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.
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,
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: Dost thou see that I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God is lodged within skins?
3 “Go ahead, do whatever you want, for the Lord is with you,” Nathan told the king.
And Nathan said to the king: Go, do all that is in thy heart: because the Lord is with thee.
4 But that night the Lord spoke to Nathan and told him,
But it came to pass that night, that 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 say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord: Shalt thou build 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.
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.
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 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?
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.
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:
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.
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.
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 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,
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.
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.
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 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.
13 He will be the one to build me a house, and I will make sure his kingdom lasts forever.
He shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
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 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.
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 mercy I will not take away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before my face.
16 Your house and your kingdom will last forever; your dynasty will be secure forever.”
And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever.
17 This is what Nathan explained to David—everything he was told in this divine revelation.
According to all these words and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
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?
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?
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?
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.
20 What more can I, David, tell you? You know exactly what your servant is like, Lord God.
And what can David say more unto thee? for thou knowest thy 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 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
24 You made your people Israel your own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be an everlasting people: and thou, O Lord God, art 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, raise up for ever the word that thou hast spoken, concerning thy servant and concerning his house: and do as thou hast spoken,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, thou art God, and thy words shall be true: for thou hast spoken to thy servant these good things.
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.”
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.
