2Sa 7:8-14 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 2Sam 7:8-17: 7:8-17 Instead of David’s building God a house, God promised to build David a house , a permanent dynasty of kings from David’s descendants. 7:8 tending sheep: Kings in the ancient Near East were often called shepherds (see 1 Kgs 22:17 ; Isa 44:28 ; Ezek 34:2 ; 37:24 ; Nah 3:18 ; Zech 10:3 ). David, who had been a shepherd, called the Lord his shepherd (Ps 23:1 ).

Summary for 2Sam 7:8-17: 7:8-17 ^a Instead of David’s building God a house, God promised to build David a house, a permanent dynasty of kings from David’s descendants. 7:8 ^b tending sheep: Kings in the ancient Near East were often called shepherds (see 1 Kgs 22:17 ^c; Isa 44:28 ^d; Ezek 34:2 ^e; 37:24 ^f; Nah 3:18 ^g; Zech 10:3 ^h). David, who had been a shepherd, called the Lord his shepherd (Ps 23:1 ⁱ).
7:9 ^j I have been with you: Through his guidance and protection, God was actively involved in shaping David’s entire life.

• I will make your name ... famous: God made this promise only to Abraham and David. (see Gen 12:2 ^k).
Summary for 2Sam 7:10-11: 7:10-11a ^l never be disturbed: Through David and his heirs, a lasting peace would engulf the land, in contrast with the intermittent and temporary periods of peace during the days of the judges, when one predatory nation after another shattered Israel’s well-being. God’s promise of rest from all your enemies was first mentioned by Joshua (Josh 1:13 ^m, 15 ⁿ; 22:4 ^o), and later realized in the ministry of some of the judges (Judg 3:11 ^p, 30 ^q; 5:31 ^r; 8:28 ^s).
7:11b ^t he will make a house for you: God wanted to do infinitely more for David than David could conceive of doing for God. While David was primarily interested in projects such as building a temple, God was interested in bringing blessing to his people through one righteous dynasty of kings.
Summary for 2Sam 7:12-13: 7:12-13 ^u one of your descendants ... will build a house ... for my name: David’s son Solomon would build the Temple; David’s personal involvement in military conflict and bloodshed disqualified him from building God’s Temple (1 Chr 22:8-9 ^v).
7:14 ^w I will be his father, and he will be my son: Kings in David’s line would enjoy a special covenant relationship with God, as the whole nation of Israel did (cp. Exod 6:7 ^x; Lev 26:12 ^y). Jesus later became the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy (see Heb 1:5 ^z). Paul quotes this phrase in 2 Cor 6:18 ^aa and applies it to all believers.

• If he sins, I will correct and discipline him: God would steer David’s offspring, the future kings of Israel, back onto the right track whenever they sinned. Cp. the experience of Jesus, who never sinned, yet endured God’s discipline (see Heb 4:15 ^ab; 5:8 ^ac; 12:1-11 ^ad).