2 Samuel 7:9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.
I find this verse remarkable.
Isn't David's name already great? And Yet God will make it greater still.
It seems that a possibile key to unlocking the significance of this promise is to understand who are the great ones whose name God is comparing the future greatness of David's name to... So who are they?
It is interesting to note that God is speaking in the past tense regarding what he has already done for king David. A different translation of the text in question continues past tense with "...and I have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great [men] that [are] in the earth." (K.J.V.)
This makes those great ones either contemporary with David, and/or with those who had preceded him. Given that God is speaking of David ruling his people, and how God had cut off all his enemies, the simple reading is that there were other kings / rulers who had also achieved victory over enemies and become renowned for their greatness as rulers, from way back until the days of David.
Then God speaks of the future, after David will have died, with the house of David being set up by God. This speaks of David's descendants, Solomon already being promised by David to Bathsheba to take over his throne, as in this verse:
"And when thy days be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom." 1 Samuel 7:12 K.J.V.
This is where it is interesting to note something about "greatness". In previous verses we learn that David conducted himself very wisely, so much so that the then-king Saul was afraid of him (1 Samuel 18:14-14). But when king Solomon took over the throne of David, his father, his wisdom was so great that it became proverbial. The queen of Sheba traveled a huge distance with an entourage and gifts of immense value to check Solomon out with regard to his renown wisdom, even back then. She had not heard the half of his greatness in that respect. But the wisdom of Solomon became so proverbial that the saying continues to this day, on a global scale.
So, greatness is not only about kingly power and battles, or the size of a kingdom. In the case of David it was very much about his spiritual greatness, and there were men of old, such as Melchizedek, Abraham, Noah etc who were spiritual giants of their day, and have gone down memorably in history. Whether secular kings and world powers up till David are included in the verse in question is not stated in the text. But there is enough that is stated to get a general idea.
That pen-ultimate paragraph answers the main question. As for the subsidiary one, "[Wasn't] David's name already great?", the simple answer is "Yes, for God spoke of having already made his name great, and into the future through the likes of Solomon, but supremely through "the Root of David" - Jesus Christ, the "greater than Solomon" (Matthew 12:42, Rev. 5:5, 3:7, 11:16). That name would long outlast all the other great names. For Christ has been given the name that is above every name, and every knee will bend to him (Philippians 2:9-10).
The significance of 2 Samuel 7:9 lies not in any particular name the Lord desires David to match, but in the profound promise that David's name will be remembered forever, and his glory and honor will endure.
While there have always been great names, a name that lasts through generations is exceedingly rare. Those who come after often overshadow the names of those who came before - unless their names are forever intertwined. This is why Jesus is honored as the "Son of David." It fulfills the Lord's promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:11-13:
11b “‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
This passage is often regarded as a double prophecy - fulfilled initially in Solomon and ultimately in Jesus, who is called the "Son of David."
2 Samuel 7:9 Who are the "great ones" of the Earth?
In 2 Samuel 7:9, God promises to make David's name great like the "great ones of the earth," referring to mighty kings, warriors, and conquerors who were already famous and powerful in their own time, such as some of the great patriarchs and former successful rulers
We can think of names like:
Moses - Joshua - Abraham - Jacob - Gidʹe·on, Samson, Jephʹthah, just a few examples mentioned in Hebrews Chapter 11
The "great ones" were not a specific group of individuals but rather a general category of individuals whose names and reputations were widely known and respected.
We can read Pauls words at Hebrews Chapter 11 and note the names that Paul listed
Then read vrs Hebrews 11: 32-34 about others that Paul did not list because ot time he had: NWT Bible
And what more shall I say? For the time will fail me if I go on to relate about Gidʹe·on, Baʹrak, Samson, Jephʹthah, David as well as Samuel and the [other] prophets, 33 who through faith defeated kingdoms in conflict, effected righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 stayed the force of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from a weak state were made powerful, became valiant in war, routed the armies of foreigners
2nd Samuel 7:9 Quote from the Pulpit Commentary from the Bible Hub:
And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. Verse 9. - I have made thee a great name. The widespread conquests of David, and his great empire, were not for the sake of mere earthly dominion. It was, first of all, a type of Messiah's reign, to whom God has premised the heathen for his inheritance, and that his gospel shall be carried to the ends of the earth. But, secondly, if Messiah was to be "David's Son," it was necessary that that king should hold a special place in the hearts of all Israelites. In the fables and tales of the Arabs, it is Solomon who holds the foremost place. Just as our forefathers showed the native qualities of the race by making Arthur's court the abode of prowess and chivalrous bravery; so the Arabs made Solomon's court the representative of that dazzling splendor and magnificence which they so admired; and invested him with superhuman knowledge and magical power, such as made janns and ifreets the humble slaves of his will. In the Old Testament no king is "Jehovah's servant" but David; no king is ever connected with Messiah but David. The religious fervent of the people may gather round a Hezekiah or a Josiah, and prophets may encourage them in their work; but no prophet sees in either of them the ancestor of Christ. It is, however, in the Psalms that we learn the full meaning of Nathan's words. Here a veil is partly drawn over them. But it would be a wilful closing of the eyes to read this message and not bear in mind the clear light with which every word is illumined by the inspired outpouring of David's own heart. He thoroughly understood the fulness and blessedness of God's revelation, and has taught us that it all looked onward to Christ.
Conclusion
the phrase "the great ones of the earth" refers to the most famous and powerful rulers of the world at that time.
I would say it relates to the great men of the torah like Noah and Shem and Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Moses and Aaron and Joshua and Caleb. These figures are known more than the average person.
Genesis 12.2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.
The context here is David's desire to build a temple for the LORD. The prophet Nathan at first approves, but soon receives a revelation that David must not do it. He then conveys the prophecy mentioned in the OP. But let's read beyond the first line:
I will make your name like that of the greatest on earth. 10 I will assign a place for my people Israel and I will plant them in it to dwell there; they will never again be disturbed, nor shall the wicked ever again oppress them, as they did at the beginning, 11 and from the day when I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. (NABRE)
Israel still very young at this point. It had defeated its external enemies but had only recently established its capital in Jerusalem and was still in the process of knitting together the 12 tribes. God approved the institution of the kingship in part because the Israelites felt that they needed a king like other nations had. (1 Samuel 8:20) So it is likely that the prophet here emphasizes that David's still small and relatively weak kingdom will have a great future. We may think of him as referring to contemporary "great ones" such as Hiram of Tyre, Tiglath-Pileser II of Assyria, and the various pharaohs of Egypt. Nathan probably also thought of the kings of smaller sovereignties such a the kings of Philistine cities and their famous warriors (Goliath of Gath being one example), or the kings of Syria, Ammon, Moab and Edom. Given the context of David's desire to build the temple, however, we should probably think of those kings who had created great edifices like the pyramids of Egypt or the ziggurats of Babylon. Nathan's prophecy may also refer to future "great ones," but those who had already attained famed were no doubt foremost in the prophet's mind.
Conclusion: The great ones of the earth here probably refers primarily to those powerful kings of David's era who had built large temples to their gods, as David wanted to do for the LORD.
