1 Chronicles 17:25

1Ch 17:25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found [in his heart] to pray before thee.

Ver. 25. Hast told thy servant.] Heb., Hast revealed or uncovered the ear of thy servant, i.e., thou hast in a most familiar manner imparted it: thou hast also accurately declared it unto me, bidding me, as it were, to put up my hat from mine ear, lest it should hinder me from hearing thy words unto me.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou hast declared unto me by Nathan the Prophet.

Hebrew, hath found.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 25. Hath found in his heart to pray] The Targum expresses a full sense: "Therefore thy servant hath found an opening of mouth, that he might pray before Thee."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(25) O my God.—Samuel: “Jehovah Sabaoth, God of Israel.”

Hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house.—Literally, hast uncovered the ear of Thy servant, to build him a house. Samuel has the more usual construction: “saying, A house I will build thee.” (Comp. 1Sa_9:15.)

Hath found in his heart.—Rather, hath found his heart—i.e., hath taken courage. The noun is expressed in Samuel. As to its omission here, comp. 1Ch_14:1. The phrase is unique in Hebrew.

To pray.—Samuel adds, “this prayer.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25. hast told] R.V. hast revealed to, it., hast uncovered the ear of.

hath … found … to pray] i.e. hath found words and courage to pray.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 25-27.

Our relation to the Divine promise.

I THAT GOD"S PROMISE DOES NOT EXCLUDE THE PROPRIETY OF OUR PETITION. "Thou hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him a house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee" (ver. 25). The fact that God has promised to do anything for us is a reason why we should not why we should mot ask him to give it to us. He has promised to supply all who love him with all needful things (Mat_6:32, Mat_6:33; Php_4:19) But this does not countermand the injunction to pray for our daily bread. (Mat_6:11) There are many promises of the gift of the Holy Spirit; we are therefore to ask for his outpouring. (Luk_11:13) We are assured that the kingdom of God shall be established in the earth; none the less, but all the more, are we to pray, "Thy kingdom come." God"s promise is not to be the excuse for our silence, but the ground of our supplication.

II THAT GOD"S PROMISE DOES NOT EXCLUDE THE NECESSITY FOR OUR HOLY OBEDIENCE. David affirms in ver. 26 that God has "promised this goodness unto thy servant;" but in ver. 27 his petition shows that he was conscious that something more was needed beyond the bare and simple promise, in order that it might be ultimately and fully realized. And he was right. Obedience was an essential and vital condition. If not expressed, it was always understood. The rending of the kingdom in twain under David"s grandson proved only too surely and sadly that this was the case. All God"s premises to us are conditional on our loyalty to him. If we are faithful unto death, we shall have his abiding love, his constant care, his gracious blessing, and finally his blissful presence. But we must not be so confident because of the promise that we are negligent of the understood conditions.

III THAT GOD"S PROMISES ARE OFTEN FULFILLED IN OTHER AND BETTER WAYS THAN WE LOOK FOR. (Ver. 27.) David was assured that, if God blessed, there would be blessedness for ever. He was right; but the good thing in store for him was far different from that which he was presenting to his own mind at the time. Could he have foreseen the speedy rupture of the kingdom, and the captivity after a few generations had come and gone, he might have been sadly disappointed, and his faith might have received a serious shock. But could he have foreseen the way in which the Divine promise was fulfilled at length, could he have realized that One who was "the Son of David" would reign as Prince of peace and Lord of righteousness over all the human world, he would have rejoiced indeed. God"s purpose was larger than his servant"s thought. So with us. The hope of one period is ever found to be realized further on in another way, at first disappointing but afterwards most satisfying, from that which we expected. Youth is other, and really better, than childhood pictures it; and manhood than youth imagines; and the rest of declining days than laborious prime expects to find it. The promises of life are fulfilled, but in ways which God knows to be far better for us than those which our imagination fancies and our heart desires. And it may be that the heavenly world will prove to be something very different from that which piety has predicted or poetry has sung different but better; something which will be more fitted for our faculties as they are at first unclothed and clothed upon, as death is first swallowed up of life. C.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Connecting Statement:

David continues to speak to Yahweh.

your servant

David refers to himself as "your servant." This can be expressed in the first person. AT: "me" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

that you will build him a house

Here the metonym "house" refers to David's ancestors continuing on as the rulers of Israel. In 1 Chronicles 17:4 Yahweh tells David he would not be the one to build a house for Yahweh. There "house" represented a temple. If your language has a word that can express both ideas, use it here and in 1Ch 17:4. (See: Metonymy)

I, your servant, have found courage

The abstract noun "courage" can be expressed here as the verb "encouraged." AT: "I, your servant, am encouraged"

Now

This does not mean "at this moment," but is used to draw attention to the important point that follows.

your servant's house

David speaks of himself in the third person. This can be expressed in the first person. AT: "my house" or "my family" (See: First, Second, or Third Person)

You, Yahweh, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever

These two phrases have about the same meaning and are repeated here for emphasis. (See: Parallelism)

it will be blessed forever

This can be stated in active form. AT: "you will continue to bless it forever" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

servant

house

courage

pray

good

bless

eternity

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

For You, my God, have revealed It is surely fitting for You to cause Your words to be realized, for You Yourself revealed to [my] ear to build me a house, as it is written: (v. 10): “and I told you and the Lord will build you a house.”

therefore, Your servant has found [occasion] to pray before You i.e., If You Yourself had not promised me to bring upon my seed these favors, it would not enter my mind to make supplication, for who am I that You have brought even this far, but since You said for Your sake to bring me all these favors, I therefore pray that You cause Your words to be realized.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.