1The king moved into his palace. The LORD had given him peace and rest from all his enemies around him.2Then the king spoke to Nathan the prophet. He said, ‘Here I am, living in a house that has beautiful cedar walls. But the ark of God remains in a tent.’3Nathan replied to the king, ‘Go ahead and do what you want to. The LORD is with you.’4But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan. The LORD said,5‘Go and speak to my servant David. Tell him, “The LORD says, ‘Are you the one to build me a house to live in?6I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt. But I have not lived in a house from then until now. I have been moving from place to place. I have been living in a tent.7I have moved from place to place with all the Israelites. I commanded their rulers to be shepherds over them. I never asked any of those rulers, “Why haven’t you built me a house that has beautiful cedar walls?” ’ ”8‘So tell my servant David, “The LORD who rules over all says, ‘I took you away from the grasslands. That’s where you were taking care of your father’s sheep and goats. I made you ruler over my people Israel.9I have been with you everywhere you have gone. I have destroyed all your enemies. Now I will make you famous. Your name will be just as respected as the names of the most important people on earth.10I will provide a place where my people Israel can live. I will plant them in the land. Then they will have a home of their own. They will not be bothered anymore. Evil people will no longer crush them, as they did at first.11That is what your enemies have done ever since I appointed leaders over my people Israel. But I will give you peace and rest from all of them. ‘ “ ‘I tell you that I, the LORD, will set up a royal house for you.12Some day your life will come to an end. You will join the members of your family who have already died. Then I will make one of your own sons the next king after you. And I will make his kingdom secure.13He is the one who will build a house where I will put my Name. I will set up the throne of his kingdom. It will last for ever.14I will be his father. And he will be my son. When he does what is wrong, I will use other men to beat him with rods and whips.15I took my love away from Saul. I removed him from being king. You were there when I did it. But I will never take my love away from your son.16Your royal house and your kingdom will last for ever in my sight. Your throne will last for ever.’ ” ’17Nathan reported to David all the words that the LORD had spoken to him.
David’s prayer to the Lord
18Then King David went into the holy tent. He sat down in front of the LORD. He said, ‘LORD and King, who am I? My family isn’t important. So why have you brought me this far?19I would have thought that you had already done more than enough for me. But now, LORD and King, you have also said what will happen to my royal house in days to come. And, my LORD and King, this promise is for a mere human being!20‘What more can I say to you? LORD and King, you know all about me.21You have done a wonderful thing. You have made it known to me. You have done it because that’s what you said you would do. It’s exactly what you wanted to do for me.22‘LORD and King, how great you are! There isn’t anyone like you. There isn’t any God but you. We have heard about it with our own ears.23Who is like your people Israel? God, we are the one nation on earth you have saved. You have set us free for yourself. Your name has become famous. You have done great and wonderful things. You have driven out nations and their gods to make room for your people. You saved us when you set us free from Egypt.24You made Israel your very own people for ever. LORD, you have become our God.25‘And now, LORD God, keep for ever the promise you have made to me and my royal house. Do exactly as you promised.26Then your name will be honoured for ever. People will say, “The LORD rules over all. He is God over Israel.” My royal house will be made secure in your sight.27‘LORD who rules over all, you are the God of Israel. Here’s what you have shown me. You told me, “I will build you a royal house.” So I can boldly pray this prayer to you.28LORD and King, you are God! Your covenant can be trusted. You have promised many good things to me.29Now please bless my royal house. Then it will continue for ever in your sight. LORD and King, you have spoken. Because you have given my royal house your blessing, it will be blessed for ever.’
2 Samuel 7
English Standard Version
The Lord’s Covenant with David
1Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, (Jos 11:23; 1Ch 17:1)2the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” (Ex 26:1; 2Sa 5:11; 2Sa 7:17; 2Sa 12:1)3And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” (1Ki 8:17; 1Ch 22:7; 1Ch 28:2; Ac 7:46)4But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan,5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? (1Ki 5:3; 1Ki 8:19; 1Ch 22:8; 1Ch 28:3)6I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. (Ex 40:18; Ex 40:34; 1Ki 8:16)7In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges[1] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ (Le 26:11; De 23:14; 2Sa 5:2; 1Ch 17:6)8Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince[2] over my people Israel. (1Sa 16:11; Ps 78:70)9And 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. (1Sa 18:14; 2Sa 5:10; 2Sa 8:6; 2Sa 8:14)10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, (2Ki 21:8; Ps 44:2; Ps 80:8; Ps 89:22; Jer 24:6; Am 9:15)11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. (Ex 1:21; Jos 11:23; Jud 2:14; 1Sa 2:35; 1Sa 12:9; 2Sa 7:1; 2Sa 7:27; 1Ki 11:38)12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. (De 31:16; 1Ki 1:21; 1Ki 2:1; 1Ki 2:10; 1Ki 8:20; Ps 132:11; Ac 13:36)13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2Sa 7:16; 1Ki 5:5; 1Ki 6:12; 1Ki 8:19; 1Ch 22:10; 1Ch 28:6; Ps 89:4; Ps 89:29; Ps 89:36)14I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, (Ps 89:26; Ps 89:32; Heb 1:5)15but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. (1Sa 15:23; 1Sa 15:28; 2Sa 7:14; 1Ki 11:13; 1Ki 11:34)16And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.[3] Your throne shall be established forever.’” (2Sa 7:13; Ps 89:36; Lu 1:33)17In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
David’s Prayer of Gratitude
18Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? (Ge 32:10)19And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! (2Sa 7:12; 1Ch 17:17)20And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! (Ps 139:1)21Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.22Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (Ex 15:11; De 3:24; 1Ch 16:25; 2Ch 2:5; Ps 86:8; Ps 89:6; Ps 89:8; Isa 45:5; Jer 10:6)23And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them[4] great and awesome things by driving out before your people,[5] whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? (De 4:7; De 4:34; De 9:26; De 10:21; De 33:29; Ne 1:10; Ps 147:20)24And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. (De 26:18; 2Sa 7:13; 2Sa 7:16; 2Sa 7:26)25And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken.26And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you.27For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.28And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. (Joh 17:17)29Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” (2Sa 22:51; Ps 89:28)