in the time of David—God had never required any of these tribes to build a house in one of their cities.
A house of cedar - See 1 Kings 7:2–3, 1 Kings 10:17, 1 Kings 10:21, and Jeremiah 22:14, 23. Beams of cedar marked a costly building. The cedar of Lebanon is a totally different tree from what we improperly call the red or Virginian cedar, which supplies the sweet-scented cedar wood and is really a kind of juniper. The cedar of Lebanon is a close-grained, light-colored, yellowish wood with darker knots and veins.
"And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first," — 2 Samuel 7:10 (ASV)
Moreover I will appoint ... - This should be read in the past tense: "And I have appointed a place..." and "and have planted them..." This was already done by the consolidation of David’s kingdom. The contrast between this and 2 Samuel 7:11 is that of the troubled, unsettled times of the Judges and the frequent subjugations of Israel in those times, with the settled prosperity and independence of the kingdom of David and Solomon.
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