2 Samuel 7:10

10. Moreover I will appoint] It is probably best to take the verbs here as perfects: And I have appointed … and have planted them, and they dwell in their own place. For the metaphor of planting, comp. Exo_15:17; Psa_44:2.

and move no more] Better, and shall not be disturbed any more.

the children of wickedness] Sons of wickedness = wicked men. Cp. Psa_89:22.

10, 11. as beforetime, and as since the time] It is best to connect the first clause of 2Sa_7:11 with 2Sa_7:10. Beforetime refers to the beginning of the nation’s history in Egypt; since, &c. to the various oppressions they had suffered from the beginning of the period of the Judges down to the present.

and have caused thee to rest] And have given thee rest, as in 2Sa_7:1; to be connected with the verbs at the beginning of 2Sa_7:10, I have appointed … and have planted them.

Also, &c.] Or, And the Lord hath told thee, referring to the communications made to David by Samuel. Cp. 1Sa_25:28.

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.

2Sa 7:10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

Ver. 10. Moreover I will appoint,] q.d., For thy further comfort and encouragement, I do thee to know, that I will settle and felicitate thy subjects: who shall sit still and see golden days under thine and thy son’s government.

Neither shall the children of wickedness.] A fit description of tyrants and persecutors; brats of wickedness, that hell-hag; as Job calleth sparks the sons of fire, being engendered by it upon fuel.

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.

7:10-11a 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, 15; 22:4), and later realized in the ministry of some of the judges (Judg 3:11, 30; 5:31; 8:28).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He promiseth them quietness, if they will walk in his fear and obedience.

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

Verse 10. I will appoint a place] I have appointed a place, and have planted them. See the observations at the end. 2Sa 7:25.

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

(10) Will appoint . . . will plant.—There is no change of tense in the original; read, have appointed, . . . have planted.

(11) And as since the time.—These words are connected with the last clause of the verse before. The Lord says that He had now given His people rest under David, not allowing “the children of wickedness to afflict them any more as before time,” when they were in Egypt, nor as in the troubled period of the judges, “since the time that I commanded judges,” &c.

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

Moreover, I will appoint a place for my people Israel,.... The land of Canaan: this the Lord had of old appointed to them, and had introduced them into and settled them in it, but not entirely and alone; in many places the Canaanites had inhabited; but now they should be expelled, and the Israelites should have the place to themselves:

and will plant them; so that they shall take root and flourish, and continue:

that they may dwell in a place of their own; and not as they dwelt in Egypt, in a land that was not theirs; or "under themselves" (x); under their own rulers and governors:

and move no more; as they did in the times of the judges, when, sinning against God, they were often delivered into their enemies' hands, and carried captives:

neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime; when in Egypt, and in the times of the judges; all which is supposed, provided they did not depart from the Lord, but abode by his word, worship, and ordinances, and obeyed his will; for it was by their obedience they held their tenure of the land of Canaan, see Isa 1:19; or all this may respect future times, when they shall be converted to the Messiah, and return to their own land, and ever continue in it, and never more be harassed and distressed, Jer 32:41.

(x) "sub se", Montanus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Moreover I will appoint ... - It should be: And I have appointed a place, etc., and have planted them, etc. This was already done by the consolidation of David’s kingdom. The contrast between this and 2Sa 7:11 is that of the troubled, unsettled times of the Judges and the frequent servitudes of Israel in those times, with the settled prosperity and independence of the kingdom of David and Solomon.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Before, provided they be faithful. These promises are conditional.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

I will appoint a place, i.e. I will make room for them; whereas hitherto they have been much constrained and distressed by their enemies, Or, I will establish (for so that verb sometimes signifies)

a place for them, i.e. I will establish them in their place or land. Some learned men render the verse thus, and the Hebrew words will bear it: And I have appointed (or assigned, or given) a place for my people Israel, (to wit, the land of Canaan,) and have planted them in it, that they may dwell in their own place, and be no more driven to and fro; or rather, and they shall dwell in their own place, &c.; i.e. as I did long ago appoint it to them, and afterwards planted them, or put them into actual possession; so now they shall continue or dwell in it, in spite of all their enemies.

For my people Israel. Among the favours which God had vouchsafed, and would vouchsafe to David, he reckons his blessings to the people of Israel, because they were great blessings to David; partly because the strength and happiness of a king consists in great part in the multitude and happiness of his people; and partly because David was a man of a pious and public spirit, and therefore no less affected with Israel’s felicity than with his own.

In a place of their own, i.e. in their own land, not in strange lands, nor mixed with other people.

