Commentaria in I Paralipomenon
Chapter 17
David, wishing to build the temple, hears from Nathan that this building is reserved by God for his son Solomon, and that therefore a long posterity in the kingdom is promised to himself. Wherefore he gives ample thanks to God.
1. And when David dwelt in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins. 2. And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart; for God is with thee. 3. And that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: 4. Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in. 5. For I have not abode in a house from the time that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have always changed places in a tabernacle, and in a tent, 6. abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, and say: Why have you not built me a house of cedar? 7. Now therefore thus shalt thou speak to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee when thou wast following the flocks in the pastures, that thou shouldst be ruler over my people Israel. 8. And I have been with thee wheresoever thou hast walked; and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth. 9. And I gave a place to my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more: neither shall the children of iniquity waste them as from the beginning, 10. since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. I declare, therefore, to thee that the Lord will build thee a house. 11. And when thou shalt have fulfilled thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom. 12. He shall build me a house; and I will establish his throne for ever. 13. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee. 14. And I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever. 15. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David. 16. And when king David was come and sat before the Lord, he said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou shouldst give me such things? 17. But even this hath seemed too little in thy sight, and therefore thou hast spoken also concerning the house of thy servant for the time to come: and thou hast made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God. 18. What can David say more, seeing thou hast so glorified thy servant, and known him? 19. O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, according to thy own heart, thou hast done all this magnificence, and wouldst have all these great things to be known. 20. O Lord, there is none like thee, and there is no other God beside thee, of all whom we have heard with our ears. 21. For what other nation is there upon earth like thy people Israel, whom God went to deliver and make a people for himself, and by his greatness and terrors cast out nations from before their face, whom he had delivered out of Egypt? 22. And thou hast made thy people Israel thy own people for ever, and thou, O Lord, art become their God. 23. Now therefore, O Lord, let the word which thou hast spoken to thy servant, and concerning his house, be confirmed for ever, and do as thou hast said. 24. And let thy name remain, and be magnified for ever, and let it be said: The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, and the house of David his servant remaining before him. 25. For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant that thou wilt build him a house: and therefore thy servant hath found confidence to pray before thee. 26. Now therefore, O Lord, thou art God: and thou hast promised to thy servant such great benefits. 27. And thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be always before thee: for thou, O Lord, blessing it, it shall be blessed for ever.
I explained this chapter on 2 Kings 7. 9. And I gave a place to my people Israel, (in Chanaan, its former inhabitants, namely the wicked Chanaanites, having been expelled, in which) they shall be planted,—that is, shall dwell firmly like a plant and a solid tree; and understand the usual condition, if, namely, Israel worship me as their God and turn not aside to idols and vices; whence, because after David it turned aside from this, it was justly delivered by God at last as prey to the Gentiles, especially the Assyrians and Babylonians.
25. Thou hast revealed to the ear of thy servant,—that is, kindly and secretly thou hast revealed to me, as to thy friend, and as it were in my ear hast spoken the magnificent goods which thou hast promised me, and which I here subjoin.
rooted in its own land, that it be not torn from it, nor reduced to servitude by the Madianites, Ammonites, Moabites, Syrians, Philistines, as it was reduced often in the time of the Judges, as follows; understand