David's Palace

(2Sa 5:11) And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.
(2Sa 5:12) And David perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israel's sake.

(1Ch 14:17) And the fame of David went out into all lands; and the LORD brought the fear of him upon all nations.
(1Ch 15:1)MKJV And David made houses for himself in the City of David, and prepared a place for the ark of God, and pitched a tent for it.

(1Ch 16:1) So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.

After David brought the ark of the covenant:

(1Ch 16:43) ... all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.
(1Ch 17:1) Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.

In 1Ch 16:43 we read that "David returned to bless his house". This could be interpreted either in the sense of David blessing his household, which would correspond to the KJV interpretation of 2Sa 6:20, or in the sense of dedicating his house. The first time we read about David living in his new house is in 2Sa 7:1 and 1Ch 17:1, which took place after he brought the ark, dismissed the people, and "returned to bless his house". Thus, it would fit very well the context to assume that both 1Ch 17:1 and 2Sa 6:20 mention that David dedicated his new building at that time. After it was dedicated, he began living in it. Then, he began thinking about the fact that he was in a house, while the ark was in a tent.

(2Sa 7:1) And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
(2Sa 7:2) That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

As 2Sa 7:1 mentions, these things took place at a time when the Lord had given David "rest round about from all his enemies". This fact could be related to what we read at the beginning of Ps 18: " ... of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul". However, having rest from all enemies is not the same thing as being delivered from the hand of all enemies. At the time of 2Sa 7 the Lord promised David not only future rest from enemies (2Sa 7:11), but also that "I will subdue all thine enemies" (1Ch 17:10). While David had rest from his enemies at the time of 2Sa 7:1, his enemies were subdued later.

The fact that David had rest from his enemies is significant. Since he had peace, he could have set his mind on enjoying life in his new house. Instead, he began thinking about the fact that he was in a house while the ark was in a tent.

(2Sa 7:3) And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.

(Ps 132:1) LORD, remember David ...
(Ps 132:2) How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;
(Ps 132:3) Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
(Ps 132:4) I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
(Ps 132:5) Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

(2Sa 7:4) And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,
(2Sa 7:5) Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

The Lord has recorded his message to David in 2Sa 7:4-16 and 1Ch 17:3-14. By examining the account in 2Sa 7:4-16 and the account in 1Ch 17:3-14, it becomes apparent that the Lord has abbreviated his message in both, for each contains some details that are not found in the other. Now, in his message, the Lord spoke about the house of David. "Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in" (1Ch 17:4). "I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house" (1Ch 17:10). In the original language the word "house" can refer to a place of residence or to family and descendants. In the absence of words limiting the promise to only one aspect of the word "house", we could understand that the Lord intended his promise for all aspects of this word. About descendants, we read the following.

(1Ch 17:11) And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
(1Ch 17:12) He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
(1Ch 17:13) I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
(1Ch 17:14) But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.

This passage predicts the reign of the Messiah, the Son of David. However, by considering the second half of 2Sa 7:14, we can see plainly that the Lord was not speaking exclusively about the Messiah, but also about other descendants of David. Therefore, it will be assumed here that in 1Ch 17:11-14 and 2Sa 7:12-16, "he", "him", and "his" refer to a generic descendant of David. The view expressed here is that these passages do not say that only one person will fulfill everything that is written in them, nor that every descendant of David must fulfill something written in them. Rather, these passages predict that for everything that is written in them, there is at least one descendant of David fulfilling it. In other words, the passages are written in terms of a generic descendant of David, describing things pertaining to various descendants of David. This view can be justified as follows.

As we read in 1Ch 17:11 and also in 2Sa 7:12, the message is about "thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons". Thus, it refers only to the "seed" of David's descendants, not to other people that could be in some sense associated to David, though not his descendants. Furthermore, the way 1Ch 17:11 is stated would seem to imply that the verses that follow are not meant for all descendants of David, but only for some of them, namely, for those denoted by the word "seed". One possible thought would be to apply these passages to Solomon. However, the statement that "his throne shall be established for evermore" (1Ch 17:14) does not fit him. To see this, we could notice that in view of 1Ki 11:4-10, Solomon did not fulfill the condition stated in 1Ki 9:4-5. The promise of 1Ki 9:4-5 was that "if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked ... then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever ... ". This, Solomon did not do, as we read in 1Ki 11:4-10. Therefore, the statement that "his throne shall be established for evermore" applies to the Messiah, but not to Solomon. Now, the Messiah does not fit the second half of 2Sa 7:14. Therefore, 1Ch 17:11-14 and 2Sa 7:12-16 cannot be applied exclusively to him either. Then, the most natural interpretation of these passages is to assume that "he" denotes a generic descendant (seed) of David. Some of the statements apply only to the Messiah, while others can be applied also to Solomon and to godly descendants of David.

The passage could be applied as follows. The statements that "I will establish his kingdom" and "He shall build me an house" could be applied to Solomon. The promise that "I will be his father, and he shall be my son" applies to the saved descendants of David. It is also true in the general context of all who belong to the Lord, as we read in 2Co 6:18 and Heb 2:11-12. The Lord mentioned discipline when he said "If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men" (2Sa 7:14). We find similar words about the descendants of David in Ps 89:30-32: "If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes". The Lord uses such things in order to bring people to repentance. About the seed of David we also read that " ... my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul ... " (2Sa 7:14-15). The words of the Lord that "my mercy shall not depart away from him" speak of the fact that the Lord does not reject those he has chosen for salvation, but he disciplines them so that they repent. The promise that "his throne shall be established for evermore" applies to the Messiah. Moreover, the words "I will be his father, and he shall be my son" apply perfectly to him (Heb 1:5). The words "He shall build me an house" are also fulfilled by him. About the temple that the Lord Jesus builds we read "ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house" (1Pt 2:5)ASV.

(Eph 2:20) And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
(Eph 2:21) In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
(Eph 2:22) In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Believers are the house of the Lord (Heb 3:6). He said that "I will build my church" (Mt 16:18). The Lord also spoke about preparing a place for his own. He said "I go to prepare a place for you" (Jn 14:2).

(Rev 3:12) Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

The previous passage helps interpret 1Ch 17:14. The words "I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever" can be applied to those of the seed of David who have believed. The temple that the Lord builds is the residence of the believer. It is also the residence of David, just as we read in 1Ch 7:10 that "I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house".


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