2 Samuel 7

1 By now the king was comfortable in his palace and the Lord had given him peace from all the enemy nations around him.

After the king had settled into his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him,

2 So he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look at me—I live in a palace made of cedar, but the Ark of God is still in a tent.”

he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”

3 “Go ahead, do whatever you want, for the Lord is with you,” Nathan told the king.

And Nathan replied to the king, “Go and do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”

4 But that night the Lord spoke to Nathan and told him,

But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,

5 “Go and tell my servant David, This is what the Lord says: Should you be the one to build a house for me to live in?

“Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build for Me a house to dwell in?

6 For I have never lived in a house, from the time I led the Israelites out of Egypt up till now. I have always moved from place to place, living in a tent and a Tabernacle.

For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved about with a tent as My dwelling.

7 But in all those travels with all of Israel did I ever ask any Israelite leader I'd ordered to take care of my people, ‘Why haven't you built a cedar house for me?’

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?’

8 So then, tell my servant David this is what the Lord Almighty says. It was me who took you from the fields, from looking after sheep, to become a leader of my people Israel.

Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel.

9 I have been with you wherever you've gone. I have destroyed all your enemies right in front of you, and I will make your reputation as great as the most famous people on earth.

I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like the greatest in the land.

10 I will choose a place for my people Israel. I will settle them there and they won't be disturbed anymore. Evil people won't persecute them as they used to,

And I will provide a place for My people Israel and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own and be disturbed no more. No longer will the sons of wickedness oppress them as they did at the beginning

11 from the time I placed judges in charge of my people. I will defeat all of your enemies. Also I want to make it clear that I the Lord will build a house for you.

and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that He Himself will establish a house for you.

12 For when you come to the end of your life and join your ancestors in death, I will bring to power one of your descendants, one of your sons, and make sure his kingdom is successful.

And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 He will be the one to build me a house, and I will make sure his kingdom lasts forever.

He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

14 I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. If he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod like people do, like a parent punishing a child.

I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men.

15 But I will never take away my kindness and love from him, as I did in the case of Saul who I removed before you.

But My loving devotion will never be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I moved out of your way.

16 Your house and your kingdom will last forever; your dynasty will be secure forever.”

Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.”

17 This is what Nathan explained to David—everything he was told in this divine revelation.

So Nathan relayed to David all the words of this entire vision.

18 Then King David went and sat down in the presence of the Lord. He prayed, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is significant about my family, that you have brought me to this place?

Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?

19 God, you talk as if this was a small thing in your eyes, and you also have spoken about the future of my house, my family dynasty. Is this your usual way of dealing with human beings, Lord God?

And as if this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, You have also spoken about the future of the house of Your servant. Is this Your custom with man, O Lord GOD?

20 What more can I, David, tell you? You know exactly what your servant is like, Lord God.

What more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord GOD.

21 You're doing all this for me and you have explained it to me, your servant, and because of your promise and because it's what you want to do.

For the sake of Your word and according to Your own heart, You have accomplished this great thing and revealed it to Your servant.

22 How great you are, Lord God! There really is no-one like you; there is no other God, only you. We have never heard about anyone else.

How great You are, O Lord GOD! For there is none like You, and there is no God but You, according to everything we have heard with our own ears.

23 Who else is as fortunate as your people Israel? Who else on earth did God go and redeem to make his own people? You gained a wonderful reputation for yourself by all the tremendous, amazing things you did in driving out other nations and their gods before your people as you redeemed them from Egypt.

And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself and to make a name for Himself? You performed great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before Your people, whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt.

24 You made your people Israel your own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

For You have established Your people Israel as Your very own forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.

25 So now, Lord God, please ensure that what you have said about me and my house happens, and is confirmed forever. Please do as you have promised,

And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house. Do as You have promised,

26 and may your true nature be honored forever, with people declaring, ‘The Lord Almighty is Israel's God!’ May the house of your servant David continue to be there in your presence.

so that Your name will be magnified forever when it is said, ‘The LORD of Hosts is God over Israel.’ And the house of Your servant David will be established before You.

27 Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to me, your servant, telling me, ‘I will build a house for you.’ That's why your servant has had the courage to pray this prayer to you.

For You, O LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant when You said, ‘I will build a house for you.’ Therefore Your servant has found the courage to offer this prayer to You.

28 Lord Almighty, you are God! Your words are truth, and you are the one who has promised these good things to your servant.

And now, O Lord GOD, You are God! Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.

29 So now, please bless your servant's house that it may continue in your presence forever. For you have spoken, Lord God, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with Your blessing the house of Your servant will be blessed forever.”