2 Samuel 7:9
in 2 Samuel 7I 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a great name, like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth.
KJV
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
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This verse in 2 Samuel 7
Commentary
8 notes on this verseHe had raised him from a very mean and low condition: He took him from the sheep-cote. It is good for those who have come to great preferment to be often reminded of their small beginnings, that they may always be humble and thankful.
This site's exposition
I took you from the pasture, from following the flock
on 2 Samuel 7:8-9
It retells his past: taken “from the pasture, from following the flock”, made ruler over Israel, given “a name like the greatest in the land”. Commentators have long set that great name beside Genesis 12:2's promise to Abraham, a name built by promise rather than by conquest.
This site's exposition
a name like the greatest in the land
The verse looks back before it looks ahead. The LORD had been with David on every campaign, and now he promises him a name among the greatest in the land. Henry counts a great name a gift to be thankful for, and he sets a good name above it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
This favour was so much the greater because it was more than God had done for Moses, or Joshua, or any of the judges whom he called to feed his people. David's government was the first that was entailed; for the promise made to Christ of the kingdom was to reach to his spiritual seed. (2.) That he would settle him in the throne: I will establish his kingdom (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest,....
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,
A great name is what those who have it have great reason to be thankful for and may improve to good purposes, but what those who have it not have no reason to be ambitious of: a good name is more desirable. A man may pass through the world very obscurely and yet very comfortably. A happy establishment is promised to God's Israel,
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
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
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
I will make a place. I still want to quiet [things] that my people [should have] quiet and tranquility during the days of your son['s reign].
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
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וָאֶהְיֶ֣ה | vaehyeh | and I have been | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| עִמְּךָ֗ | ʾimekha | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| בְּכֹל֙ | bekhol | in every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | where | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָלַ֔כְתָּ | halakhta | you went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| וָאַכְרִ֥תָה | vaakhritah | and I cut off ! | H3772 → | 288 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אֹיְבֶ֖יךָ | ʾoyeveikha | enemies your | H341 → | 282 times |
| מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ | mipaneikha | from before you | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| וְעָשִׂ֤תִֽי | veasiti | and I will make | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְךָ֙ | lekha | for <the> you | ||
| שֵׁ֣ם | shem | a name | H8034 → | 864 times |
| גָּד֔וֹל | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| כְּשֵׁ֥ם | keshem | like [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| הַגְּדֹלִ֖ים | hagedolim | the great [people] | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ | baaretz | [are] on the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
וָאֶהְיֶ֣הand I have been
vaehyehH1961 →3559 times
עִמְּךָ֗with you
ʾimekhaH5973 →1050 times
בְּכֹל֙in every
bekholH3605 →5413 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhere
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הָלַ֔כְתָּyou went
halakhtaH1980 →1546 times
וָאַכְרִ֥תָהand I cut off !
vaakhritahH3772 →288 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אֹיְבֶ֖יךָenemies your
ʾoyeveikhaH341 →282 times
מִפָּנֶ֑יךָfrom before you
mipaneikhaH6440 →2123 times
וְעָשִׂ֤תִֽיand I will make
veasitiH6213 →2628 times
לְךָ֙for <the> you
lekha
שֵׁ֣םa name
shemH8034 →864 times
גָּד֔וֹלgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
כְּשֵׁ֥םlike [the] name of
keshemH8034 →864 times
הַגְּדֹלִ֖יםthe great [people]
hagedolimH1419 →526 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בָּאָֽרֶץ׃[are] on the earth
baaretzH776 →2504 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
1 Samuel 18:14and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
it leads to
- Genesis 39:23
The warden did not concern himself with anything under Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.
- Matthew 28:20
and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
- Joshua 6:27
So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.
- 1 Samuel 16:18
One of the servants answered, “I have seen a son of Jesse of Bethlehem who knows how to play the harp. He is a mighty man of valor, a warrior, eloquent and handsome, and…
- Genesis 39:2–3
And the LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master.
- Genesis 39:23
Through
2 Samuel 5:10And David became greater and greater, for the LORD God of Hosts was with him.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 3:1
Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
- 2 Samuel 3:1
Through
2 Samuel 8:6Then he placed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to David and brought him tribute. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 8:14
He placed garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites were subject to David. So the LORD made David victorious wherever he went.
- 2 Samuel 8:14
Through
1 Chronicles 17:8I 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.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 18:14
and he continued to prosper in all his ways, because the LORD was with him.
- 1 Samuel 18:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
On this chapter
About 2 Samuel
This page draws on Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Books of Samuel and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.