Bible Strands
2 Samuel 7:6
For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved about with a tent as My dwelling.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God speaks to David through Nathan, directly answering David’s offer to construct a permanent temple.
The words — The Hebrew לֹא (loʾ) means "not," and בְּ/בַ֔יִת (be./Va.yit) means "in a house," combining to state the literal fact that Yahweh has never taken up residence in a fixed structure.
The thread — This mobile presence is recorded in Exodus 40:18 when the tabernacle is set up, Joshua 18:1 when the Tent of Meeting is placed at Shiloh, and 1 Kings 8:16 where God confirms He never selected a city to build a house for His name.
Why it lands — The text first establishes that God’s dwelling has been portable rather than architectural, then requires readers to abandon human expectations that confine divine presence to man-made buildings.
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
Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 8:16 ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’
- Exodus 40:18 When Moses set up the tabernacle, he laid its bases, positioned its frames, inserted its crossbars, and set up its posts.
- Joshua 18:1 Then the whole congregation of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. And though the land was subdued before them,
- Exodus 40:34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
- Exodus 33:14 And the LORD answered, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
- Leviticus 26:23 And if in spite of these things you do not accept My discipline, but continue to walk in hostility toward Me,
- Leviticus 26:27 But if in spite of all this you do not obey Me, but continue to walk in hostility toward Me,
- Numbers 10:33 So they set out on a three-day journey from the mountain of the LORD, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD traveling ahead of them for those three days to seek a resting place for them.
- Deuteronomy 23:14 For the LORD your God walks throughout your camp to protect you and deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, lest He see anything unclean among you and turn away from you.
- 1 Chronicles 17:5 For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved from tent to tent and dwelling to dwelling.