1 Chronicles 17:1-27

The Book of 1 Chronicles

God rules History

1 Chronicles

Ian Mackervoy

Chapter 17

God’s special promise to David – 1 Chronicles 17:1-27

The *LORD speaks to David – 1 Chronicles 17:1-15

v1 When David was living in his palace, he spoke to Nathan the *prophet. David said, ‘I live in a house of *cedar wood. But the *ark of the *LORD’s special promise is in a tent.’ v2 Nathan replied to David. ‘Do whatever you desire to do. Do it because God is with you.’

v3 But that night God spoke to Nathan. v4 The *LORD said, ‘Go to my servant David. Tell him, “The *LORD says this to you. You are not the right person to build a house for me to live in. v5 From the time that I brought *Israel out of Egypt until now, I have not lived in a house. I have always lived in a tent that the *Israelites have moved from one place to another place. v6 I have moved with all the *Israelites to different places. I ordered judges to lead and to take care of my people. But I did not tell any of those judges to build a house of *cedar wood for me.”

v7 Now, say this to my servant David. “The most powerful *LORD says this to you. I took you from the fields where you took care of sheep. And I made you to be the ruler of my people *Israel. v8 I have been with you everywhere that you have gone. I have defeated all your enemies in front of you. I will make you as famous as any of the great people in the world. v9 I will provide a place for my people *Israel. And I will put them there so that they can live in their own homes. Nobody will cause trouble for them ever again. Wicked people will not hurt them as they have done in the past. v10 They have constantly caused trouble for my people since the time when I appointed judges for them. But I will defeat all your enemies.

I declare to you that the *LORD will build you a house. v11 When you die, you will go to be with your *ancestors. Then I will make one of your own sons to be king. I will make his *kingdom strong. v12 He will build a house for me, and I will establish his *throne for all time. v13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him. I did take it away from the man who ruled before you. v14 I will appoint your son to rule over my house and my *kingdom for all time. His *throne will last for all time.” ’ v15 Nathan told David everything that God had said in this *vision.

Verses 1-2 The events in this chapter happened after the wars that are in the next chapter. The *LORD had given peace to David. At last, David had defeated all his enemies (2 Samuel 7:1). The date was about 995 *BC or later.

We know a few facts about Nathan the *prophet. It was Nathan who helped David to organise the *Levites (2 Chronicles 29:25). When David *sinned with Bathsheba, Nathan came to show David his *sin (2 Samuel chapter 12). When David was old, one of his sons tried to become king. But Nathan made sure that Solomon became king (1 Kings chapter 1). Also, Nathan recorded the history of David and Solomon (1 Chronicles 29:29 and 2 Chronicles 9:29). The writer of Chronicles probably used some of these records when he wrote these books.

In this chapter, David spoke to Nathan about the desire of his heart. David lived in the palace that Hiram had helped him to build (14:1). The *ark of God was in a tent (16:1). So, David wanted to build a *temple for the *LORD. At first Nathan told David to do what he wanted.

Verses 3-6 Nathan had replied to David in a natural manner. It must have seemed right to build a *temple for the *LORD. But that night in a *vision, the *LORD spoke to Nathan. He told Nathan to go back to David with a message from the *LORD. David must not build the *temple.

The reason for the *LORD’s decision was that David was a man of war (22:8). He had killed so many men and he was not a man of peace (28:3). The idea of a *temple was good but it was not for David to build it. Solomon would be a man of peace and he would build it.

Since the time when the *Israelites left Egypt, there was no permanent building as the house of God. While the *Israelites travelled in the desert, the *ark was in a special tent. The *ark and its tent travelled with the *Israelites from each place to the next place. When the *Israelites took control of Canaan, the *ark was still in that tent. They put the tent in Shiloh. That was where Samuel served God (1 Samuel 3:3). The *Philistines destroyed Shiloh and they took away the *ark for a few months (Jeremiah 7:12; 1 Samuel 5:1). But then the *Philistines sent the *ark back to *Israel. So at the time of David, the *ark was in a house in Kiriath Jearim (1 Samuel 7:1). And the special tent was at Gibeon (1 Chronicles 16:39). As we have seen, David moved the *ark into a new tent in Jerusalem (chapter 15). But he left the old tent as a place of *worship in Gibeon.

