2 Samuel 7

1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and YHWH had given him rest round about 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 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of Elohim dwelleth within curtains.

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 thine heart; for YHWH is with thee.

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

4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of YHWH came unto Nathan, saying,

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

5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith YHWH, Shalt thou build me an house for me 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 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.

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 wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an 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 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith YHWH of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over 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 was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in 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 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,

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 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also YHWH telleth thee that he will make thee an 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 be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set 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 an house for my name, and I will stablish 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 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:

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 shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

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

16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established 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 unto David.

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

18 Then went king David in, and sat before YHWH, and he said, Who am I, O Sovereign YHWH? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

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 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Sovereign YHWH; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Sovereign YHWH?

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, Sovereign YHWH, knowest thy servant.

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 thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.

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

22 Wherefore thou art great, O YHWH Elohim: for there is none like thee, neither is there any Elohim beside thee, according to all 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 one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom Elohim went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to Thee from Egypt, from the nations and their elohim?

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 a people unto thee for ever: and thou, YHWH, art become their Elohim.

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 YHWH Elohim, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.

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 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, YHWH of hosts is the Elohim over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.

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 For thou, O YHWH of hosts, Elohim of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto 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 Sovereign YHWH, thou art that Elohim, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:

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 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Sovereign YHWH, 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!