1 Chronicles 17:4 Meaning and Explanation
“Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →God sends Nathan back with a clear answer: David, though beloved, is not the one to build the LORD a house.
What Does 1 Chronicles 17:4 Mean?
The LORD instructs Nathan to return to David, whom He calls My servant, a title of high honor. Then comes the gentle refusal: David will not be the one to build God a house. The denial is not a rejection of David but a redirection. Elsewhere we learn it is because David was a man of war and bloodshed; the house of God would be raised by a man of peace.
To be told no by God is not the same as being cast off. David remains servant and beloved even as his cherished plan is set aside. Many faithful hearts long to do some great work for the LORD and find that work given to another. The lesson is that God measures us not by what we are permitted to build, but by the love that moved us to want to build at all.
1 Chronicles 17:4 in the Original Language
ebed (עֶבֶד), 'servant' -- a title of dignity for those who belong to the LORD and act in His service.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Chronicles 17:4
What does 1 Chronicles 17:4 mean?
God sends Nathan back with a clear answer: David, though beloved, is not the one to build the LORD a house.