2 Samuel 7:19

King James Version

And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God ; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God ?

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
What you have done so far was a little thing to you, Lord God, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation for mankind, Lord God.

Hebrew Names Version
This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord GOD; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come; and this [too] after the manner of men, Lord GOD!

Lexham English Bible
Still, this was insignificant in your eyes, my lord Yahweh, and also you have spoken about the house of your servant from afar, and this may be the teaching of humans, my lord Yahweh.

English Standard Version
And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God . You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God !

New Century Version
But even this is not enough for you, Lord God . You have also made promises about my future family. This is extraordinary, Lord God .

New English Translation
And you didn't stop there, O Lord God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant's family. Is this your usual way of dealing with men, O Lord God?

Amplified Bible
"Yet this was very insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of Your servant's house (royal dynasty) in the distant future. And this is the law and custom of man, O Lord GOD.

New American Standard Bible
"And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant regarding the distant future. And this is the custom of mankind, Lord GOD.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God, therefore thou hast spoken also of thy seruants house for a great while: but doth this apperteine to man, O Lord God?

Legacy Standard Bible
And yet this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord Yahweh, for You have spoken also of the house of Your slave concerning the distant future. And this is the law of man, O Lord Yahweh.

Contemporary English Version
and yet you have promised to do even more. Is this the way you usually treat people?

Complete Jewish Bible
Yet in your view, Adonai Elohim , even this was too small a thing; so you have even said that your servant's dynasty will continue on into the distant future. This is [indeed] a teaching for a man, Adonai Elohim —

Darby Translation
And yet this hath been a small thing in thy sight, Lord Jehovah; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, Lord Jehovah?

Easy-to-Read Version
I am nothing but a servant, but Lord God , you have also said these kind things about my future family. Lord God , you don't always talk like this to people, do you?

George Lamsa Translation
And is this yet a small thing in thy sight, O LORD God, that thou hast spoken also concerning thy servants descendants for a great while to come? Is this for the guidance of men, O LORD God?

Good News Translation
Yet now you are doing even more, Sovereign Lord ; you have made promises about my descendants in the years to come. And you let a man see this, Sovereign Lord !

Literal Translation
And this was yet but little in Your eyes, O Lord Jehovah. But You have spoken also of Your servant's house for a time afar off. And is this the law of men, O Lord Jehovah?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
This O LORDE God hast thou thoughte to litle also, but hast spoken of the house of thy seruaunt yet loge for to come. O LORDE God, is that the lawe of men?

American Standard Version
And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes, O Lord Jehovah; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come; and this too after the manner of men, O Lord Jehovah!

Bible in Basic English
And this was only a small thing to you, O Lord God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, O Lord God!

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And this was yet a small thing in thy sight O Lorde God: but thou hast spoken also of thy seruauntes house for a great whyle: but doth this appertayne to man, O Lorde God?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And this was yet a small thing in Thine eyes, O Lord GOD; but Thou hast spoken also of Thy servant's house for a great while to come; and this too after the manner of great men, O Lord GOD.

King James Version (1611)
And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God: but thou hast spoken also of thy seruants house for a great while to come, and is this the maner of man, O Lord God?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Whereas I was very little before thee, O Lord, my Lord, yet thou spokest concerning the house of thy servant for a long time to to come. And is this the law of man, O Lord, my Lord?

English Revised Version
And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come; and this too after the manner of men, O Lord GOD!

Berean Standard Bible
And as if this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. Is this Your custom with man, O Lord GOD?

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But also this is seyn litil in thi siyt, my Lord God; no but thou schuldist speke also of the hows of thi seruaunt in to long tyme. Forsothe this is the lawe of Adam, Lord God;

Young's Literal Translation
And yet this [is] little in Thine eyes, Lord Jehovah, and Thou dost speak also concerning the house of Thy servant afar off; and this [is] the law of the Man, Lord Jehovah.

Update Bible Version
And this was yet a small thing in your eyes, O Lord Yahweh; but you have spoken also of your slave's house for a great while to come; and this is the law of man, O Lord Yahweh!

Webster's Bible Translation
And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And [is] this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?

