1 Chronicles 17:1-27 - Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

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REFLECTIONS. In a temporal view the promise made to David, that his house should for ever fill the throne of Israel, must be regarded as a branch of the great national covenant, and consequently subject to the same conditions. How else shall we harmonize it with the chasms which frequently happened in the government under the Asmonæn family after the captivity. But in a spiritual view, if we refer it to Christ, as we are taught to do in the new testament, Luke 1:33, we see its full accomplishment: and to David as a type of the Messiah, the promise was made. Surely all the considerations which result from this subject, should be weighty arguments for the conversion of the Jews. Where is the Jew now living, who can trace his descent to the house of David, or bring forward satisfactory claims to his throne?

The piety of David is more largely expressed here than in the 7th of the first book of Samuel. Though he was descended from Nahshon prince of Judah, yet he chooses rather to mention the “sheep-cotes;” for pure religion is ever distinguished by humility. He attributes the gift of the throne wholly to grace. Dwelling now in a Tyrian palace whose beams were cedar, he retraced the vast line of divine mercies to him as a man and a prince, and blushed with the weight of favours, when he considered that the ark of God still dwelt in tents. How pure, how pious, how noble were the motives which animated his soul to build a temple to the Lord. May the same pure and noble motives ever actuate our hearts in all we may wish to do for God.

His piety was not confined to himself, it extended in a most grateful transition to all the mercies vouchsafed to Israel. What one nation of the earth, he asks, is like thy people? So when divine meditations inspire the heart, we see both heaven and earth full of the lovingkindness of the Lord, and are ready to ask what returns we can make for all his mercies.

David was content and happy when his purposes were not accepted. He discovered no chagrin, he took no offence, though heaven refused the warmest of all his wishes. He had shed much blood; so neither his reign nor his situation allowed him to be a figure of Christ's peaceable kingdom. But he was thankful that the Lord gave him a hope in his son, and he proceeded in collecting materials and treasures for the work. Learn, oh my soul, never to be offended when thy God, or thy brethren do not accept the pious overtures of thy heart. Still do all the good thou canst, though denied of doing all the good thou wouldst.

Related Commentaries of 1 Chronicles 17:1

1 Chronicles 17:1-27

1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.

2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.

3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:

5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.

6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?

7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from followinga the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.

9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,

10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.

11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that 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 an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.

13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:

14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.

15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

16 And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.

18 What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.

19 O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.

20 O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?

22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God.

23 Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.

24 Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.

25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.

26 And now, LORD, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:

27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.