1 Chronicleschapter 17

A.David's house of cedar and God's tent of curtainsvv. 1-6

1 After David had settled into his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.” 2 And Nathan replied to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” 3 But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 “Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build Me a house in which to dwell. 5 For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved from tent to tent and dwelling to dwelling. 6 In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked any of the leaders I appointed to shepherd My people, ‘Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?’

B.I will build you a house, and your throne shall stand forevervv. 7-15

7 Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land. 9 And I will provide a place for My people Israel and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own and be disturbed no more. No longer will the sons of wickedness oppress them as they did at the beginning 10 and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you. 11 And when your days are fulfilled and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He will build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his Father, and he will be My son. And I will never remove My loving devotion from him as I removed it from your predecessor. 14 But I will set him over My house and My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.” 15 So Nathan relayed to David all the words of this entire vision.

C.Who am I, O LORD? David sits down and praysvv. 16-27

16 Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 17 And as if this was a small thing in Your eyes, O God, You have spoken about the future of the house of Your servant and have regarded me as a man of great distinction, O LORD God. 18 What more can David say to You for so honoring Your servant? For You know Your servant, 19 O LORD. For the sake of Your servant and according to Your own heart, You have accomplished this great thing and revealed all Your greatness. 20 O LORD, there is none like You, and there is no God but You, according to everything we have heard with our own ears. 21 And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself? You made a name for Yourself through great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt. 22 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God. 23 And now, O LORD, let the word You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house be established forever. Do as You have promised, 24 so that Your name will be established and magnified forever when it is said, ‘The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, is God over Israel.’ And may the house of Your servant David be established before You. 25 For You, my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him. Therefore Your servant has found the courage to pray before You. 26 And now, O LORD, You are God! And You have promised this goodness to Your servant. 27 So now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition

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Chapter summary

David tells Nathan that he dwells in a house of cedar while the ark sits under curtains.

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David tells Nathan that he dwells in a house of cedar while the ark sits under curtains. And God answers by reversing the sentence. He has never asked for a house of cedar; instead, 'Jehovah will build thee a house.' The covenant is given: a seed from David's own sons, a throne established for ever, a Father-son relationship that will not be taken away as it was taken from Saul. David goes in and sits before Jehovah (the only posture in Scripture like it) and prays, 'Who am I, O Jehovah God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?' The promise the New Testament traces to Christ is planted here.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

History · Ezra — 1 Chronicles overview

A. 1–6 David's house of cedar and God's tent of curtains
B. 7–15 I will build you a house, and your throne shall stand forever
C. 16–27 Who am I, O LORD? David sits down and prays

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

2 Samuel 77 verses
- 2 Samuel 7:4But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,
- 2 Samuel 7:6For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved about with a tent as My dwelling.
- 2 Samuel 7:7In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked any of the leaders I appointed to shepherd My people Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?’
- 2 Samuel 7:11and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that He Himself will establish a house for you.
- 2 Samuel 7:12And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
- 2 Samuel 7:18Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
- Read 2 Samuel 7: 1 more there →
1 Chronicles 172 verses
- 1 Chronicles 17:2And Nathan replied to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”
- 1 Chronicles 17:5For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved from tent to tent and dwelling to dwelling.
- Read 1 Chronicles 17 →
Luke 12 verses
- Luke 1:28The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
- Luke 1:32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
- Read Luke 1 →
1 Kings 82 verses
- 1 Kings 8:16‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
- 1 Kings 8:19Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’
- Read 1 Kings 8 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Psalms 892 verses
- Psalms 89:23I will crush his foes before him and strike down those who hate him.
- Psalms 89:36his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,
- Read Psalms 89 →
Ephesians 32 verses
- Ephesians 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
- Ephesians 3:20Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
- Read Ephesians 3 →
Isaiah 492 verses
- Isaiah 49:5And now says the LORD, who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, to bring Jacob back to Him, that Israel might be gathered to Him—for I am honored in the sight of the LORD, and My God is My strength—
- Isaiah 49:6He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
- Read Isaiah 49 →
Ephesians 12 verses
- Ephesians 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.
- Ephesians 1:9And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
- Read Ephesians 1 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.