Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Samuel 7:2

"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. —This is the first mention of him, but he was already a confidential counsellor of the king, and became prominent later in this reign and at the beginning of Solomon's reign (2 Samuel 12:1; 1 Kings 1:10; 1 Kings 1:12; 1 Kings 1:34; 1 Kings 1:38). Nathan “the prophet” and Gad “the seer” wrote parts of the history of this and the succeeding reign (1 Chronicles 29:29; 2 Chronicles 9:29).

Within curtains. —This is the word used in Exodus 26:1, 36 for the covering of the tabernacle. The ark was not now within that, but in a similar temporary structure. David’s heart is moved by a comparison of his own royal residence with the inferior provision for the ark. Compare the opposite state of things among the returned exiles in Haggai 1:10.