In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked any of the leaders I appointed to shepherd My people Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?’
We have here a full revelation of God's favour to David and the kind intentions of that favour, the notices and assurances of which God sent him by Nathan the prophet, whom he entrusted to deliver this long message to him. The design of it is to take him off from his purpose of building the temple and it was therefore sent, 1.
Commenting on 2 Samuel 7:4-17
In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel,.... See Gill on Sa2 7:6 on the places mentioned there: spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel; or rather the sceptres of Israel; so the word is rendered, Gen 49:10; the sceptre bearers, rulers, and governors, whose custom was to carry a sceptre in their hands, as...
In all [the places] wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? (c) Concerning building a house: meaning without God's express word, nothing should be attempted.