2 Samuel 7:2 kjv
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.
2 Samuel 7:2 nkjv
that the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside tent curtains."
2 Samuel 7:2 niv
he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent."
2 Samuel 7:2 esv
the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent."
2 Samuel 7:2 nlt
the king summoned Nathan the prophet. "Look," David said, "I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!"
2 Samuel 7 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 5:3-5 | You know that David my father could not build a house... But now the Lord my God has given me rest... | Solomon acknowledging David's desire and God's permission for Solomon to build. |
| 1 Chr 17:1-2 | David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under curtains.” | Parallel account, echoing David's statement. |
| 1 Chr 22:7-8 | David said to Solomon, “My son, it was my intent to build a house for the name of the Lord my God..." | David recounting his original desire to Solomon. |
| Acts 7:48-49 | “Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says: ‘Heaven is My throne...'" | Stephen's speech highlighting God's transcendence beyond man-made structures. |
| Isa 66:1-2 | Thus says the Lord: "Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you would build for Me...?" | God's response to the idea that He is confined to a physical building. |
| Acts 17:24 | "The God who made the world and everything in it... does not dwell in temples made by human hands..." | Paul emphasizing God's omnipresence and self-sufficiency. |
| Exod 25:8 | “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst." | Command to build the tabernacle for God to dwell among His people, not in a static structure for Himself. |
| Exod 29:45-46 | "I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God..." | God's intention to indwell His people, setting a precedent for a mobile dwelling. |
| Num 10:33-36 | The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them... for scouting a resting place. | Ark's role as a symbol of God's mobile presence with His people in the wilderness. |
| Josh 3:6 | Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” | Ark's continued role in guiding and representing God's presence for His people. |
| 1 Sam 4:3 | When the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant..." | The Ark's significant spiritual and historical context as God's powerful presence. |
| Ps 27:4 | One thing I have asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life... | David's enduring desire for God's presence, echoing his character. |
| Ps 132:1-5 | Remember, O Lord, in David's favor, all the hardships he endured, how he swore to the Lord and vowed to the Mighty One... “I will not enter my house or get into my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids, until I find a place for the Lord, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.” | This psalm vividly portrays David's intense spiritual desire and vow regarding God's dwelling. |
| 2 Sam 5:9-10 | David lived in the stronghold and called it the city of David. And David built around it... David became greater and greater, for the Lord God of hosts was with him. | The immediate preceding context of David establishing his secure rule and dwelling. |
| 2 Sam 6:17 | And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it... | David's initial action of providing a provisional dwelling for the Ark. |
| 2 Sam 7:11-16 | ...The Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house... your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before Me... | The immediate continuation, revealing God's counter-proposal and Davidic Covenant. |
| Psa 89:3-4 | “I have made a covenant with My chosen one; I have sworn to David My servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever and build your throne for all generations.’” | Reinforcement of the Davidic covenant and God building a dynasty, not David building a temple. |
| Jn 2:19-21 | Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ...He was speaking about the temple of His body. | Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of God's dwelling place. |
| Eph 2:19-22 | ...fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone... | The church as God's spiritual temple, indwelt by His Spirit. |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? | Individual believers and the collective church as the new spiritual dwelling of God. |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people..." | The ultimate fulfillment of God dwelling with His redeemed people in the new creation. |
| Lk 1:32-33 | He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever... | Prophecy of Christ fulfilling the Davidic covenant and everlasting kingdom. |
2 Samuel 7 verses
2 Samuel 7 2 Meaning
David, now settled in his lavish cedar palace, expresses to Nathan the prophet his deep sense of impropriety that he lives in such luxury while the sacred Ark of God, representing the divine presence, still resides in a temporary tent. This verse highlights David's devout heart and his earnest desire to build a permanent, glorious temple for the Lord in Jerusalem.
2 Samuel 7 2 Context
Following years of struggle, David has now fully established his kingdom. He has captured Jerusalem, making it his capital (2 Sam 5), and has successfully brought the Ark of the Covenant, Israel's most sacred object, to Jerusalem (2 Sam 6), establishing the city as both a political and spiritual center. David has also just built a luxurious palace for himself using costly cedar wood, signifying his stability, wealth, and God's blessings upon him. This verse opens the pivotal Chapter 7, where David, in a moment of peace and reflection, observes the stark contrast between his permanent, grand residence and the simple, portable tent housing the Ark of God, which had been the divine dwelling place since the wilderness wanderings. His desire to build a permanent temple springs from a pious heart that wants to honor God appropriately. This noble human initiative sets the stage for God's surprising response and the establishment of the momentous Davidic Covenant, a promise of an everlasting dynasty that far surpasses David's architectural aspirations.
