(5) Since the day that I brought up Israel ("out of Egypt," Samuel) unto this day.--The construction, as compared with Samuel, is simplified, and the sentence abbreviated.
But have gone. . .--Literally, and I became from tent to tent, and from dwelling. This is clearly too brief for sense; some words must have fallen out, or the reading of Samuel may be original here. The phrase "and I became" almost demands a participle, and the one actually read in Samuel may be here disguised under the expression translated "from tent." A slight further change (in the prepositions) will give the sense: "And I continued walking in a tent and in a dwelling." Perhaps, however, the original text was, "and I walked from tent to tent, and from dwelling to dwelling;" alluding to the various sanctuaries anciently recognised, such as Bethel (Judges 20:18; Judges 20:26), Mizpeh (Judges 11:11; 1 Samuel 10:17), and Shiloh. The word "dwelling" (mishk?n) is a more general term than tent. It includes the sacred tent and its surrounding court.
Verse 5. - This verse contains the three terms - house, tent, tabernacle (see notes on 1 Chronicles 16:1). Gesenius observes that when the Hebrew of the last two words is used distinctively, the tent describes the outer coverings of the twelve curtains; and the tabernacle, the ten inner curtains and framework as well, in other words, the whole equipment of the well-known tabernacle. As compared with the version we have here, the parallel place speaks an almost pathetic condescension, "I was a shifting traveller in tent and tabernacle." God meant to remind David how surely and faithfully he had shared the pilgrim lot and unsettledness of his people. What most holy the tabernacle contained was herein a type of the bodily tabernacle of Jesus Christ in later times.
17:1-27 David's purposes; God's gracious promises. - This chapter is the same as 2Sa 7. See what is there said upon it. It is very observable that what in Samuel is said to be, for thy word's sake, is here said to be, "for thy servant's sake," ver. 19. Jesus Christ is both the Word of God, Re 19:13, and the Servant of God, Isa 42:1; and it is for his sake, upon account of his mediation, that the promises are made good to all believers; it is in him, that they are yea and amen. For His sake it is done, for his sake it is made known; to him we owe all this greatness, from him we are to expect all these great things. They are the unsearchable riches of Christ, which, if by faith we see in themselves, and see in the Lord Jesus, we cannot but magnify as the only true greatness, and speak honourably of them. For this blessedness may we look amidst the trials of life, and when we feel the hand of death upon us; and seek it for our children after us.
But have gone . . .--Literally, and I became from tent to tent, and from dwelling. This is clearly too brief for sense; some words must have fallen out, or the reading of Samuel may be original here. The phrase "and I became" almost demands a participle, and the one actually read in Samuel may be here disguised under the expression translated "from tent." A slight further change (in the prepositions) will give the sense: "And I continued walking in a tent and in a dwelling." Perhaps, however, the original text was, "and I walked from tent to tent, and from dwelling to dwelling;" alluding to the various sanctuaries anciently recognised, such as Bethel (Judges 20:18; Judges 20:26), Mizpeh (Judges 11:11; 1 Samuel 10:17), and Shiloh. The word "dwelling" (mishk?n) is a more general term than tent. It includes the sacred tent and its surrounding court.