17:1 Cum autem habitaret David in domo sua, dixit ad Nathan prophetam : Ecce ego habito in domo cedrina : arca autem foederis Domini sub pellibus est.
*H Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins.
Ver. 1. Cedar. Such were esteemed the most magnificent, v. 6. See 2 K. vii.
* Footnote * 2_Kings 6 : 17
And they brought the ark of the Lord, and set it in its place in the midst of the tabernacle, which David had pitched for it: and David offered holocausts, and peace offerings before the Lord.
A.M. 2960, A.C. 1044.
17:2 Et ait Nathan ad David : Omnia quae in corde tuo sunt, fac : Deus enim tecum est.
And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is with thee.
17:3 Igitur nocte illa factus est sermo Dei ad Nathan, dicens :
Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:
17:4 Vade, et loquere David servo meo : Haec dicit Dominus : Non aedificabis tu mihi domum ad habitandum.
Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in.
17:5 Neque enim mansi in domo ex eo tempore quo eduxi Israel usque ad diem hanc : sed fui semper mutans loca tabernaculi, et in tentorio
For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a tabernacle, and in a tent,
17:6 manens cum omni Israel. Numquid locutus sum saltem uni judicum Israel, quibus praeceperam ut pascerent populum meum, et dixi : Quare non aedificastis mihi domum cedrinam ?
Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the judges of Israel whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
17:7 Nunc itaque sic loqueris ad servum meum David : Haec dicit Dominus exercituum : Ego tuli te, cum in pascuis sequereris gregem, ut esses dux populi mei Israel :
Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel.
17:8 et fui tecum quocumque perrexisti, et interfeci omnes inimicos tuos coram te, fecique tibi nomen quasi unius magnorum qui celebrantur in terra.
And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth.
17:9 Et dedi locum populo meo Israel : plantabitur, et habitabit in eo, et ultra non commovebitur : nec filii iniquitatis atterent eos, sicut a principio,
*H And I have given a place my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning,
Ver. 9. A place permanent and secure, while I have had no fixed abode. C. — No more, for a long time: and unless they provoke me by their crimes, as they did afterwards, and were exposed to more severe chastisements. Constant rest is not always expedient. T.
17:10 ex diebus quibus dedi judices populo meo Israel, et humiliavi universos inimicos tuos. Annuntio ergo tibi, quod aedificaturus sit tibi Dominus domum.
Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will build thee a house.
17:11 Cumque impleveris dies tuos ut vadas ad patres tuos, suscitabo semen tuum post te, quod erit de filiis tuis : et stabiliam regnum ejus.
*H And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom.
Ver. 11. Seed, even till Christ shall be born of the Blessed Virgin, of the family of David.
17:12 Ipse aedificabit mihi domum, et firmabo solium ejus usque in aeternum.
*H He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever.
Ver. 12. Ever often means only a long duration. The dominion of Christ shall have no end. C. — The Church founded by this true David, (H.) falls heir to these promises. D.
17:13 Ego ero ei in patrem, et ipse erit mihi in filium : et misericordiam meam non auferam ab eo, sicut abstuli ab eo qui ante te fuit.
*H I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee.
Ver. 13. Thee. The posterity of Saul lost the throne. H. — If Solomon was reprobated, his children were permitted to reign. It is also presumed that he did penance; though this is not certain.
17:14 Et statuam eum in domo mea, et in regno meo usque in sempiternum : et thronus ejus erit firmissimus in perpetuum.
But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever.
17:15 Juxta omnia verba haec, et juxta universam visionem istam, sic locutus est Nathan ad David.
According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
17:16 Cumque venisset rex David, et sedisset coram Domino, dixit : Quis ego sum, Domine Deus, et quae domus mea, ut praestares mihi talia ?
And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou shouldst give such things to me?
17:17 sed et hoc parum visum est in conspectu tuo, ideoque locutus es super domum servi tui etiam in futurum : et fecisti me spectabilem super omnes homines, Domine Deus.
*H But even this hath seemed little in thy sight, and therefore thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for the time to come: and hast made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God.
Ver. 17. Men. Who was ever more favoured by God than David? Heb. "Thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree." Prot. H.
17:18 Quid ultra addere potest David, cum ita glorificaveris servum tuum, et cognoveris eum ?
*H What can David add more, seeing thou hast thus glorified thy servant, and known him?
Ver. 18. Known him. Treating him with love and tenderness, as a friend. How can David sufficiently testify his gratitude?
17:19 Domine, propter famulum tuum juxta cor tuum fecisti omnem magnificentiam hanc, et nota esse voluisti universa magnalia.
O Lord, for thy servant's sake, according to thy own heart, thou hast shewn all this magnificence, and wouldst have all the great things to be known.
17:20 Domine, non est similis tui, et non est alius deus absque te, ex omnibus quos audivimus auribus nostris.
O Lord there is none like thee: and here is no other God beside thee, of all whom we have heard of with our ears.
17:21 Quis enim est alius, ut populus tuus Israel, gens una in terra, ad quam perrexit Deus ut liberaret et faceret populum sibi, et magnitudine sua atque terroribus ejiceret nationes a facie ejus, quem de Aegypto liberarat ?
*H For what other nation is there upon earth like thy people Israel, whom God went to deliver, and make a people for himself, and by his greatness and terrors cast out nations before their face whom he had delivered out of Egypt?
Ver. 21. Himself. Heb. adds, "and to make thee a name."
17:22 Et posuisti populum tuum Israel tibi in populum usque in aeternum, et tu, Domine, factus es Deus ejus.
And thou hast made thy people Israel to be thy own people for ever, and thou, O Lord, art become their God.
17:23 Nunc igitur Domine, sermo quem locutus es famulo tuo et super domum ejus confirmetur in perpetuum, et fac sicut locutus es.
Now therefore, O Lord, let the word which thou hast spoken to thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.
17:24 Permaneatque et magnificetur nomen tuum usque in sempiternum, et dicatur : Dominus exercituum Deus Israel, et domus David servi ejus permanens coram eo.
And let thy name remain and be magnified for ever: and let it be said: The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, and the house of David his servant remaineth before him.
17:25 Tu enim, Domine Deus meus, revelasti auriculam servi tui, ut aedificares ei domum : et idcirco invenit servus tuus fiduciam, ut oret coram te.
For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, that thou wilt build him a house: and therefore thy servant hath found confidence to pray before thee.
17:26 Nunc ergo Domine, tu es Deus, et locutus es ad servum tuum tanta beneficia.
And now O Lord, thou art God: and thou hast promised to thy servant such great benefits.
17:27 Et coepisti benedicere domui servi tui, ut sit semper coram te : te enim, Domine, benedicente, benedicta erit in perpetuum.
*H And thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be always before thee: for seeing thou blessest it, O Lord, it shall be blessed for ever.
Ver. 27. Begun. Heb. "be pleased, (H.) or thou hast had the goodness to bless." Syr. "I pray thee bless."