Kings II 7
1 And it came to pass when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him an inheritance on every side [free] from all his enemies round about him;
It happened that after the king had settled in his house, and after Yahweh had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,
2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, Behold now, I live in a house of cedar, and the ark of the Lord dwells in the midst of a tent.
the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is staying in the middle of a tent.”
3 And Nathan said to the king, Go and do all that [is] in thine heart, for the Lord [is] with thee.
Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do what is in your heart, for Yahweh is with you.”
4 And it came to pass in that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,
But that same night the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying,
5 Go, and say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord, Thou shalt not build me a house for me to dwell in.
“Go and tell David my servant, 'This is what Yahweh says: Will you build me a house in which to live?
6 For I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt to this day, but I have been walking in a lodge and in a tent,
For I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought up the people of Israel out of Egypt until this present day; instead, I have been moving about in a tent, a tabernacle.
7 wheresoever I went with all Israel. Have I ever spoken to any of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to tend my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built me a house of Cedar?
In all places where I have moved among all the people of Israel, did I ever say anything to any of Israel's leaders whom I appointed to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”'”
8 And now thus shalt thou say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord Almighty, I took thee from the sheep-cote, that thou shouldest be a prince over my people, over Israel.
Now then, tell my servant David, “This is what Yahweh of hosts says: 'I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, so that you would be ruler over my people Israel.
9 And I was with thee wheresoever thou wentest, and I destroyed all thine enemies before thee, and I made thee renowned according to the renown of the great ones on the earth.
I have been with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the great ones of the earth.
10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell by themselves, and shall be no more distressed; and the son of iniquity shall no more afflict them, as he [has done] from the beginning,
I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them there, so that they may live in their own place and be troubled no more. No longer will wicked people oppress them, as they did before,
11 from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel: and I will give thee rest from all thine enemies, and the Lord will tell thee that thou shalt build a house to him.
as they were doing from the days that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Now I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, I, Yahweh declare to you that I will make you a house.
12 And it shall come to pass when thy days shall have been fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, even thine own issue, and I will establish his kingdom.
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up a descendant after you, one who will come out from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build for me a house to my name, and I will set up his throne even for ever.
He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men.
I will be a father to him, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the whipping of the sons of men.
15 But my mercy I will not take from him, as I took it from those whom I removed from my presence.
But my covenant faithfulness will not leave him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
16 And his house shall be made sure, and his kingdom for ever before me, and his throne shall be set up for ever.
Your house and kingdom will be confirmed forever before you. Your throne will be established forever.'”
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
Nathan spoke to David and reported to him all these words, and he told him about the entire vision.
18 And king David came in, and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord, my Lord, and what [is] my house, that thou hast loved me hitherto?
Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh and said, “Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my family that you have brought me to this point?
19 Whereas I was very little before thee, O Lord, my Lord, yet thou spokest concerning the house of thy servant for a long time to [to come]. And [is] this the law of man, O Lord, my Lord?
Now this was a small thing in your sight, Lord Yahweh. You have even spoken about your servant's family for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, Lord Yahweh!
20 And what shall David yet say to thee? and now thou knowest thy servant, O Lord, my Lord.
What more can I, David, say to you? You have known your servant, Lord Yahweh.
21 And thou hast wrought for thy servant's sake, and according to thy heart thou hast wrought all this greatness, to make it known to thy servant,
For your word's sake, and to fulfill your own purpose, you have done this great thing and revealed it to your servant.
22 that he may magnify thee, O my Lord; for there is no one like thee, and there is no God, but thou among all of whom we have heard with our ears.
Therefore you are great, Lord Yahweh, for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as we have heard with our own ears.
23 And what other nation in the earth [is] as thy people Israel? whereas God was his guide, to redeem for himself a people to make thee a name, to do mightily and nobly, so that thou shouldest cast out nations an [their] tabernacles from the presence of thy people, whom thou didst redeem for thyself out of Egypt?
What nation is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom you, God, went and rescued for yourself? You did this so that they would become a people for yourself, to make a name for yourself, and to do great and fearful deeds for your land. You drove out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you rescued from Egypt.
24 And thou has prepared for thyself thy people Israel to be a people for ever, and thou, Lord, art become their God.
You established Israel as your own people forever, and you, Yahweh, became their God.
25 And now, O my Lord, the Almighty Lord God of Israel, confirm the word for ever which thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and his house: and now as thou hast said,
So now, Yahweh God, may the promise that you made concerning your servant and his family be established forever. Do as you have spoken.
26 Let thy name be magnified for ever.
May your name be forever great, so the people will say, 'Yahweh of hosts is the God of Israel,' while the house of me, David, your servant is established before you.
27 Almighty Lord God of Israel, thou hast uncovered the ear of thy servant, saying, I will build thee a house: therefore thy servant has found [in] his heart to pray this prayer to thee.
For you, Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house. That is why I, your servant, have found courage to pray to you.
28 And now, O Lord my Lord, thou art God; and thy words will be true, and thou hast spoken these good things concerning thy servant.
Now, Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are trustworthy, and you have made this good promise to your servant.
29 And now begin and bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee; for thou, O Lord, my Lord, hast spoken, and the house of thy servant shall be blessed with thy blessing so as to continue for ever.
Now then, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, Lord Yahweh, have said these things, and with your blessing your servant's house will be blessed forever.”
