2 Samuel 7

1 And it came to pass when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,

Now when the king was living in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from war on every side;

2 He said to Nathan the prophet: Dost thou see that I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God is lodged within skins?

The king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is housed inside the curtains of a tent.

3 And Nathan said to the king: Go, do all that is in thy heart: because the Lord is with thee.

And Nathan said to the king, Go and do whatever is in your heart; for the Lord is with you.

4 But it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

Now that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,

5 Go, and say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord: Shalt thou build me a house to dwell in?

Go and say to my servant David, The Lord says, Are you to be the builder of a house, a living-place for me?

6 Whereas I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt even to this day: but have walked in a tabernacle, and in a tent.

For from the day when I took the children of Israel up out of Egypt till this day, I have had no house, but have gone from place to place in a tent.

7 In all the places that I have gone through with all the children of Israel, did ever I speak a word to any one of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?

In all the places where I went with all the children of Israel, did I ever say to any of the judges of Israel, to whom I gave the care of my people Israel, Why have you not made me a house of cedar?

8 And now thus shalt thou speak to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: a I took thee out of the pastures from following the sheep to be ruler over my people Israel:

Then say these words to my servant David, The Lord of armies says, I took you from the fields, from keeping the sheep, so that you might be a ruler over my people, over my people Israel:

9 And I have been with thee wheresoever thou hast walked, and have slain all thy enemies from before thy face: and I have made thee a great man, like unto the name of the great ones that are on the earth.

And I have been with you wherever you went, cutting off before you all those who were against you; and I will make your name great, like the name of the greatest ones of the earth.

10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall dwell therein, and shall be disturbed no more: neither shall the children of iniquity afflict them any more as they did before,

And I will make a resting-place for my people Israel, planting them there, so that they may be living in the place which is theirs, and never again be moved; and never again will they be troubled by evil men as they were at the first,

11 From the day that I appointed judges over my people Israel: and I will give thee rest from all thy enemies. And the Lord foretelleth to thee, that the Lord will make thee a house.

From the time when I put judges over my people Israel; and I will give you peace from all who are against you. And the Lord says to you that he will make you the head of a line of kings.

12 And when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

And when the time comes for you to go to rest with your fathers, I will put in your place your seed after you, the offspring of your body, and I will make his kingdom strong.

13 He shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

He will be the builder of a house for my name, and I will make the seat of his authority certain for ever.

14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and if he commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.

I will be to him a father and he will be to me a son: if he does wrong, I will give him punishment with the rod of men and with the blows of the children of men;

15 But my mercy I will not take away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before my face.

But my mercy will not be taken away from him, as I took it from him who was before you.

16 And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever.

And your family and your kingdom will keep their place before me for ever: the seat of your authority will never be overturned.

17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

So Nathan gave David an account of all these words and this vision.

18 And David went in, and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?

Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now?

19 But yet this hath seemed little in thy sight, O Lord God, unless thou didst also speak of the house of thy servant for a long time to come: for this is the law of Adam, O Lord God.

And this was only a small thing to you, O Lord God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, O Lord God!

20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou knowest thy servant, O Lord God:

What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant, O Lord God.

21 For thy word’s sake, and according to thy own heart thou hast done all these great things, so that thou wouldst make it known to thy servant.

Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it.

22 Therefore thou art magnified, O Lord God, because there is none like to thee, neither is there any God besides thee, in all the things that we have heard with our ears.

Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears.

23 And what nation is there upon earth, as thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for them great and terrible things, upon the earth, before the face of thy people, whom thou redeemedst to thyself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods.

And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people?

24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be an everlasting people: and thou, O Lord God, art become their God.

But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God.

25 And now, O Lord God, raise up for ever the word that thou hast spoken, concerning thy servant and concerning his house: and do as thou hast spoken,

And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said!

26 That thy name may be magnified for ever, and it may be said: The Lord of hosts is God over Israel. And the house of thy servant David shall be established before the Lord.

And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you!

27 Because thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, saying: I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee.

For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you.

28 And now, O Lord God, thou art God, and thy words shall be true: for thou hast spoken to thy servant these good things.

And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing;

29 And now begin, and bless the house of thy servant, that it may endure for ever before thee: because thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it, and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it, ) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!