2 Samuel 7:6 kjv
Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
2 Samuel 7:6 nkjv
For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.
2 Samuel 7:6 niv
I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling.
2 Samuel 7:6 esv
I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling.
2 Samuel 7:6 nlt
I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling.
2 Samuel 7 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 25:8 | "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." | Command for God's dwelling among His people |
| Exod 40:34-35 | "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle." | God's presence filling the tabernacle |
| Lev 26:11-12 | "I will set my dwelling place among you... I will walk among you and be your God..." | God's promised intimate presence with Israel |
| Num 10:11-36 | Describes the orderly movement of the tabernacle with Israel. | The tabernacle's mobile journey |
| Deut 23:14 | "For the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp..." | God's active presence in the camp |
| 1 Sam 4:3-11 | The Ark (associated with God's presence) is portable and goes into battle. | The mobility of God's presence/Ark |
| 2 Sam 7:1-3 | David desires to build a house for the Ark of God. | David's desire, direct context of the verse |
| 1 Kgs 6:1 | "In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign... he began to build the house of the LORD." | Solomon builds the Temple (later fulfillment) |
| 1 Kgs 8:27 | "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you..." | God cannot be confined by a building |
| Ps 78:60 | "He abandoned the dwelling at Shiloh, the tent where he dwelt among mankind..." | God's ability to move from His dwelling place |
| Isa 66:1-2 | "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what kind of house would you build for me...?" | God's transcendence over human structures |
| Jer 7:4 | "Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD...'" | Warning against trusting solely in a physical temple |
| Acts 7:48-50 | "Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands... " | God not confined by human temples (Stephen) |
| Heb 8:1-2 | Christ is a minister of "the true tent that the Lord set up, not man." | Christ as high priest of the true Tabernacle |
| Heb 9:11 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, he entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)." | Christ's heavenly tabernacle |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." (Greek eskēnōsen, meaning "tabernacled") | God's ultimate dwelling with humanity in Christ |
| Rev 21:3 | "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them..." | God's future permanent dwelling with His people |
| Exod 13:21-22 | "And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire..." | God's direct, active guidance/presence |
| Matt 1:23 | "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)." | God with us: prophetic fulfillment in Jesus |
| 1 Cor 3:16 | "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" | Believers as God's spiritual dwelling place |
| Phil 3:20 | "But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ..." | Believers as pilgrims with a heavenly citizenship |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | "...you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house..." | Believers built into God's spiritual house |
2 Samuel 7 verses
2 Samuel 7 6 Meaning
This verse conveys God's nature as dynamic and unconfined by human-built structures. For centuries, since delivering Israel from Egypt, He has chosen to accompany His people in a mobile fashion, dwelling in a portable tent and tabernacle. This signifies His intimate, personal presence with them during their pilgrimage and journey, rather than desiring or requiring a fixed, grand edifice constructed by human hands. It underscores His sovereignty and His choice to prioritize relational presence over static architectural grandeur.
2 Samuel 7 6 Context
This verse is central to God's response to King David's sincere desire to build a permanent house (temple) for the Ark of the Covenant. In 2 Sam 7:1-3, David, now settled in his new palace, feels it improper for God to remain in a tent. Prophet Nathan initially approves David's plan. However, in 2 Sam 7:4-5, God immediately counters Nathan's word, instructing him to tell David that God does not require him to build a "house." Verse 6 then begins God's detailed explanation, drawing on Israel's history to emphasize His consistent mode of dwelling—one of active, portable presence rather than static, monumental residence. This sets the stage for God's magnificent promise to David in the verses that follow: that God will build David a "house" (a lasting dynasty), fundamentally redefining David's well-intentioned but misplaced priorities regarding God's dwelling.
2 Samuel 7 6 Word analysis
- For I have not dwelt: God asserts His own initiative and long-standing historical preference. This highlights divine choice over human presumption about His needs or desires.
