Introduction

King David unquestionably reigns as one of the premier characters in all of Old Testament literature.  He was a man after God’s own heart ([v]1 Sam. 13:14[/v]), and God chose him as the initial recipient of an everlasting covenant.  Nathan the prophet comes to David in 2 Samuel 7:8-16 with a message from God concerning the future of his house and kingdom.

8 “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, to be ruler over My people Israel.
9 “I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth.
10 “I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly,
11 even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you.
12 “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men,
15 but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
16 “Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

This passage, and its parallel in [v]1 Chronicles 17:7-14[/v], provides the formal statement of the covenant promises from God to David.  The covenant is anticipated in the times of the patriarchs and again during the exodus.  The Lord adds supplemental material in the histories of the kings (1 Kings-2 Chron.) and in the Psalms, helping to clarify the nature of the covenant and its relation to other covenants of God.  Finally, the prophets continue to allude to this covenant either directly or indirectly throughout Israel’s history leading up to the time of Christ.  The Davidic Covenant as given in 2 Samuel 7 formally establishes the promises and conditions concerning the kingship of Israel, resulting in hope for an abiding relationship with the Lord and national prosperity.

The Expectation for the Future King

The formal declaration of the Davidic Covenant was not the first mention of an enduring monarchy for the nation descended from Abraham.  The Lord promised Abraham that kings would come from him ([v]Gen. 17:6, 16[/v]), and repeated the promise to Jacob, his grandson ([v]Gen. 35:10-11[/v]). The passage of [v]Genesis 49:8-12[/v] holds several prophecies that clarify this kingship.  A future ruler of Israel would come from the tribe of Judah, as indicated by his brothers bowing to him in v. 8, and by the symbol of the scepter in v. 10.  The imagery of much wine and milk foretold of the prosperity to accompany Israel’s promised ruler.¹

The next passage to prophesy a future king for Israel is [v]Numbers 24:15-19[/v].  Balaam, Son of Beor, was contracted by Balak, king of Moab, to pronounce curses on the Israelites while they were coming out of Egypt (Num 22-24).  However, the Spirit of God came upon him to speak a final blessing on Israel ([v]Num. 24:2[/v]), and proclaim God’s promise of future leadership through one of Jacob’s sons (v. 17).  Balaam is speaking of a future leader as shown by his words in verse 17, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near.”  The symbols of a star and a scepter (v. 17) confirmed this future leader’s royalty.  Further, this ruler will have dominion (v. 19) and crush all the enemies of Israel (vv. 17-19),² ironically including Moab.

The most significant pre-Davidic promise for a king comes in [v]Deuteronomy 17:14-20[/v].  Here the Lord sets down the guidelines by which the Israelites were to choose their king, and the guidelines by which the king was to live.  Their choice of a king was to be “whom the LORD your God chooses, one from among your countrymen…you may not put a foreigner over yourselves...” (v. 14).  The king was not to multiply horses (building a strong standing army, v. 16), or have multiple wives (v. 17).  Additionally, he was to write his own copy of the Law for himself in front of the priests, so that it could always be with him (vv. 18, 19).  The king should be diligent to study the Law, in order that his kingdom and his sons’ kingdom would be established.³

As Saul’s claim on the throne of Israel is being taken away from him ([v]1 Sam. 13:14; 15:2, 23-35[/v]), the Lord prepares David to take his place.  Saul was never able to fulfill the monarchial prophecies because he was of the tribe of Benjamin, not Judah.  Abigail hints at David’s succession and the future promises of God in [v]1 Samuel 25:28[/v], that “the LORD will certainly make for my lord an enduring house,” and in v. 30 that David would be “ruler over Israel.”  Finally, Samuel anoints David  king after Saul’s death in battle ([v]2 Sam. 2:4[/v]), and shortly thereafter he desires to build the temple for God.  This sets the stage for Nathan to formally declare the promises of God to David.  David, of the tribe of Judah, descendant of Abraham, would soon discover how God planned to fulfill all the prophecies of kingship.

