2 Samuel 7:13
in 2 Samuel 7He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
KJV
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 7
Commentary
11 notes on this verseHowever, the tribe of Judah did not fail until he came for whom it was reserved, who did not himself sit upon a material throne, for the kingdom of Judea had now been transferred to Herod, the son of Antipater, the Ascalonite, and to his sons, who divided Judea into four provinces when Pilate was governor and Tiberius held the power over the whole Roman province. But his indestructible kingdom he calls the throne of David on which the Lord sat. He himself is "the expectation of nations," not of the least part of the world.
This site's exposition
I will raise up your descendant after you
on 2 Samuel 7:12-13
The house becomes a seed, a kingdom, and a throne established for ever. The nearest fulfillment is Solomon, who will build the house for my name that David himself wanted to build. Hebrews 1:5 and Luke 1:32-33 carry the same throne of his father David forward to Christ.
This site's exposition
He will build a house for My Name
The son who builds the house for the Name is Solomon, and Barnes points to 1 Kings 8:16-20. Clarke finds the reason in 1 Chronicles 22:8: David had shed much blood. Gill reads forever as a long time, and Wesley reads the throne forever with special respect to Christ.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
That new dispensation, then, which is found in Christ now, will prove to be what the Creator then promised under the appellation of "the sure mercies of David," which were Christ's, inasmuch as Christ sprang from David, or rather his very flesh itself was David's "sure mercies," consecrated by religion, and "sure" after its resurrection. Accordingly the prophet Nathan, in the first [book] of Kings [Samuel], makes a promise to David for his seed, "which shall proceed," he says, "from your own body." Now, if you explain this simply of Solomon, you will send me into a fit of laughter. For David will evidently have brought forth Solomon! But is not Christ here designated the seed of David, as of that womb which was derived from David, that is, Mary's? Now, because Christ rather than any other was to build the temple of God, that is to say, a holy manhood, wherein God's Spirit might dwell as in a better temple, Christ rather than David's son Solomon was to be looked for as the Son of God. Then, again, the throne forever with the kingdom forever is more suited to Christ than to Solomon, a mere temporal king.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
For my name - That is, for my service, and glory. For ever - This is not meant of Solomon, for his kingdom was not forever. But it is to be understood of David's posterity, in general, and with special respect to Christ, in whose person the kingdom was to be lodged forever.
He shall build an house for my name,.... For the honour of it, for the worship and service of God, as it is well known Solomon did; and so his antitype the Messiah, Zec 6:12, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever; that is, for a long time.
A very humble prayer which David offered up to God in return to that gracious message, thankfully accepting God's promises to him, and earnestly praying for the performance of them,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
He shall build an house ... - For the fulfillment of this in the person of Solomon, see 1Ki 8:16-20. For its application to Christ, see Joh 1:12; Eph 1:20-22; 1Ti 3:15; Heb 3:6; etc.; and Zec 6:12-
3 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever--This declaration referred, in its primary application, to Solomon, and to the temporal kingdom of David's family. But in a larger and sublimer sense, it was meant of David's Son of another nature (Heb 1:8). [See on 1Ch 17:14.] 2Sa 7:18-29. DAVID'S PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan--The command was given to the prophet on the night immediately following; that is, before David could either take any measures or incur any expenses.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
He shall build - That is, Solomon shall build my temple, not thou, because thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars. See 1Ch 22:8 (note); and see also the observations at the end, 2Sa 7:25 (note). The throne of his kingdom for ever - This is a reference to the government of the spiritual kingdom, the kingdom of the Messiah, agreeably to the predictions of the prophet long after, and by which this passage is illustrated: “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it, with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even For Ever.” Isa 9:7.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
With the rod of men. This refers to Haddad and Rozon, the son of Elyodoh. 9 Both were enemies of Shlomo, they are mentioned in Kings I,:14 and 23 respectively.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ה֥וּא | hu' | he | H1931 → | 1879 times |
| יִבְנֶה־ | yivneh- | he will build | H1129 → | 376 times |
| בַּ֖יִת | bayit | a house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| לִשְׁמִ֑י | lishmi | for name my | H8034 → | 864 times |
| וְכֹנַנְתִּ֛י | vekhonanti | and I will establish | H3559 → | 217 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כִּסֵּ֥א | kise' | [the] throne of | H3678 → | 135 times |
| מַמְלַכְתּ֖וֹ | mamlakhto | kingdom his | H4467 → | 117 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עוֹלָֽם׃ | olam | perpetuity | H5769 → | 438 times |
ה֥וּאhe
hu'H1931 →1879 times
יִבְנֶה־he will build
yivneh-H1129 →376 times
בַּ֖יִתa house
bayitH1004 →2046 times
לִשְׁמִ֑יfor name my
lishmiH8034 →864 times
וְכֹנַנְתִּ֛יand I will establish
vekhonantiH3559 →217 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כִּסֵּ֥א[the] throne of
kise'H3678 →135 times
מַמְלַכְתּ֖וֹkingdom his
mamlakhtoH4467 →117 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עוֹלָֽם׃perpetuity
olamH5769 →438 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Samuel 7:16Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.”
it leads to
- Luke 1:32–33
He 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,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 89:36–37
his offspring shall endure forever, and his throne before Me like the sun,
- Isaiah 9:7
Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness…
- Psalms 45:6
Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever, and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.
- Daniel 7:14
And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship, that the people of every nation and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His kingdom is…
- Luke 1:32–33
Through
Psalms 89:4‘I will establish your offspring forever and build up your throne for all generations.’” Selah
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 7:12–16
And 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 7:12–16
Through
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.’
it leads to
- 1 Chronicles 22:8–10
but this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and waged great wars. You are not to build a house for My Name because you have shed so much…
- 2 Samuel 7:5
“Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build for Me a house to dwell in?
- 1 Chronicles 22:8–10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Basil of Caesarea, LETTER 236; Jamieson Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Tertullian, AGAINST MARCION 3.20.