Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

The Lord - will make thee a house - Thou hast in thy heart to make me a house; I have it in my heart to make thee a house: thy family shall be built up, and shall prosper in the throne of Israel; and thy spiritual posterity shall remain for ever. God is the author of all our holy purposes, as well as of our good works, he first excites them; and if we be workers together with him, he will crown and reward them as though they were our own, though he is their sole author.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel,.... Before the time the judges were raised they were greatly afflicted by one nation or another around them, and between judge and judge, but now they should be no more so; here the parenthesis should end:

and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies; this belongs to David personally, and intends the same as in 2 Samuel 7:1,

also the Lord telleth thee, that he will make thee an house; not only build up his family, and make that numerous, but establish the house of his kingdom, as the Targum; that whereas he was desirous of building an house for God, God would build up an house for him; which would be a clear proof, that though he did not think fit to make use of him in the building of his house, yet he was not cast out of his favour, nor was it to be so interpreted by himself or others.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house — As a reward for his pious purpose, God would increase and maintain the family of David and secure the succession of the throne to his dynasty. [See on 1 Chronicles 17:10 ].

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

And as since — Nor as they did under the judges. But all this is to be understood with a condition, except they should notoriously forsake God.

And have caused thee — That is, and as until this time in which I have given thee rest. But these words, though according to our translation they be enclosed in the same parenthesis with the foregoing clauses, may be better put without it, and taken by themselves. For the foregoing words in this verse, and in verse10, all concern the people of Israel; but these words concern David alone, to whom the speechs returns after a short digression concerning the people of Israel. And they may be rendered thus.

And I will cause thee to rest, … — More fully and perfectly than yet thou dost.

He will, … — For thy good intentions to make him an house, he will make thee an house, a sure house, that is, he will increase and uphold thy posterity, and continue thy kingdom in thy family.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Samuel 7:11 And as since the time that I commanded judges [to be] over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

Ver. 11. That he will make thee an house,] i.e., Give thee a numerous and longlasting offspring to succeed thee in the throne. See Exodus 2:21, Ruth 4:11, 1 Kings 2:24. Scarce any of the Roman emperors had a son to succeed him: all or most of them, till Constantine, died unnatural deaths.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Nor as they did under the judges, neither so oft nor so long. But all this is to be understood with a condition, except they should notoriously forsake God, or rebel against him; which being so oft declared by God in other places it was needless to mention it here. Or this may relate to the latter ages of the world, when the people of Israel shall be converted to Christ, and recalled out of captivity, and planted in their own place; when they shall enjoy a far greater degree of tranquillity than ever they did before. And this agrees best with the future tense,

I will appoint—and will plant them, & c.; otherwise the work was already done, God had already appointed this land for them, and actually planted them in it.

And have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies, i. e. and until this time in which I have given thee rest. But these words, though according to our translation they be enclosed in the same parenthesis with the foregoing clauses, may seem to be better put without it, and to be taken by themselves. For the foregoing words in this verse, and in 2 Samuel 7:10, do all concern the people of Israel; but these words seem to concern David alone, to whom the speech returns after a short digression concerning the people of Israel. And they may be rendered either thus, and I have caused thee to rest, &c., or, and I will cause thee to rest, &c., to wit, more fully and perfectly than vet thou dost.

He will make thee an house; for thy good intentions to make him an house, he will make thee an house, to wit, a sure house, as is expressed, 1 Kings 11:38, i. e. he will increase and uphold thy posterity, and continue thy kingdom in thy family.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

11.And as since — During the time of the Judges, as well as in Egypt, had Israel suffered much from heathen foes.

The Lord’ will make thee a house — An allusion to the question of 2 Samuel 7:5. Thou shalt not build a house for me, but I will make a house for thee in thy posterity. “This thought is not merely a play upon words entirely in the spirit of prophecy, but contains the deep general truth that God must first of all build a man’s house before the man can build God’s house, and has reference especially to the kingdom of God in Israel.” — Keil.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

2 Samuel 7:11. And as since the time that I commanded judges — In whose days they were sorely afflicted by the Moabites, Canaanites, Midianites, and others. But all this, as the event showed, was intended to be understood with a condition, except they should notoriously forsake God, which they did, and therefore this promise was not fulfilled in that extensive and absolute sense which the words here seem to convey. And have caused thee to rest, &c. — Have given thee a quiet possession of the whole kingdom of Israel, which was never in so happy a condition as now. But these words, though according to our translation they are enclosed in the same parenthesis with the foregoing clauses, may be better put without it, and taken by themselves. For the foregoing words in this verse, and in 2 Samuel 7:10, all concern the people of Israel; but these words concern David alone, to whom the speech returns, after a short digression concerning the people of Israel. And they may be rendered thus: And I will cause thee to rest, &c., more fully and perfectly than yet thou dost. He will make thee a house, &c. — For thy good intentions to make him a house, he will make thee a house, a sure house; that is, he will increase and uphold thy posterity, and continue the kingdom in thy family.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

House, or give thee children, who shall hold the sceptre. (Menochius)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

He. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4.

house. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Subject), App-6, for household or family: i.e. a line of succession.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.} As a reward for his pious purpose, God would increase and maintain the family of David, and, instead of dooming him to the fate of Saul, secure the succession of the throne to his dynasty. There is here a paranomasia or play upon the word house. David had proposed to build a house for the glory of God; but God announces His purpose to 'make David an house.' By the erection of a magnificent temple, it was intended to establish a center of religious unity for the nation; but now it was made known that the presence and the oracles of God would be henceforth embodied, not in a national temple, but in the living line of David's dynasty. In other words, the promise now made, with the previous blessings it involved, would from this time be associated, not with a temple of stone, but with "the son of David." This announcement is celebrated in strains of the liveliest gratitude and joy (Psalms 21:1-5; Psalms 61:5-6; Psalms 138:2-8).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

since

Judges 2:14-16; 1 Samuel 12:9-11; Psalms 106:42

have caused

1; Job 5:18,19; 34:29; Psalms 46:9

he will make

27; Exodus 1:21; 1 Kings 2:24; 11:38; 1 Chronicles 17:10; 22:10; Psalms 89:3,4; 127:1; Proverbs 14:1

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 2:35 - I will build;  1 Samuel 25:28 - the Lord;  2 Samuel 7:7 - any of the tribes;  2 Samuel 7:19 - but thou;  1 Kings 2:4 - his word;  1 Chronicles 23:25 - The Lord;  Luke 1:32 - give;  Acts 2:30 - knowing;  Acts 13:20 - he gave;  Acts 15:16 - build again the tabernacle;  Hebrews 11:33 - obtained