God’s Word Translation
2 Samuel 7:8
8“Now this is what you will say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel.
2 Samuel 7:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
- New International Version (NIV)“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.
Context of 2 Samuel 7:8
6I haven’t lived in a house from the day I took Israel out of Egypt to this day. Instead, I moved around in a tent, the tent ⌞of meeting⌟. 7In all the places I’ve moved with all the Israelites, did I ever ask any of the judges of Israel whom I ordered to be shepherds of my people Israel why they didn’t build me a house of cedar?’ “Now this is what you will say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel. 9I was with you wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies in front of you. I will make your name famous like the names of the greatest people on earth. 10I will make a place for my people Israel and plant them there. They will live in their own place and not be troubled anymore. The wicked will no longer oppress them as they used to do
Read all of 2 Samuel 72 Samuel 7:8 word by word
וְ֠עַתָּה כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֞ר לְעַבְדִּ֣י לְדָוִ֗ד כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת אֲנִ֤י לְקַחְתִּ֙יךָ֙ מִן־הַנָּוֶ֔ה מֵאַחַ֖ר הַצֹּ֑אן לִֽהְי֣וֹת נָגִ֔יד עַל־עַמִּ֖י עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Now therefore so shalt thou sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto my servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- of hostsצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · HostsH6635
- I tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- thee from the sheepcoteנָוֶהnâveh nâvâh · pastureH5116
- from followingאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- the sheepצֹאןtsô'n tse'ôn · flockH6629
- to be rulerנָגִידnâgîyd nâgid · leaderH5057
- over my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- over Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 7:8
- 1 Samuel 16:11Are these all the sons you have?” “There’s still the youngest one,” Jesse answered. “He’s tending the sheep.” Samuel told Jesse, “Send someone to get him. We won’t continue until he gets here.”
- 1 Chronicles 17:7“Now this is what you will say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel.
- Psalms 78:70He chose his servant David. He took him from the sheep pens.
- 2 Samuel 6:21David answered Michal, “⌞I didn’t dance in front of the slave girls but⌟ in front of the Lord. He chose me rather than your father or anyone in your father’s house, and he appointed me leader of Israel, the Lord’s people. I will celebrate in the Lord’s presence,
- 2 Samuel 12:7“You are the man!” Nathan told David. “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: I anointed you king over Israel and rescued you from Saul.
- 1 Samuel 9:16“About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the territory of Benjamin. Anoint him to be ruler of my people Israel. He will save my people from the Philistines because I’ve seen my people’s ⌞suffering⌟ and their cry has come to me.”
- 1 Samuel 10:1Samuel took a flask of olive oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “The Lord has anointed you to be ruler of his people Israel. You will rule his people and save them from all their enemies. This will be the sign that the Lord has anointed you to be ruler of his people.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 7:8
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-17Verses 4-17 Blessings are promised to the family and posterity of David. These promises relate to Solomon, David's immediate successor, and the royal line of Judah. But they also relate to Christ, who is often called David and the Son of David. To him God gave all power in heaven and earth, with authority to execute judgment. He was to build the gospel temple, a house for God's name; the spiritual temple of true believers, to be a habitation of God…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8following the flock: In the ancient Near East, people often described kings as shepherds because they were expected to guide and protect their people (see 1 Kings 22:17; Isaiah 44:28; Ezekiel 34:2; 37:24; Nahum 3:18; Zechariah 10:3). David had once been a shepherd himself, and he later described the Lord as his shepherd (Psalm 23:1).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-174-17. it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan--The command was given to the prophet on the night immediately following; that is, before David could either take any measures or incur any expenses.Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 7:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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