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
- WEB 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 among men, Lord Yahweh!
- BSB 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?
- NKJV 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?
- NASB 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.
- NLT 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?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David marveled that God had also spoken of his house far into the future, an astonishing thing among men. He sees the promise as extraordinary grace.
Overview
David recognizes that the covenant reaches generations beyond him, an unparalleled gift. The phrase rendered 'this among men' has been read by many faithful interpreters as wonder at how God deals with humanity, and the parallel in 1 Chronicles 17:17 sees God regarding David as a man of high rank. Either way, David is overcome by the scope and graciousness of God's word.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Isa 55:8–9For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
- 1 Chr 17:17And 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.
- 2 Sam 7:11–16And 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.
- Ps 36:7How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
- 2 Sam 12:8And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
- Eph 3:19–20And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
- Eph 2:7That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
- Num 16:13Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?
- Num 16:9Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
God's covenant with David — a son whose throne and kingdom would last forever (7:12–16) — finds its yes in Jesus, the Son of David who reigns without end.
How 2 Samuel 7:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.