2 Samuel 7:23 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods?

NIV: And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?

NASB: And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, because of Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from other nations and their gods?

CSB: And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt.

NLT: What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations and gods that stood in their way.

KJV: And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

NKJV: And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?

David is thanking God for His choices. God chose to take a shepherd boy and make him king (2 Samuel 7:8). He chooses to give that king a lasting dynasty (2 Samuel 7:11–16). This is the Davidic covenant.

God also chose to claim the descendants of Jacob as His own and make them a nation under His care and discipline. He takes these steps so the world to see His character and greatness in the way He treats His people. God took a collection of tribes in slavery in Egypt and made them a nation. He drove out the nations in Canaan so that the Israelites could have a home. The nations know the power of Israel's God.

Now, God has chosen to give Israel a secure place and rest from violence and war (2 Samuel 7:9–10). At this moment, while David prays, Israel is at peace. It will be at peace again during the first part of Solomon's reign as he builds the temple. Israel has seen very little peace since then.

The fulfillment of God's promise to David is essential for the fulfillment of His promise to Israel. One of David's descendants will rule His kingdom forever. When Jesus returns and destroys the enemies that surround Israel, He will sit on David's metaphorical throne (Revelation 19:11–21; Luke 1:32). He will bring peace and rest to the nation. Only Jesus the Messiah can do this.

And this specific promise is only for the nation of Israel. Israel is the only nation God chose to be His people. God's work in and for Israel is the witness Gentiles need to understand God's character and choose to follow Him (Isaiah 49:6). That honor comes with a great deal of responsibility, including the Mosaic law. But it will end with honor and blessings no other nation will have.

Second Samuel 7:23–24 is David's thanks to God for blessing Israel. Included in God's personal covenant with David is a guarantee that Israel His people will be settled in a safe place, free from war and violence (2 Samuel 7:10–11). As a good king, David is grateful that God chooses to show His gracious character through Israel, from their rescue from Egypt to their future rest. David asks God to confirm His promise and make sure it happens (2 Samuel 7:25–29). David's prayer about Israel is also in Chronicles 17:21–22.

In 2 Samuel 7, David wants to build a temple for the ark of the covenant. He's convicted that he has a big house, so the ark doesn't belong in a tent (2 Samuel 5:11–12; 6:17). God declines David's request. Rather, God will build David a "house": a dynasty. David's son will be king—and that sone will build the temple. David's throne will be established forever. David responds with a humble prayer of gratitude and praise, asking God to do all He has promised for David and for Israel. God will, through Jesus (Revelation 22:16). First Chronicles 17 records the same events.

In 2 Samuel 7, David learns he can't out-give God. God has made him king and given him a mansion and a family (2 Samuel 5:3, 11–15). He's allowed David to bring the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1–15). Now, David wants to build the ark a proper temple. Instead, God says David's son will build the temple, and God will build David a lasting dynasty. Solomon does build the temple (1 Kings 5), and Jesus will fulfill David's dynasty (Luke 1:32).