2 Samuel 7:2

2Sa 7:2 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.

Ver. 2. That the king said unto Nathan the prophet.] This he said out of that ardent devotion and zeal kindled and increased in him by his late religious joy at the removal of the ark; by the presence whereof he tasted more and more how good the Lord was: and thereupon consulted with himself and Nathan about a fit retribution: saying in effect as Psa 116:12. The building of a temple non tantum voluit, sed et vovit, he both designed and vowed, {Psa 132:2} but herein he failed, that he would run before the Lord’s commandment. So hard it is to hold the golden mean, and not to mingle some sin with our best actions.

See now, I dwell in an house of cedar.] Ahab dwelt in a palace of ivory, and yet had no thoughts of heart for God and his service. The thoughts of the wicked are little worth. {Pro 10:20}

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.

7:2 Nathan is recorded in David’s life on three occasions: (1) here with a promise for David; (2) in 12:1-15 with a parable of judgment against David; (3) in 1 Kgs 1:11-27 with a plan for installing Solomon as David’s successor. • A cedar palace would have been made of stone with cedar paneling inside.

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

Within the Tabernacle covered with skins, Exod. 26:7.

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

Verse 2. I dwell in a house of cedar] That is, a house whose principal beams, ceiling, and wainscot, were cedar.

Dwelleth within curtains.] Having no other residence but the tabernacle, which was a place covered with the skins of beasts, Ex 26:14.

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

(2) Nathan.—This is the first mention of him, but he was already a confidential counsellor of the king, and became prominent later in this reign and in the opening of that of Solomon (2 Samuel 12; 1Ki_1:10; 1Ki_1:12; 1Ki_1:34; 1Ki_1:38). Nathan “the prophet” and Gad “the seer” wrote parts of the history of this and the succeeding reign (1Ch_29:29; 2Ch_9:29).

Within curtains.—This is the word used in Exodus 26 and 36 for the covering of the tabernacle. The ark was not now within that, but in a similar temporary structure. David’s heart is moved by a comparison of his own royal residence with the inferior provision for the ark. Compare the opposite state of things among the returned exiles in Hag_1:10.

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

2. Nathan the prophet] The first mention of one of the most eminent men in the reigns of David and Solomon. It was he who rebuked David for his sin with Bathsheba (ch. 2Sa_12:1 ff.); who became Solomon’s tutor (ch. 2Sa_12:25, note), and took a leading part in securing his succession to the throne (1Ki_1:22 ff.); who wrote a history of the reign of David and of part at least of the reign of Solomon (1Ch_29:29; 2Ch_9:29), from which in all probability a large portion of the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, is derived.

within curtains] The term applied in Exo_26:1 ff; Exo_36:8 ff., to the coverings of the tabernacle.

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.

That the king said unto Nathan the prophet,.... This is the first time this prophet is made mention of, but often afterwards, yet who he was, and from whence he came, is not known; he appears to be a man of great piety and prudence, as well as endowed with a prophetic spirit, and was very familiar with David, and perhaps dwelt in his palace; being a man on all accounts fit for conversation with princes, to whom David imparted what he had been meditating upon in his heart. The Jews have a tradition (t) that he was the same with Jonathan the son of Shimea, the brother of David, Sa2 21:21; which is not very likely:

see now, I dwell in an house of cedar; made of the cedars of Lebanon; see what a spacious palace it is:

but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains; in a tabernacle within curtains, as the Targum; not the tabernacle of Moses, for that was at Gibeon, Ch1 21:29; but that which David had made for it, which consisted of curtains that were drawn around it, Sa2 6:17. It gave him a concern that he should dwell in so magnificent a palace, and the ark of God should have so mean an habitation; wherefore it was upon his mind to build a grand edifice for it, and this he suggested hereby to Nathan, and so he understood him, as appears by what follows; and the rather he was led to such a thought, being now at rest and in peace; for then it was an house was to be built for God, in which he would cause his name to dwell, as David might easily learn from Deu 12:9; and who so proper to set forward such a work as a king, and he when at rest from his enemies?

(t) Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2 Reg. fol. 79. M. & in lib. Paralipom. fol. 89. B. F.

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

Nathan the prophet - Here first mentioned, but playing an important part afterward (e. g. 2Sa 12:1; 1Ki 1:10; 1Ch 29:29; 2Ch 9:29). From the two last passages it appears that he wrote the history of David’s reign, and a part at least of Solomon’s. His distinctive title is the prophet, that of Gad the seer (compare 1Sa 9:9). He was probably nuch younger than David. In 2Sa 7:3, he spoke his own private opinion; in 2Sa 7:4, this was corrected by the word of the Lord.

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

Nathan. An admirable courier, (Grotius) and a great saint, Ecclesiasticus xlvii. He was neither too rough, nor too complaisant. --- Cedar. This was the most esteemed species of wood. The palace of the Persian kings, at Ecbatana, was chiefly built of it, and of cypress wood. (Polybius x.) --- Houses were not there built in such a solid manner, as they are in colder climates. They consisted mostly of wood. --- Skins. The outer veils of the tabernacle were made of skins, as others generally were. (Calmet) --- Hebrew and Chaldean, "of curtains."

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.e. In a tent or tabernacle, 1Sa 7:6 composed of several curtains, Exo 26:1, &c.

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

2. I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark… within curtains — A compunctious thought and feeling. He had housed himself right royally, while the sacred symbol of Jehovah’s presence had been quite neglected.

Within curtains — Literally, in the midst of the curtain, (1Ch_17:1,) under curtains, that is, tent-coverings, woven of goat’s hair. Exo_26:7. On the tent in which the ark then abode, see note on

2Sa_6:17.

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

A house of cedar; Hebrew, cedars. As these trees were sent by Hiram, and as the house was built, and David now settled in it, some considerable time must have elapsed since his accession. Moreover, the league with Hiram would be the result of David"s successes recorded in 2Sa_8:1; for the bond of union between the two was their mutual fear of the Philistines. As we have seen before, the alliance with Tyro had a very civilizing effect upon the Hebrews, who were far inferior to the Tyrians in the mechanical arts; and David"s house of hewn cedar logs was marvellous in the eyes of a people who still dwelt chiefly in tents. David purposed to build even a more sumptuous palace for Jehovah, and advised with Nathan as his chief counsellor, and the person to whom subsequently the education of Solomon was confided. Within curtains; Hebrew, the curtain; that is, the tent. The tabernacle prepared by Moses for the ark was formed of ten curtains, (Exo_26:1) but the significance lay, not in their number, hut in the dwelling of Jehovah still being a mere temporary lodging, though his people had received from him a settled land.

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

Curtains - That is, in a tent or tabernacle, ver. 6, composed of several curtains.

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