The Covenant with David the King

The covenant as recorded in [v]2 Samuel 7:8-16[/v] gives the following promises to David: (1) God will make David’s name great (v. 9), (2) The nation of Israel will have peace with and security from their neighbors (vv. 10, 11), (3) David’s descendants will rule after him forever (vv. 12, 13), (4) David’s son will build a house for the Lord (the temple), (5) The Lord will have an intimate relationship with David’s son, and will not depart from him (vv. 14, 15), and (6) David’s house, kingdom, and throne will be established forever (v. 16).  The promises of the covenant as given in 2 Samuel and 1 Chronicles can be divided into two main areas, “the promises concerning the establishment of David’s house and the promises concerning the intimate relationship between God and David’s descendant.”⁴ 

David’s house, his line of descendants, would continue to rule over Israel forever ([v]2 Sam. 12, 13, 16; 1 Chron 17:11, 12, 14[/v]).  Three times in each passage the house, throne, and kingdom are said to be “forever.”  The “house” refers to David’s physical descendants, beginning with Solomon and continuing forever.  The “throne” refers to David and his descendant’s right to rule, their authority given to them by God.  Thirdly, “kingdom” refers to those whom David and his descendants would rule over, the nation of Israel.⁵  [v]Psalm 132:11[/v] repeats this aspect of the covenant, “The LORD has sworn to David a truth from which He will not turn back: ‘Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.’”  Finally, [v]1 Chronicles 17:14[/v] emphasizes that this Davidic kingship will be established beneath God’s position as Israel’s ultimate king⁶, “But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.”

In addition to the eternal position promised David’s descendants, the Davidic Covenant revealed the relationship between God and David’s descendent as intimate; God would be like a Father to him ([v]2 Sam. 7:14, 15; 1 Chron 17: 13; Ps. 89:26-27[/v]).  The king can rest in the security that God promises him, “My lovingkindness shall not depart from him.”  When Saul was disobedient, the Lord took the kingship away from his line, and took the Holy Spirit from him ([v]1 Sam. 16:14[/v]).  However, at the end of Solomon’s life, when his heart had been turned to idols by his many wives, the Lord remains faithful to the promise made to David ([v]1 Kings 11:11-13[/v]).  Although God would bring discipline on unfaithful kings, one from the house of David would always be the chosen person to reign on the throne.

The Davidic son’s response to God his Father is to build the temple of God ([v]2 Sam. 7:13[/v]).  Not only would God have an intimate relationship with the king, the king’s response was essential for the spiritual vitality of his subjects.  “The promise to David was that his son would establish the mode by which God would be present among his people, and by which the people in turn would worship God.”⁷  David’s son Solomon was chosen to build the temple ([v]1 Chronicles 28:3-6[/v]), the completion of which involved the arrival of the glory of God ([v]1 Kings 6:12, 13; 2 Chron. 7:1-4[/v]).  The temple provided the center for worship and sacrifice, a place where the priests fulfilled their duties.  The king must then be seen as serving some priestly role for the nation, for both David and Solomon exercised authority over the priesthood.  When David ordered the ark of the covenant to be brought into the city, he “was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod” ([v]2 Sam. 6:14[/v]).  David had led the other priests into the city, and had even worn an ephod, a priestly garment.  David further exercised authority over the priests by reorganizing them in anticipation of the building of the temple ([v]2 Chronicles 23:18; 29:25-30; 35:2-6; Ezra 3:10; Neh. 12:24[/v]).⁸ Solomon also performed priestly acts, offering sacrifices ([v]1 Kings 3:1-9[/v]), and presiding over the dedication of the temple ([v]1 Kings 8:5[/v]). 

