The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David

I Chronicles 17:1–15
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

Not long after David had become king, he mentioned to Nathan that he was bothered because he was living in a palace while the Ark of the Covenant was in a tent (v. 1). Nathan replied now that he was king, he could have whatever he wanted (v. 2). However, the Lord told Nathan that he needed to tell David that he was not the one to build the temple (vv. 3-4). The Lord said that He didn’t live in a temple when He brought His people out of Egypt, and He didn’t need to live in one now (v. 5).

He said that a tent had always been His home wherever He had gone. He wanted David to choose special leaders and tell them to be like shepherds for His people Israel, but it was not His desire for them to build a cedar temple for Himself (v. 6). The Lord told David that He brought him in from the fields, where he took care of sheep, and He made him the leader of His people (v. 7). He helped him destroy his enemies right in front of his own people and made him a very famous person (v. 8). He explained how He had given His people Israel a land of their own where they could live in peace (v. 9). They would no longer have to fear, and evil nations wouldn’t bother them, as they did when He let judges rule His people and while He kept the enemies from attacking (v. 10).

He then promised David that his descendants would be kings (v. 11). He said He would choose Solomon to be king and build the temple and no one would be able to take the kingdom away from him (v. 12). He explained how He would be like a father to Solomon, and Solomon would be like a son to the Lord (13). He would make sure that his son and his descendants would rule his people and his kingdom forever (v. 14). Nathan told David exactly what the LORD had said (v. 15).

Application

Ten times in this chapter David is called “servant.” The servant does not tell the master what to do; the master tells the servant what to do. I need to get my directions from the Lord every day.