Year of the Bible
2 Samuel 7
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Commentary on the Second Book of Samuel, Chapter 7:
Now that David has brought military peace and worship of God to Jerusalem, he has time to contemplate his next steps. He lives in a luxurious palace, but God’s throne is dwelling in a tent. David wants to rectify this imbalance, but God has a different plan. The prophet Nathan brings God’s response, which will lay the foundation for the coming of Jesus some 1000 years later. This is often called the “Davidic covenant,” for God makes solemn promises to David. These circle around the word house, used to reference David’s palace, a Temple for God, and David’s dynasty. After reminding David of His power and provision, God promises to establish a house/dynasty for David. An offspring of this dynasty will have an eternal throne, and he will be the one to build God’s house/Temple. The relationship between God and this person will be so intimate it will be like father and son. David is humbled by these promises and offers a beautiful prayer that recounts God’s greatness and requests God’s blessing upon his house.
The Second Book of Samuel, Chapter 7:
God’s Promise to David
1 Now when the king dwelt in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart; for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ 8 Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men; 15 but I will not take my merciful love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
David’s Prayer
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 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 have shown me future generations, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have wrought all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God; for there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 What other nation on earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name, and doing for them great and terrible things, by driving out before his people a nation and its gods? 24 And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people for ever; and you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm for ever the word which you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken; 26 and your name will be magnified for ever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; 29 now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever before you; for you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed for ever.”
*Daily Lectio Divina Question:
The central part of Nathan’s prophecy (vv. 13-16) speaks to a descendent of David (Jesus Christ) ruling forever. Jesus was the fulfillment of the promise. Every descendent of David will have the relationship of being a son to God, these sons will be punished if necessary, but David’s line will not be cut off and the Davidic dynasty in Christ will last forever. Lord, how deeply do I recognize my own share in this sonship?
Biblical Commentary provided by the Catholic Biblical School of Michigan. Join a Catholic Biblical School of Michigan class this September at Holy Family in Grand Blanc, or online.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
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1 Cuando el rey se estableció en su casa y
el Señor le concedió la paz con los enemigos
de alrededor, 2 dijo el rey al profeta
Natán:
–Mira, yo habito en una casa de cedro,
mientras que el arca del Señor habita
en una tienda de lona.
3 Natán respondió al rey:
–Vete y haz lo que te dicta el corazón,
porque el Señor está contigo.
4 Pero esa misma noche la palabra
del Señor llegó sobre Natán en estos términos:
5 –Vete y dile a mi siervo David: «Así
dice el Señor: “¿Eres tú el que va a edificar
una casa para que Yo habite en ella?
6 Nunca he habitado en una casa desde
el día en que hice subir a los hijos de Israel
de Egipto hasta el día de hoy, sino
que he caminado siempre en una tienda
y en un tabernáculo. 7 Y cuando he caminado
por todas partes con el pueblo
de Israel ¿me he quejado a alguno de los
jueces a quienes encargué que apacentaran
a mi pueblo Israel, de que no me
edificaran una casa de cedro?”».
8 »Y ahora así dirás a mi siervo David:
«Así dice el Señor de los ejércitos:
“Yo te he tomado del aprisco, de detrás
del rebaño para que seas príncipe sobre
mi pueblo Israel; 9 he estado contigo en
todas tus andanzas, he eliminado a todos
tus enemigos ante ti y he hecho tu
nombre grande entre los grandes de la
tierra. 10 Asignaré un lugar para mi pueblo
Israel y lo plantaré para que habite
allí y nadie le moleste; los malvados
no volverán a oprimirlo como antes,
11 cuando constituí jueces sobre mi pueblo
Israel. Te concederé la paz con todos
tus enemigos. El Señor te anuncia que
Él te edificará una casa. 12 Cuando hayas
completado los días de tu vida y descanses
con tus padres, suscitaré después de
ti un linaje salido de tus entrañas y consolidaré
su reino. 13 Él edificará una casa
en honor de mi nombre y yo mantendré
el trono de su realeza para siempre.
14 Yo seré para él un padre y él será para
mí un hijo; si algo hace mal le castigaré
con vara de hombres y con golpes humanos.
15 Pero no apartaré de él mi amor
como lo aparté de Saúl a quien alejé de
tu presencia; 16 tu casa y tu reino permanecerán
para siempre en mi presencia y
tu trono será firme también para siempre”
».
17 Natán comunicó a David todas estas
palabras y esta visión.
18 Entonces el rey David fue y se presentó
ante el Señor diciendo:
–¿Quién soy yo, Señor Dios, y qué
es mi casa para que me hayas traído
hasta aquí? 19 Y aún esto te ha parecido
poco, Señor Dios, y has hablado de
la casa de tu siervo para un futuro lejano.
Es el designio de este hombre, Señor,
Dios mío. 20 ¿Qué más podría añadir
David a estas palabras, si Tú, Señor
Dios, conoces a tu siervo? 21 Por tu palabra
y según tu corazón, has hecho todos
estos prodigios y se los has dado a conocer
a tu siervo. 22 Por eso Tú eres grande,
Señor Dios mío, y no hay nadie semejante
a ti, ni hay otro Dios fuera de
ti, como hemos escuchado con nuestros
oídos. 23 ¿Y qué otra nación hay en la tierra
como tu pueblo Israel a quien Dios
mismo haya venido a redimir para hacerlo
pueblo suyo, para darle un nombre
y para hacer con él prodigios y grandes
maravillas, alejando a las naciones y
a sus dioses delante del pueblo que redimiste
para ti en Egipto? 24 Tú has consolidado
a tu pueblo Israel como pueblo
tuyo para siempre; y Tú, Señor, te
has constituido como su Dios. 25 Ahora,
pues, Señor Dios, mantén firme para
siempre la palabra que has pronunciado
sobre tu siervo y sobre su casa, y cumple
lo que has dicho. 26 Que tu nombre
sea engrandecido para siempre y que se
diga: «El Señor de los ejércitos es el Dios
de Israel». Y que la casa de tu siervo David
permanezca firme en tu presencia,
27 porque Tú, Señor de los ejércitos, Dios
de Israel, has revelado esto a tu siervo:
«Te edificaré una casa». Por eso, tu siervo
ha encontrado valor para dirigirte
esta oración. 28 Ahora, pues, Señor Dios,
Tú eres Dios y tus palabras son verdad;
Tú has prometido estos bienes a tu siervo.
29 Dígnate, pues, bendecir la casa de
tu siervo para que permanezca en tu
presencia para siempre, porque Tú, Señor
Dios, has hablado y con tu bendición
será bendita para siempre la casa
de tu siervo.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina del día de hoy
La parte central de la profecía de Natán (vv. 13-16) habla de un descendiente de David (Jesucristo) gobernando para siempre. Jesús fue el cumplimiento de la promesa. Cada descendiente de David tendrá la relación de ser hijo de Dios, estos hijos serán castigados si es necesario, pero la línea de David no será cortada y la dinastía de David en Cristo durará para siempre. ¿Hasta qué punto reconocemos nuestra propia relación de hijos? Lee el CCC 460.
La Biblia de Navarra
Permiso para usar esta versión de la primera edición de la Biblia de Navarra
para el Año de la Biblia del Obispo
dado por Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, S.A. (EUNSA).