The descendants of Levi were to be the priests serving the nation, yet David was of the tribe of Judah, so the king’s authority for priestly service must come from somewhere other than the Levitical priesthood.  [v]Psalm 110:4[/v] discloses the justification for this priestly role, “The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’”  David, by virtue of the conquest of the ancient city of Salem (now Jerusalem), had assumed the role of priest according to the order of Melchizedek ([v]Gen. 14:18[/v]).  Melchizedek, the king-priest of God Most High, received a tithe from Abraham to validate his greatness ([v]Gen. 14:20; Heb. 7:4[/v]).  David, as the new Melchizedek, “restored worship of the one true God”⁹ to the city of Jerusalem.

The Nature of the Covenant with David

Although in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17 the promise to David is not specifically called a covenant, David called it such later in [v]2 Samuel 23:5[/v], “For He has made an everlasting covenant with me.”  The writer of 2 Chronicles again referred to it as a covenant in verses 13:5 and 21:7, and later the Lord spoke through the Psalmist in [v]Psalm 89:3, 28[/v], “I have made a covenant with My chosen; I have sworn to David My servant…My lovingkindness I will keep for him forever, And My covenant shall be confirmed to him.”  Many times the Biblical writers refer to this covenant as the promises of God to David ([v]2 Sam 7:28; 1 Kings 2:4, 24; 5:12; 8:20, 24-25, 56; 9:5; 2 Kings 8:19; 1 Chron. 17:26; 2 Chron 1:9; 6:10, 15:16, 21:7[/v]).¹⁰  The covenant must then be seen as eternal and unconditionally given as a promise from God, yet conditional blessings are later tied to the faithfulness of David’s descendants.  As will be shown, these conditions in no way nullify the original promises.  The unconditional aspects of the covenant are founded upon the covenant with Abraham, and the conditional blessings are directly related to the Law of Moses

First, as the unbreakable word of God, the covenant with David is unconditional and eternal.  It is specifically called eternal or said to endure forever in [v]2 Samuel 7:13, 16[/v] (twice); 23:5; [v]1 Chronicles 17:12, 14[/v] (twice); [v]Isaiah 55:3[/v]; and [v]Ezekiel 37:25[/v].¹¹  The covenant was a “royal grant type of covenant, whereby the sovereign bestows benefits upon the underling.”¹²  A grant covenant is by definition given unconditionally.  David simply believed that God Himself would fulfill the promises that He had given.  When this covenant was originally given to David, God did not place any conditions on David at all for the fulfillment.¹³  The responsibility rested in God’s power and faithfulness alone.

Second, the Davidic Covenant brought more clarity to the previous promises to Abraham in [v]Genesis 12:1-3[/v].  God promised in [v]Gen. 12:2[/v] that He would make Abraham’s nation and name great.  In [v]2 Samuel 7:9[/v] God makes the same promise to David.  Because David is the king of the nation, its figurehead and ruler, his success translates into success for the nation, and the greatness of his name translates into the greatness of the nation.  Thus both the promises to Abraham concerning the great nation and a great name specifically passed on to David and his line.¹⁴  Furthermore, God promised Abraham that kings would come from him ([v]Gen. 17:6[/v]) through Sarai ([v]Gen. 17:16[/v]), and reiterated these promises to Jacob when God changed his name to Israel ([v]Gen. 35:10-11[/v]).  The Lord placed David, of the tribe of Judah, as king over Israel in direct fulfillment of the promises to the patriarchs ([v]Jer. 33:26[/v]).¹⁵ 

Third, the covenant has some conditional blessings attached to it.  At the end of his life David passes the covenant on to Solomon, stating a new blessing that is conditioned upon obedience to God, “If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel” ([v]1 Kings 2:4[/v]).¹⁶  “The only conditional element in this covenant was whether or not the descendants of David would continually occupy the throne or exercise the right to rule.”¹⁷  David himself even foresaw his kingdom being torn away ([v]Ps. 89:38-45[/v]), and yet demonstrated faith that the Lord would remember His covenant ([v]Ps. 89:46-52[/v]).¹⁸  Even if a Davidic descendant did not currently sit on the throne, Israel could be confident in the ultimate fulfillment of the covenant.

