1 Chronicles 17:7 Meaning and Explanation
“Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →God recalls how He lifted David from tending sheep to ruling His people, the work of grace from first to last.
What Does 1 Chronicles 17:7 Mean?
Now the LORD turns to David's own story. He reminds the king of his beginnings, taken from the sheepcote, from following the flock, and made ruler over Israel. The shepherd boy did not seize the throne; he was lifted to it by the hand of God. Every step of David's rise has been the LORD's doing, and the title LORD of hosts underscores that the God who did this commands all the armies of heaven.
It is humbling and steadying to be reminded where we came from. David is told to remember the pastures before he dreams of palaces. The same God who once watched over a forgotten youngest son among the sheep is the God now shaping his future. And the imagery is rich, for from these very pastures would one day come the Good Shepherd, great David's greater Son, who lays down His life for the flock.
1 Chronicles 17:7 in the Original Language
tsava'ot (צְבָאוֹת), 'hosts' -- armies or hosts; the LORD of hosts is the commander of heaven's vast and ordered powers.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Chronicles 17:7
What does 1 Chronicles 17:7 mean?
God recalls how He lifted David from tending sheep to ruling His people, the work of grace from first to last.