World English Bible
This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord Yahweh; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come; and this [too] after the manner of men, Lord Yahweh!

New King James Version
And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?

New Living Translation
And now, Sovereign Lord , in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign Lord ?

New Life Bible
Yet this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken of Your servant's family in the future. And this is the way of man, O Lord God.

New Revised Standard
And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God ; you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come. May this be instruction for the people, O Lord God !

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and hast yet further made this seem little in thine eyes, My Lord, Yahweh, in that thou hast spoken, even of the house, of thy servant, for a great while to come? This, then is the law of manhood, O My Lord, Yahweh!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Bur yet this hath seemed little in thy sight, O Lord God, unless thou didst also speak of the house of thy servant for a long time to come: for this is the law of Adam, O Lord God:

Revised Standard Version
And yet this was a small thing in thy eyes, O Lord GOD; thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast shown me future generations, O Lord GOD!

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord GOD.

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord , and he said, Who am I, O Lord God ? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? ¹⁹ And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God ; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God ? ²⁰ And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God , knowest thy servant. ²¹ For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. ²² Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²³ And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? ²⁴ For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord , art become their God. ²⁵ And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. ²⁶ And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. ²⁷ For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

And this: 2 Samuel 12:8, Numbers 16:9, Numbers 16:13

but thou: 2 Samuel 7:11-16, 1 Chronicles 17:17

And is this: Psalms 36:7, Isaiah 55:8, Isaiah 55:9, Ephesians 2:7, Ephesians 3:19, Ephesians 3:20

manner: Heb. law

Reciprocal: Psalms 21:5 - glory Ezekiel 34:18 - a small Matthew 7:11 - how Luke 1:48 - regarded Luke 19:25 - Lord Acts 7:46 - found 1 John 3:1 - what

Cross-References

Genesis 7:2
Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.

Genesis 7:3
Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.

Genesis 7:6
And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.

Genesis 7:9
There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.

Job 12:15
Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.

Jeremiah 3:23
Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.

2 Peter 3:6
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God,.... This of raising him to the throne, and settling him on it, was but a small thing in comparison of what he promised to do for him and his:

but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come; since he had not only spoken of a son that should succeed him in the kingdom, but that he would make him an house, and establish his kingdom; yea, that the throne of his kingdom should be established for ever, that a race of kings should spring from him, and especially the King Messiah, of whose kingdom there would be no end; and so the Targum,

"thou hast spoken of the house of thy servant unto the world to come,''

a phrase often used by the Jews for the times of the Messiah; see Hebrews 2:5; and so Abarbinel thinks this clause has respect to Messiah the son of David:

and [is] this the manner of man, O Lord God? to bestow their favours on their inferiors, persons of no worth and merit, and is a profuse manner? it is not; and yet to one so much below thee, and so undeserving, hast thou most largely and liberally given such great and unmerited mercies: or is it the manner, or customary to deal thus with men mean and abject, though it may with great personages that make a great figure in the world? it is not: and yet I am regarded by thee as if I was one of the greatest monarchs on earth: this sense agrees with the parallel text in 1 Chronicles 17:17; "and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree"; or, "this is the law", or "doctrine of the man [who is] the Lord God" c. This doctrine contained in the promise now made respects the seed of the woman, the promised Shiloh, the illustrious man, Jehovah's fellow, the incarnate God, the Messiah, who is Jehovah our righteousness, the true God and eternal life.

c So Luther and Osiander; or "this is the delineation of the man who is the Lord", &c. So Hiller. Onomastic. Sacr. p. 447.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Is this the manner of man - Compare 1 Chronicles 17:17. Our passage may be thus understood: But this is the law (or prerogative) of a great man to found dynasties which are to last into the far future. David expresses his astonishment that he, of such humble birth, and one so little in his own eyes, should not only be raised to the throne, but be assured of the perpetuity of the succession in his descendants, as if he were a man of high degree.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 7:19. And is this the manner of man — Literally: And this, O Lord God, is the law of Adam. Does he refer to the promise made to Adam, The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent? From my line shall the Messiah spring, and be the spiritual and triumphant King, for ever and ever. See the additions at the end. 2 Samuel 7:25.