Finally, this covenant came into existence under the dispensation of the Mosaic Law.  The conditional blessing of a man continually occupying the throne rested upon the king’s obedience to the Law.  When David lay on his deathbed, he specifically relates the conditional promises in [v]1 Kings 2:4[/v] to Solomon walking in God’s ways “according to what is written in the Law of Moses” ([v]1 Kings 2:3[/v]).  This idea is expanded in [v]1 Kings 9:6-9[/v], wherein it becomes the kings responsibility to keep the nation from turning to idols.  If the king remains righteous and true to the Lord, he will exercise authority over the nation in areas concerning the Law.  The king would be an “instrument of the Lord to chasten and punish those in Israel who broke the covenant.”¹⁹  However, if the king begins to worship other gods then the people will follow him in his idolatry.  The final punishment for an increasingly wicked nation was dispersion from the land, during which time no king would sit on the throne ([v]Deut. 28:64-65).

The Davidic Covenant in the Prophets

It is understandable that the nation would have had a sense of optimism during the rise of the kingship, but what about times surrounding the exiles?  The writings of the Prophets give great insight into the faithfulness of the remnant of Israel.  Their hope in the promises of God never diminishes.

The Lord consistently spoke to the Israelites through the prophets, giving the nation hope for the future.  In Isaiah 9:7 the prophet declared that the Messiah would sit on the throne of David forever, accomplished by “the zeal of the Lord of Hosts.”  Isaiah then referred to the Davidic Covenant the “faithful mercies shown to David” (Isa. 55:3).  Jeremiah announced that God will raise up a future, righteous king for David, and Israel would experience salvation and security (Jer. 23:5-6).  The Israelites would indeed serve God and David again (Jer. 30:8-9).  Not only would David have his throne continually occupied, the Levitical priests would continually offer sacrifice before God (Jer. 33:14-26).  Ezekiel declares that David acting as the future prince of Israel during a time of blessing (Ezek. 34:23-26).  Israel will be righteous again, inhabiting the land with David as their prince forever (Ezek. 37:24-25).  Daniel sees a vision of one receiving dominion and an eternal kingdom from the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:13-14), the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant.  Hosea announces that in the last days Israel will return to God and to David their king (Hosea 3:4-5).  Amos tells of God rebuilding the booth of David (Amos 9:11), which involves his throne and the city of Jerusalem.  Finally, Micah declares that this future ruler for Israel will come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), the hometown of David.  The writings of the prophets clearly provided the nation with constant reassurance that God had not forgotten his promises to David.

The nation of Israel received hope for an abiding relationship with the Lord and national prosperity through the Davidic Covenant.  Although greatly expounded upon in the New Testament, the original Davidic Covenant of 2 Samuel 7 still awaits its ultimate fulfillment.  The second coming of Jesus the Messiah, the final Davidic king, will fulfill forever these promises to David.

Bibliography

Blaising, Craig A., and Darrell L. Bock. Progressive dispensationalism. Wheaton, IL: BridgePoint, 1993.

David M. Howard, Jr. An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1993.

Herrick, Greg. An Early Text for Later Messianic Conceptions: A Look at Genesis 49:8-12. Biblical Studies Press, 1998. Accessed February 2 2004. Available from www.bible.org.

________. Regal/Messianic Hope in Deuteronomy, 1, 2 Samuel, and 1, 2 Kings. Biblical Studies Press, 1998. Accessed February 2 2004. Available from www.bible.org.

________. "A Star Will Come out of Jacob": Early Regal Images in Numbers 24:15-19. Biblical Studies Press, 1998. Accessed February 2 2004. Available from www.bible.org.

Pentecost, J. Dwight. Things to Come. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1958.

________. Thy kingdom come. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1995.

Walvoord, John F. Every Prophecy of the Bible. Colorado Springs, CO: Chariot Victor Publishing, 1999.