2 Samuel 7 · Verse 2

2 Samuel 7:2

That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
2 Samuel 7:2, King James Version

2 Samuel 7:2 in other translations

BSBhe said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
WEBthe king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but God’s ark dwells within curtains.”
ASVthat the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
YLTthat the king saith unto Nathan the prophet, ‘See, I pray thee, I am dwelling in a house of cedars, and the ark of God is dwelling in the midst of the curtain.'
DARBYthat the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedars, and the ark of God dwells under curtains.
BBEThe king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is housed inside the curtains of a tent.
WebsterThat the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

What does 2 Samuel 7:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2Sa 7:1-3. Nathan Approves the Purpose of David to Build God A House. 2. the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar--The palace which Hiram had sent men and materials to build in Jerusalem had been finished. It was magnificent for that age, though made wholly of wood: houses in warm countries not being required to possess the solidity and thickness of walls which are requisite for dwellings in regions exposed to rain and cold. Cedar was the rarest and most valuable timber. The elegance and splendor of his own royal mansion, contrasted with the mean and temporary tabernacle in which the ark of God was placed, distressed the pious mind of David.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 I dwell in a house of cedar - That is, a house whose principal beams, ceiling, and wainscot, were cedar. Dwelleth within curtains - Having no other residence but the tabernacle, which was a place covered with the skins of beasts, Exo 26:14.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 7:1-3

David being at rest in his palace, considered how he might best employ his leisure and prosperity in the service of God. He formed a design to build a temple for the ark. Nathan here did not speak as a prophet, but as a godly man, encouraging David by his private judgment. We ought to do all we can to encourage and promote the good purposes and designs of others, and, as we have opportunity, to forward a good work.

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 7:1-3 →

2 Samuel 7:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ha.Me.lekhthe kingH4428
אֶל\־'el-toH413
נָתָ֣ןna.TanNathanH5416
הַנָּבִ֔יאha.na.Vi'the prophetH5030
רְאֵ֣הre.'EhseeH7200
נָ֔אNa'pleaseH4994
אָנֹכִ֥י'a.no.KhiIH595
יוֹשֵׁ֖בyo.Shev[am] dwellingH3427
בְּבֵ֣יתbe.Veitin a house ofH1004
אֲרָזִ֑ים'a.ra.Zimcedar<s>H730
וַֽאֲרוֹן֙va.'a.rOnand [the] ark ofH727
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔יםha.'E.lo.Him<the> GodH430
יֹשֵׁ֖בyo.Shev[is] dwellingH3427
בְּת֥וֹךְbe.Tokhin [the] midst ofH8432
הַיְרִיעָֽה\׃hay.ri.'Ahthe tent curtainH3407

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 7:2

  • 2 Samuel 5:11

    And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.

  • 1 Chronicles 16:1

    So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.

  • 2 Samuel 12:1

    And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

  • Acts 7:46

    Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.

  • Haggai 1:4

    Is it time for you, O ye, to dwell in your cieled houses, and this house lie waste?

  • John 2:17

    And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

  • 1 Chronicles 29:29

    Now the acts of David the king, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

  • Exodus 26:1-14

    Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet: with cherubims of cunning work shalt thou make them. The length of one curtain shall be eight and twenty cubits, and the breadth of one curtain four cubits: and every one of the curtains shall have one measure. The five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another. And thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain from the selvedge in the coupling; and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain, in the coupling of the second. …

  • 2 Chronicles 1:4

    But the ark of God had David brought up from Kirjath–jearim to the place which David had prepared for it: for he had pitched a tent for it at Jerusalem.

  • Exodus 40:21

    And he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; as the Lord commanded Moses.

  • Psalms 132:5

    Until I find out a place for the Lord, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.

  • 2 Samuel 7:17

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

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Nathan.
12:1; 1Ch 29:29
I dwell.
5:11; 1Ch 14:1; Jer 22:13-15; Hag 1:4
the ark.
Ps 132:5; Joh 2:17; Ac 7:46
curtains.
6:17; Ex 26:1-14; 40:21; 1Ch 16:1; 2Ch 1:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 7:1

    And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;

  • 2 Samuel 7:2

    That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

  • 2 Samuel 7:3

    And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee.

Read all of 2 Samuel 7

2 Samuel 7:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Dijo el rey al profeta Nathán: Mira ahora, yo moro en edificios de cedro, y el arca de Dios está entre cortinas.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
il arriva que le roi dit à Nathan, le prophète: Regarde, je te prie, moi j’habite dans une maison de cèdres, et l’arche de Dieu habite sous des tapis.
German
Elberfelder 1871
da sprach der König zu Nathan, dem Propheten: Siehe doch, ich wohne in einem Hause von Cedern, und die Lade Gottes wohnt unter Teppichen.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
dixit ad Nathan prophetam: Videsne quod ego habitem in domo cedrina, et arca Dei posita sit in medio pellium?