The Meaning of 2 Samuel 7:16 Explained

2 Samuel 7:16

KJV: And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

YLT: and stedfast is thy house and thy kingdom unto the age before thee, thy throne is established unto the age.'

Darby: And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made firm for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

ASV: And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thine house  and thy kingdom  shall be established  for  ever  before  thee: thy throne  shall be established  for  ever. 

What does 2 Samuel 7:16 Mean?

Study Notes

The Davidic Covenant
The Davidic Covenant 2 Samuel 7:8-17 .
This covenant, upon which the glorious kingdom of Christ "of the seed of David according to the flesh" is to be founded, secures:
(1) A Davidic "house"; i.e. posterity, family
(2) A "throne"; i.e. royal authority
(3) A kingdom; i.e. sphere of rule
(4) In perpetuity; "for ever"
(5) And this fourfold covenant has but one condition: disobedience in the Davidic family is to be visited with chastisement; but not to the abrogation of the covenant 2 Samuel 7:15 ; Psalms 89:20-37 ; Isaiah 24:5 ; Isaiah 54:3 .
The chastisement fell; first in the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam, and, finally, in the captivities. 2 Kings 25:1-7 . Since that time but one King of the Davidic family has been crowned at Jerusalem and He was crowned with thorns. But the Davidic Covenant confirmed to David by the oath of Jehovah, and renewed to Mary by the angel Gabriel, is immutable Psalms 89:30-37 and the Lord God will yet give to that thorn-crowned One "the throne of his father David."; Luke 1:31-33 ; Acts 2:29-32 ; Acts 15:14-17 .
See, for the other seven covenants:
EDENIC, ADAMIC, See Scofield " Genesis 3:15 " NOAHIC, See Scofield " Genesis 9:1 " ABRAHAMIC, See Scofield " Genesis 15:18 " MOSAIC, See Scofield " Exodus 19:25 " PALESTINIAN, See Scofield " Deuteronomy 30:3 " NEW, See Scofield " Hebrews 8:8 "
Be fruitful
The Edenic Covenant, the first of the eight great covenants of Scripture which condition life and salvation, and about which all Scripture crystallizes, has seven elements. The man and woman in Eden were responsible:
(1) To replenish the earth with a new order--man;
(2) to subdue the earth to human uses;
(3) to have dominion over the animal creation;
(4) to eat herbs and fruits;
(5) to till and keep the garden;
(6) to abstain from eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil;
(7) the penalty--death. See, for the other seven covenants:
ADAMIC (See Scofield " Genesis 3:14 ")
NOAHIC (See Scofield " Genesis 9:1 ")
ABRAHAMIC (See Scofield " Genesis 15:18 ")
MOSAIC (See Scofield " Exodus 19:25 ")
PALESTINIAN (See Scofield " Deuteronomy 30:3 ")
DAVIDIC (See Scofield " 2 Samuel 7:16 ")
NEW (See Scofield " Hebrews 8:8 ")
DISPENSATION
A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God. Seven such dispensations are distinguished in Scripture. (See Scofield " Genesis 1:28 ") , note 5.
And God blessed them
The First Dispensation: Innocency. Man was created in innocency, placed in a perfect environment, subjected to an absolutely simple test, and warned of the consequence of disobedience. The woman fell through pride; the man deliberately. 1 Timothy 2:14 God restored His sinning creatures, but the dispensation of innocency ended in the judgment of the Expulsion Genesis 3:24 See, for the other dispensations;
Conscience (See Scofield " Genesis 3:23 ")
Human Government (See Scofield " Genesis 8:21 ")
Promise (See Scofield " Genesis 12:1 ")
Law (See Scofield " Exodus 19:8 ")
Grace (See Scofield " John 1:17 ")
Kingdom (See Scofield " Ephesians 1:10 ")
Be fruitful
The Edenic Covenant, the first of the eight great covenants of Scripture which condition life and salvation, and about which all Scripture crystallizes, has seven elements. The man and woman in Eden were responsible:
(1) To replenish the earth with a new order--man;
(2) to subdue the earth to human uses;
(3) to have dominion over the animal creation;
(4) to eat herbs and fruits;
(5) to till and keep the garden;
(6) to abstain from eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil;
(7) the penalty--death. See, for the other seven covenants:
ADAMIC (See Scofield " Genesis 3:14 ")
NOAHIC (See Scofield " Genesis 9:1 ")
ABRAHAMIC (See Scofield " Genesis 15:18 ")
MOSAIC (See Scofield " Exodus 19:25 ")
PALESTINIAN (See Scofield " Deuteronomy 30:3 ")
DAVIDIC (See Scofield " 2 Samuel 7:16 ")
NEW (See Scofield " Hebrews 8:8 ")
And God blessed them
The First Dispensation: Innocency. Man was created in innocency, placed in a perfect environment, subjected to an absolutely simple test, and warned of the consequence of disobedience. The woman fell through pride; the man deliberately. 1 Timothy 2:14 God restored His sinning creatures, but the dispensation of innocency ended in the judgment of the Expulsion Genesis 3:24 See, for the other dispensations;
Conscience (See Scofield " Genesis 3:23 ")
Human Government (See Scofield " Genesis 8:21 ")
Promise (See Scofield " Genesis 12:1 ")
Law (See Scofield " Exodus 19:8 ")
Grace (See Scofield " John 1:17 ")
Kingdom (See Scofield " Ephesians 1:10 ")
Be fruitful
The Edenic Covenant, the first of the eight great covenants of Scripture which condition life and salvation, and about which all Scripture crystallizes, has seven elements. The man and woman in Eden were responsible:
(1) To replenish the earth with a new order--man;
(2) to subdue the earth to human uses;
(3) to have dominion over the animal creation;
(4) to eat herbs and fruits;
(5) to till and keep the garden;
(6) to abstain from eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil;
(7) the penalty--death. See, for the other seven covenants:
ADAMIC (See Scofield " Genesis 3:14 ")
NOAHIC (See Scofield " Genesis 9:1 ")
ABRAHAMIC (See Scofield " Genesis 15:18 ")
MOSAIC (See Scofield " Exodus 19:25 ")
PALESTINIAN (See Scofield " Deuteronomy 30:3 ")
DAVIDIC (See Scofield " 2 Samuel 7:16 ")
NEW (See Scofield " Hebrews 8:8 ")

