Introduction

God had brought the people of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt. Now the Kingdom was being consolidated, even though this God was still dwelling in a tent. The covenant at Sinai (Exodus 19:3-6) molded Israel God’s people and their welfare was promised. Long before David there was this promise. Second Samuel 7 relates a new divine promise, one which would make Israel even stronger. The Davidic covenant was God’s further promise to provide his people with the leadership they needed. David was the strong beginning; his descendants continued it.

It is good to recall that the New Testament, right from the beginning (Matthew 1), emphasizes that Jesus was the "son of David."

The instructions to David in this narrative were not perfectly clear. He would not be given permission to bui…