2 Samuel 7 2 Word analysis
- that the king said: Introduces a direct observation and speech from David. The word "king" (Hebrew: ha-melekh) emphasizes his status and power, yet here he expresses humility before God.
- to Nathan the prophet: Nathan (Natan) means "He (God) has given." He is God's appointed messenger and confidante to David, playing a crucial role in mediating divine revelation. The term "prophet" (naviy') signifies one who speaks for God, often after receiving a divine word. David chooses to consult a spiritual authority.
- 'See now,: (Hebrew: re'eh na) - An interjection or imperative inviting attention and observation, expressing a desire for Nathan to acknowledge the situation with him. It conveys a sense of realization or even conviction on David's part. It’s an exclamation drawing immediate attention to the stark contrast.
- I dwell: (Hebrew: anokhi yoshev) - "I" is emphatic. "Dwell" (yoshev) indicates settled residency, permanence, and comfort. David's own position is one of established authority and rest within his "house."
- in a house of cedar,: (Hebrew: bêt 'arāzīm) - A house constructed with cedar wood. Cedar was imported from Lebanon (Phoenicia), signifying immense wealth, prestige, durability, and luxury. David's palace (2 Sam 5:11) was a testament to his kingship and the peace granted by God. It starkly contrasts with the portable tent.
- but the ark of God: (Hebrew: 'arōn hā'Ĕlōhīm) - "Ark" refers to the Ark of the Covenant, the most sacred artifact of Israel, representing God's throne, presence, and covenant fidelity. "God" ('Ĕlōhīm) here signifies the one true God of Israel. Its holiness makes its simple dwelling seem incongruous to David.
- dwells inside a tent.': (Hebrew: yoshev betôk ha-yerî'âh) - "Dwells" again, emphasizing residency, but in a very different type of dwelling. "Tent" (yerî'âh) refers specifically to the curtains or coverings of the Tabernacle (Exod 26:1-14; 2 Sam 6:17). This emphasizes its provisional, temporary, and nomadic nature, contrasting sharply with David's opulent, permanent palace. It also points back to the wilderness tradition of God's mobility with His people.
- "I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells inside a tent": This phrase embodies the entire essence of the verse—a poignant comparison and a rhetorical question in David's mind. It's a statement born of piety, revealing David's profound concern for the honor of God, rather than his own comfort. The juxtaposition highlights the perceived disproportion between the earthly king's dwelling and the symbolic dwelling of the King of Kings. It subtly sets up the narrative tension between David's good intentions and God's sovereign plan.
2 Samuel 7 2 Bonus section
This verse subtly introduces the tension between human well-intentioned endeavors and divine sovereignty. While David's impulse was commendable, God’s response in the subsequent verses (2 Sam 7:5-16) clarifies that His dwelling is not dependent on human constructions or needs. God asks, "Would you build Me a house to dwell in?" (v. 5), recalling His continuous presence with Israel since the Exodus in a mobile tent (v. 6). This hints at the theological concept that God is not confined or contained by any man-made structure. The passage ultimately reveals God's greater plan to build an enduring "house" (dynasty) for David, pointing towards the coming of Christ as the ultimate and eternal King. This also subtly corrects any potential thought that God needed or desired a fixed, physical residence like pagan deities, whose worship often revolved around static, magnificent temples dedicated to their localized presence.
2 Samuel 7 2 Commentary
2 Samuel 7:2 captures a defining moment in David’s reign, illustrating his deep devotion and desire to honor God. David’s heartfelt observation is born of reverence; he feels an unworthiness in his own lavish comfort compared to the simple, transient dwelling of the Ark. This seemingly pious thought, however, subtly underscores a human tendency to define God's "needs" or honor in human terms – building Him a grand structure akin to royal palaces. The verse sets the theological stage for God's subsequent revelation to Nathan, shifting the paradigm from humanity building a house for God to God building a "house" (a dynasty) for humanity through David. This sets in motion the profound Davidic Covenant, demonstrating God's ultimate prerogative to establish His presence and kingdom on His terms, culminating in the spiritual temple of His people and ultimately, Christ himself.