1 Tawarikh 17:16-19

David Praises God

17:16 David went in, sat before the Lord, and said: “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, ¹  that you should have brought me to this point? 17:17 And you did not stop there, O God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. ²  You have revealed to me what men long to know, ³  O Lord God. 17:18 What more can David say ⁴  to you? You have honored your servant; you have given your servant special recognition. ⁵  17:19 O Lord, for the sake of your servant and according to your will, ⁶  you have done this great thing in order to reveal your greatness. ⁷ 

[17:16]  ¹ tn Heb “house.”

[17:17]  ² tn Heb “and this was small in your eyes, O God, so you spoke concerning the house of your servant for a distance.”

[17:17]  ³ tn The translation “You have revealed to me what men long to know” is very tentative; the meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. The text appears to read literally, “and you see me like the searching of man, that which is upward,” which is nonsensical. The translation above assumes the following: (1) The Qal verb translated “you see me” is repointed as a Hiphil, “you showed me,” (2) תּוֹר (tor) is understood in the sense of “searching, exploring,” and (3) הַמַּעֲלָה (hamma’alah) is taken in a temporal sense of “that which lies beyond.” Thus one could translate, “you have shown me what men search for, what lies beyond.”

[17:18]  ⁴ tn The word “say” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[17:18]  ⁵ tn Heb “for honoring your servant, and you, your servant, know.”

[17:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “heart.”

[17:19]  ⁷ tn Heb “to make known all the great deeds.”