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?
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!
- KJV 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?
- 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?
- 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 55:8–9“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not my ways,” says Yahweh.
- 1 Chr 17:17This was a small thing in your eyes, God; but you have spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have respected me according to the standard of a man of high degree, Yahweh God.
- 2 Sam 7:11–16and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house.
- Ps 36:7How precious is your loving kindness, God! The children of men take refuge under the shadow of your wings.
- 2 Sam 12:8I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.
- Eph 3:19–20and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
- Eph 2:7that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus;
- Num 16:13Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, but you must also make yourself a prince over us?
- Num 16:9Is it a small thing to you, that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself, to do the service of Yahweh’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation to minister to them;
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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
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