So the *ark of God had travelled with the people from place to place. And the *LORD never asked any of the leaders of *Israel to build a permanent house for the *ark. The *LORD was not against the idea of a *temple. But there was no hurry for one. It could wait until the right time.

Verses 7-10a (‘10a’ means the first part of verse 10.) David looked after the sheep of his father Jesse. God sent Samuel to appoint David king of *Israel (1 Samuel chapter 16). Through all David’s adventures, the *LORD was with him. And the *LORD had made David the king of all *Israel.

The *LORD promised to make David a great king. Also, he promised that the *Israelites would live in their own country. From the time of Joshua to the time of Saul, there had been trouble with the *Philistines and other nations. Now the *LORD would bring peace to *Israel.

‘Ever again’ in verse 9 could mean during the rule of David. But it could mean a future time when the final king from David’s family rules.

Verses 10b-15 (‘10b’ means the last part of verse 10.) David wanted to build a house for the *LORD. Then the *LORD replied that he (the *LORD) would build a house for David. The house for the *LORD means the *temple. The house for David does not mean a building. It is a picture in words of the future of David’s family. The *LORD will make David’s *descendants kings of *Israel. And the final king of *Israel will be from the family of David.

God promised David that one of his sons would build the *temple. That son would be Solomon. God promised that there would be future kings from the family of Solomon. The rule of that family would last for all time. This is a *prophecy about the *Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God. But he was born into the family of David. Both Mary and Joseph were *descendants of David.

When Jesus came, he set up his *kingdom in the hearts of people (Luke 17:21). That *kingdom will never end. When Jesus comes again, he will rule the world in the final *kingdom on earth (Daniel 2:44; Romans 15:12).

Solomon would be a son of God, as in fact David was. This would be so because Solomon would be the king of God’s people. God would not turn away from Solomon as he had done to Saul. Solomon did turn from the *LORD, yet the *LORD did not turn away from Solomon. Because of this promise to David, the *LORD did not take the *kingdom from Solomon (1 Kings 11:9-12).

But this is not only about Solomon. Solomon was a son of God because of his function as the king of God’s people. The meaning also refers to the future king. That king will be the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of God because he has a special relationship with God the Father. Jesus has the same nature as God. He is God the Son, who with God the Father and the Holy Spirit is God.

Jesus the Son of God will rule over the *kingdom of God. There shall be no end to his *kingdom.

David prays – 1 Chronicles 17:16-27

v16 Then King David went in and he sat in front of the *LORD. He said, ‘*LORD God, I do not deserve this. And my family is not important. We do not even deserve the things that you have already done for us. v17 But God, even that was not enough for you. You have made promises about my *descendants in future years. *LORD God, you have dealt with me as you deal with a very important person.

v18 I can say no more. You have given such honour to me, your servant. You know me, your servant, so well. v19 *LORD, you have done this wonderful thing to me, your servant. You did it because you wanted to. You have shown to me all these great things.

v20 Nobody is like you, *LORD. There is no God except you. We have heard all this with our own ears. v21 There is no nation on earth like your people *Israel. They are the only people whom God rescued in order to make them his own. You made your name famous. You did great and wonderful things. You forced out nations in front of your people. You did all these things for your people whom you had rescued from Egypt. v22 You made the *Israelites your very own people for all time. And *LORD, you became their God.

v23 And now *LORD, do what you have promised to me, your servant, and to my family. For all time, do as you have said. v24 So your name will always be great and famous. People will say, “The all powerful *LORD, the God of *Israel, is *Israel’s God.” And the *descendants of your servant David shall be strong because of you.

v25 My God, I am your servant. You have told me that you will make my *descendants strong. That is why I have the courage to pray this prayer to you. v26 *LORD, you are God. You have promised these good things to me, your servant. v27 You have been pleased to *bless my family so that it will always continue to live with you. You *LORD have *blessed it and you will always *bless it.’

Verses 16-19 David went to the place where the *ark of God was. Here he prayed to the *LORD. He was not from a royal family. He had no natural right to be the king of *Israel. But he was king because God made him the king.

