2 Samuel 7:8
in 2 Samuel 7Now 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be prince over my people, over Israel;
KJV
Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
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This verse in 2 Samuel 7
Commentary
6 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
from the sheepcote, from following the sheep
on 2 Samuel 7:8-9
Before the oracle turns to David's future it retells his past: taken from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, made ruler over Israel, given a great name like the great men of the earth. It is the shepherd-boy reversal of chapter 16 spoken back in God's own mouth. Commentators have long set made thee a great name beside Genesis 12:2's promise to Abraham, a name built by promise rather than by conquest.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Hitherto thou hast helped me." Though we should be left at uncertainty concerning further mercy, we have great reason to be thankful for that which has been done for us hitherto, Acts xxvi. (2.) In what he had yet further promised him. God had done great things for him already, and yet, as if those had been nothing, he had promised to do much more,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David,....
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
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
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְ֠עַתָּה | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| כֹּֽה־ | koh- | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| תֹאמַ֞ר | tomar | you will say | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְעַבְדִּ֣י | leavdi | to servant my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| לְדָוִ֗ד | ledavid | to David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| כֹּ֤ה | koh | thus | H3541 → | 577 times |
| אָמַר֙ | ʾamar | he says | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֣ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| צְבָא֔וֹת | tzevaot | of hosts | H6635 → | 485 times |
| אֲנִ֤י | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| לְקַחְתִּ֙יךָ֙ | lekachtikha | I took you | H3947 → | 966 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַנָּוֶ֔ה | hanaveh | the pasture | H5116 → | |
| מֵאַחַ֖ר | meachar | from after | H310 → | 715 times |
| הַצֹּ֑אן | hatzon | the flock | H6629 → | 274 times |
| לִֽהְי֣וֹת | lihyot | to be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| נָגִ֔יד | nagid | ruler | H5057 → | 45 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| עַמִּ֖י | ʾami | people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | over | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וְ֠עַתָּהand therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
כֹּֽה־thus
koh-H3541 →577 times
תֹאמַ֞רyou will say
tomarH559 →5305 times
לְעַבְדִּ֣יto servant my
leavdiH5650 →799 times
לְדָוִ֗דto David
ledavidH1732 →999 times
כֹּ֤הthus
kohH3541 →577 times
אָמַר֙he says
ʾamarH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֣הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
צְבָא֔וֹתof hosts
tzevaotH6635 →485 times
אֲנִ֤יI
ʾaniH589 →874 times
לְקַחְתִּ֙יךָ֙I took you
lekachtikhaH3947 →966 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַנָּוֶ֔הthe pasture
hanavehH5116 →
מֵאַחַ֖רfrom after
meacharH310 →715 times
הַצֹּ֑אןthe flock
hatzonH6629 →274 times
לִֽהְי֣וֹתto be
lihyotH1961 →3559 times
נָגִ֔ידruler
nagidH5057 →45 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
עַמִּ֖יpeople my
ʾamiH5971 →1873 times
עַל־over
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 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 6:21But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate…
it leads to
- Acts 13:22
After removing Saul, He raised up David as their king and testified about him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart; he will carry out My will in…
- 2 Samuel 6:16
As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Saul’s daughter Michal looked down from a window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, and she despised him…
- Psalms 89:19–20
You once spoke in a vision; to Your godly ones You said, “I have bestowed help on a warrior; I have exalted one chosen from the people.
- 1 Samuel 13:14
But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought a man after His own heart and appointed him ruler over His people, because you have not kept the command of the LORD.”
- 1 Samuel 15:28
So Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to your neighbor who is better than you.
- Acts 13:22
Through
1 Chronicles 17:7Now 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…
it leads to
- 2 Samuel 6:21
But David said to Michal, “I was dancing before the LORD, who chose me over your father and all his house when He appointed me ruler over the LORD’s people Israel. I will celebrate…
- 2 Samuel 6:21
Through
2 Samuel 12:7Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
it leads to
- 1 Samuel 16:13
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and…
- Matthew 14:14
When He stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.
- 1 Samuel 16:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
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.