As beforetime; either, first, As in the land of Egypt; and so he goes downward to the judges. Or, secondly, As in Saul’s time; and so he ascends to the judges.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

10. I will appoint — All the versions have, with strange unanimity, translated שׂמתי, I have appointed, as if it were in the future tense. All difficulty is removed and the sense made plain when it is properly translated as the preterit: I have appointed a place, etc., namely, the land of Canaan.

Will plant — Rather, have planted.

As beforetime — When in the bondage of Egypt.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 10, 11. Moreover I will appoint... will plant. For "moreover," the Hebrew has "and." The tenses also continue the same: "And I have appointed and have planted." It is all part of the same act. As regards the second verb, the past tense alone makes sense. Jehovah was not about to plant Israel in a place of their own, hut had just done so completely. For David"s kingdom had given them security, and with it the power of doing for God that duty which was Israel"s special office in the world. Had the anarchy of the times of the judges continued, and the energies of the nation been spent in a hard struggle for existence, that rapid advance in literature which followed upon the institution of Samuel"s schools, and which filled David"s court with poets and chroniclers, never could have existed, and prophecy would have been impossible. The age of Hezekiah was apparently the culminating period of Hebrew civilization, after which came the depressing influences of the Assyrian invasions, and then long exile, followed by a second weary struggle for existence. If writing was at first a mystery and an art known only to priests, it became throughout the monarchy the possession especially of the prophets, who were Israel"s learned men. At the head of their roll stands the matchless Isaiah, and to render it possible for his genius to display itself, not only Samuel"s schools, but the security of David"s era of conquest, and the long peace and magnificence of Solomon"s reign, were all necessary. When "God had given David rest from his enemies round about," he had thereby finally appointed a place for Israel and had planted them there. There is, perhaps, some difficulty in the verb forms at the end of ver. 11, but none in the meaning. The reign of David marks an era in the national life. Under him Israel obtained secure possession of the place appointed for it; and now, having no longer to waste its energies in perpetual fighting, the national life grows upwards, and attains to culture, to thought, and civilization. Canaan is now their own, and instead of being mere warriors, they develop national institutions and a national character. What could men do that belongs to a higher and nobler life who were in daily fear of being swept away by Canaanites and Midianites, by Philistines and Ammonites? This miserable period is described as "beforetime," and as "since the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel." And here a colon should be placed; and the Hebrew will then proceed, "But now I have caused thee to rest from thine enemies, the anarchy and its attendant weakness is over; "and Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house." Rest has been given; the establishment of David"s family as the Messianic lineage is to follow (see on this promise,. (1Sa_2:35)

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

Appoint - That is, I will make room for them, whereas hitherto they have been much distressed by their enemies. Or, I will establish a place for them, that is, I will establish them in their place or land. My people - Among the favours which God had vouchsafed, and would vouchsafe to David, he reckons his blessings to Israel, because they were great blessings to David; partly, because the strength and happiness of a king consists in the multitude and happiness of his people; and partly, because David was a man of a public spirit, and therefore no less affected with Israel's felicity than with his own. Before time - Namely in Egypt.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Yahweh continues describing his promises to King David through the prophet Nathan.

I will appoint a place

"I will choose a place"

will plant them there

Yahweh causing the people to live in the land permanently and securely is spoken of as if he would plant them in the land. (See: Metaphor)

be troubled no more

This can be stated in active form. AT: "no one will ever trouble them" (See: Active or Passive)

from the days

"from the time"

I commanded judges

After the people of Israel entered the land of Canaan and before they had kings to rule them, God appointed leaders called "judges" to lead them in times of trouble.

to be over my people Israel

To be in authority is referred to as being over someone. AT: "to rule my people Israel" (See: Idiom)

Now I will give you rest from all your enemies ... declare to you that I will make you a house

If in 2 Samuel 7:8-9 you translated the direct quotations as indirect quotation, then here you may need to translate "you" as "him" or "his." AT: "Now I will give him rest from all his enemies ... declare to him that I will make him a house" (See: Quotes Within Quotes and Direct and Indirect Quotations)

I will give you rest from all your enemies

"I will give you safety from all your enemies." Here "rest" is an abstract noun. AT: "I will make all your enemies stop attacking you" (See: Abstract Nouns)

I will make you a house

Here the metonym "house" refers to David's ancestors continuing on as the rulers of Israel. In 2 Samuel 7:4 Yahweh asked David if he would 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 2Sa 7:4. (See: Metonymy)

translationWords

appoint

trouble

evil

oppress

command

judge, judges

rest

house

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

I will make a place. I still want to quiet [things] that my people [should have] quiet and tranquility during the days of your son['s reign].

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.