Context Summary

2 Samuel 7:1-17 - The Glorious Future Of David's House
Always do better for the cause of God than for yourself. You have no right to dwell in cedar, while God's Ark is under curtains. Also, beware of giving directions or advice, unless you have first consulted God. You may be as good as Nathan, but, if you speak apart from the divine Spirit, you will probably be compelled, on the following morning, to eat your words.
David's intention was good, but neither was he the man nor was that the time for temple-building. See 1 Chronicles 22:8. The sword could not yet be exchanged for the trowel, but in the meantime the will was accepted in lieu of the act. It was then God's turn to pour out a perfect avalanche of blessing, which must have made David forget those weary years of waiting and wandering. Do not be anxious about the future. Use your life and all its resources for God, and he will care for you. No tongue can exaggerate the goodness and mercy which God lays up for them that trust in Him before the sons of men. And it is because He loves that He does not hesitate to chasten. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 7

1  Nathan, first approving the purpose of David to build God a house
4  After by the word of God forbids him
12  God promises him benefits and blessings in his seed
18  David's prayer and thanksgiving

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 7:16 mean?

And shall be established your house and your kingdom for ever before you Your throne shall be established ever
וְנֶאְמַ֨ן בֵּיתְךָ֧ וּמַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛ עַד־ עוֹלָ֖ם לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כִּֽסְאֲךָ֔ יִהְיֶ֥ה נָכ֖וֹן עוֹלָֽם

וְנֶאְמַ֨ן  And  shall  be  established 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
בֵּיתְךָ֧  your  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וּמַֽמְלַכְתְּךָ֛  and  your  kingdom 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מַמְלָכָה  
Sense: kingdom, dominion, reign, sovereignty.
עוֹלָ֖ם  ever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
לְפָנֶ֑יךָ  before  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כִּֽסְאֲךָ֔  Your  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
יִהְיֶ֥ה  shall  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
נָכ֖וֹן  established 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: כּוּן 
Sense: to be firm, be stable, be established.
עוֹלָֽם  ever 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.