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 round about 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.”

That the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains.

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 your heart; for the LORD is with you.

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

And 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 tell my servant David, Thus says the LORD, Shall you build me an house for me 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 dwelled in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

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 wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spoke I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build you not me an 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 therefore so shall you say to my servant David, Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over 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 was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name, like to the name of the great men that are in 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,

Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

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 as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that he will make you an 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 your days be fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your 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 an house for 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 his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten 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 shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.

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

And your house and your kingdom shall be established for ever before you: your throne shall be established 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?

Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that you have brought me till now?

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 this was yet a small thing in your sight, O Lord GOD; but you have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, 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 to you? for you, Lord GOD, know your servant.

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 your word’s sake, and according to your own heart, have you done all these great things, to make your servant know them.

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.

Why you are great, O LORD God: for there is none like you, neither is there any God beside you, according to all 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 one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for your land, before your people, which you redeemed to you from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

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

For you have confirmed to yourself your people Israel to be a people to you for ever: and you, LORD, are 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, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as you have said.

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.

And let your name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of your servant David 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, God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you an house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray 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 that God, and your words be 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.”

Therefore now let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever before you: for you, O Lord GOD, have spoken it: and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed for ever.