2 Samuel 7:6 (DBY)

Passage

For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but I went about in a tent and in a tabernacle.

Nearby Context

2 Samuel 7:4 And it came to pass that night that the word of Jehovah came to Nathan, saying,

2 Samuel 7:5 Go and say to my servant, to David, Thus saith Jehovah: Wilt thou build me a house for me to dwell in?

2 Samuel 7:6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but I went about in a tent and in a tabernacle.

2 Samuel 7:7 In all my going about with all the children of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye me not a house of cedars?

2 Samuel 7:8 And now, thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I took thee from the pasture-grounds, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people, over Israel;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "dwelt", "house", "since", "brought", "children", "israel", "egypt", and "even". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "dwelt" and "house", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "Go and say to my servant to..." into verse 7's "In all my going about with all...", so "dwelt" and "house" belong inside that flow. In 2 Samuel context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "dwelt" and "house" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.