Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 17:3
But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God interrupts the prophet Nathan with a message during the night, immediately following Nathan's earlier encouragement for David to build a temple. The timing marks a direct divine intervention in a human conversation.
The words — The phrase בַּלַּיְלָה הַהּוּא (ba-laylah ha-hu) translates literally to "that night," pinning the revelation to a specific moment. The clause וַיְהִי דְבַר־אֱלֹהִים (va-yehi devar-Elohim) means "and the word of God came," describing the sudden arrival of the oracle.
The thread — This sudden prophetic message aligns with the pattern in Amos 3:7 where God reveals His plans to His servants the prophets. It also parallels the broader biblical theme of divine communication, such as the visions described in Numbers 12:6.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to recognize that human plans are subject to immediate divine correction. It demands a posture of readiness to receive and relay God's message regardless of prior human assurances.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
Cross-references
- Isaiah 30:21 And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”
- Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.
- Numbers 12:6 He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream.
- 2 Kings 20:1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”