< 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;
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.
3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for YHWH is with thee.
4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of YHWH came unto Nathan, saying,
5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith YHWH, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
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.
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?
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:
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.
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,
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.
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.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom 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:
15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
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?
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?
20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Sovereign YHWH, knowest thy servant.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
28 And now, O Sovereign YHWH, thou art that Elohim, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
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.