It surprised David that God should make such promises to him. David considered himself an ordinary man. But God dealt with him as if he were a very important person. The *LORD promised to preserve the future of his family. To David, this was such an honour. He did not deserve any of this. The *LORD did it because he is God.

Verses 20-22 The *LORD is the only real God. All other gods are false gods. The *LORD chose only one nation to be his special people. That nation is *Israel. God rescued the people from Egypt and he made them into a great nation. And he became their God. He is the God of the whole world but to *Israel, he is special.

Verses 23-27 David agrees with everything that God has said. So David asks God to do all that he has promised to do. Then people will recognise that he is God. They will know that he is *Israel’s God. And the *kingdom will be strong under the rule of David’s *descendants.

At the end of David’s prayer, he accepts the promises that God has made. David believes that God will do these things. David wants his family always to live with God. God has *blessed that family and he will continue to *bless it. What God has *blessed, he will always *bless.

lord ~ someone with authority such as the king.
Lord ~ a title for God, to show that he is over all people and things.
LORD ~ ‘LORD’ is the special name that God gave to himself. The name probably means: ‘He is always God.’ This name has a relationship with God’s special promises to his people.
prophet ~ a person who speaks for God. He can sometimes say what will happen in the future.
cedar ~ a kind of tree. Its wood is very beautiful.
ark ~ the ark of the LORD or the ark of God; the Bible also calls it ‘the ark of God’s special promise’. It was a wooden box with gold all over the outside and inside. It had two models of gold cherubim on the top (see Exodus 25:10-22). The Israelites kept the ark in the most holy place; first in the LORD’s tent and then in the temple.
lord ~ someone with authority such as the king.
Lord ~ a title for God, to show that he is over all people and things.
LORD ~ ‘LORD’ is the special name that God gave to himself. The name probably means: ‘He is always God.’ This name has a relationship with God’s special promises to his people.
cherubim ~ special angels who were in the most holy place of the temple.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. Or, a building for the worship of false gods. The Jews had a temple in Jerusalem for the worship of the real God.
angel ~ one of God’s special servants from heaven. God made angels to serve him and to take his messages.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
worship ~ acts to show honour to God (or to a false god). When people praise and thank God.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites.
Israel ~ Israel is the special name that God gave to Jacob. His descendants were called Israel after him. So, Israel is the nation whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The country in which they live is called Israel.
descendant ~ a future member of a family or nation.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
kingdom ~ the place or territory where a king rules and the people over whom a king rules.
throne ~ the special chair for the king.
vision ~ something that God shows to people but not with normal sight. Visions are often like dreams.
BC ~ years before Christ was born.
Levite ~ a person who belongs to the tribe of Levi.
tribe ~ The Israelites originally consisted of the 12 large families of the sons of Jacob. These families became the 12 tribes of Israel.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Israel ~ Israel is the special name that God gave to Jacob. His descendants were called Israel after him. So, Israel is the nation whose ancestors were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The country in which they live is called Israel.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
descendant ~ a future member of a family or nation.
sin ~ Sin is the wrong things that we do. To sin is to do wrong, bad or evil deeds and not to obey God. People are called sinners because they are guilty of sin.
temple ~ a special building for the worship of God. Or, a building for the worship of false gods. The Jews had a temple in Jerusalem for the worship of the real God.
worship ~ acts to show honour to God (or to a false god). When people praise and thank God.
Jews ~ another name for the Israelites.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
Philistines ~ a group of people who lived to the south-west of Judah. They were a nation that frequently fought against the Israelites.
Israelites ~ the people whose ancestors are Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
ancestors ~ people in history from whom your family has come.
worship ~ acts to show honour to God (or to a false god). When people praise and thank God.
descendant ~ a future member of a family or nation.
prophecy ~ a message from God; a gift of the Holy Spirit.
lord ~ someone with authority such as the king.
Lord ~ a title for God, to show that he is over all people and things.
LORD ~ ‘LORD’ is the special name that God gave to himself. The name probably means: ‘He is always God.’ This name has a relationship with God’s special promises to his people.
bless ~ to show kindness to a person; to declare words of kindness.