- in a house: Hebrew bayit (בַּיִת). This term refers to a fixed, permanent structure. It is critically important as it carries a dual meaning in 2 Samuel 7: referring to a physical building, but also to a "household" or "dynasty." Here, it directly contrasts with His current mode of dwelling, highlighting the physical permanence David envisioned.
- since the day that I brought up: Pinpoints a clear historical starting point – the Exodus, the foundational act of God creating Israel as a nation. This anchors God's ongoing relationship with them from its very inception.
- the children of Israel from Egypt: Identifies the specific covenant people and their liberating origin, reinforcing the idea of God's active involvement and presence with them throughout their journey.
- even to this day: Emphasizes the continuity and long duration (approximately 480 years since the Exodus to Solomon's temple building, and some years before that during David's reign) of God's mobile dwelling with His people. This suggests that God's existing arrangement has been sufficient and successful thus far.
- but have walked: Hebrew halakh (הָלַךְ). This verb denotes active movement, a dynamic and continuous progression. It strongly contrasts with "dwelt" (static) and portrays God as journeying alongside His people, indicating an intimate, accompanying, and hands-on companionship.
- in a tent: Hebrew ohel (אֹהֶל). Refers to a temporary, portable dwelling, common among nomadic peoples. It suggests simplicity, accessibility, and an unfixed abode. This term often designates the "Tent of Meeting" where God's presence was specifically manifested to individuals.
- and in a tabernacle: Hebrew Mishkan (מִשְׁכָּן). Derived from the root shakan (שָׁכַן), meaning "to dwell, settle down." This refers to the more elaborate, divinely-designed portable sanctuary (Exod 25-40) specifically constructed to house God's presence, signifying His holy "camping" among His people. It distinguishes the inner, consecrated dwelling from the general tent structure.
- "For I have not dwelt in a house... but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle": This powerful antithesis immediately challenges human preconceptions of what constitutes an appropriate dwelling for God. It contrasts David's desire for a static, monumental structure with God's preference for dynamic, mobile presence among His people, valuing intimate companionship over grand architecture.
- "since the day that I brought up... even to this day": This sweeping timeframe emphasizes the consistency and self-sufficiency of God's chosen dwelling method for centuries. It implicitly denies any newly acquired 'need' on God's part for a permanent structure, highlighting His unchanging nature and sovereignty. It reinforces His intimate journey with Israel from the Exodus onwards.
2 Samuel 7 6 Bonus section
- The two Hebrew terms for God's dwelling (ohel and mishkan) are used in conjunction to describe both the general, outwardly modest tent-like nature and the specific, intricately designed, holy sanctuary within it. This dual description emphasizes both God's accessibility and His inherent holiness even in a mobile setting.
- God's mobile and non-static presence challenged contemporary ancient Near Eastern beliefs where gods were often localized within magnificent, fixed temples tied to specific territories. Yahweh's "walking" with Israel demonstrated His unique sovereignty, transcendence over geography, and intimate, personal involvement in the life of His chosen people.
- This verse sets a foundational theological truth about God's nature that continues into the New Testament: God's ultimate "tabernacling" occurs not in a physical temple but through the incarnation of Jesus (John 1:14), who literally "tented" among humanity. Furthermore, in the new covenant, believers themselves, as the Church, become the spiritual "temple" in whom God's Spirit dwells (1 Cor 3:16; 1 Pet 2:5), decentralizing God's presence from a single structure to a global community.
2 Samuel 7 6 Commentary
2 Samuel 7:6 serves as God's pivotal response to King David's desire to build Him a permanent temple. Far from being a rebuke, it's a profound statement about God's character and His preferred mode of relationship with His people. God highlights His centuries-long history of dwelling not in fixed structures, but in portable tents and tabernacles, demonstrating His willingness to journey alongside His people during their nomadic phase and beyond. This dynamic presence emphasized His accessibility, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to accompany them. It illustrates that God's greatness is not diminished by the simplicity of His dwelling but is magnified by His personal presence and ongoing relationship, teaching David that divine presence transcends and indeed is superior to any physical structure human hands could construct. This prepares for the true "house" God promises to build for David – a lasting dynasty, not a mere building.