Kings II 7

1 And it came to pass when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him an inheritance on every side [free] from all his enemies round about him;

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

2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, Behold now, I live in a house of cedar, and the ark of the Lord dwells in the midst of a tent.

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.”

3 And Nathan said to the king, Go and do all that [is] in your heart, for the Lord [is] with you.

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

4 And it came to pass in that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,

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

5 Go, and say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord, You shall not build me a house for me to dwell in.

“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?

6 For I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt to this day, but I have been walking in a lodge and in a tent,

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.

7 wherever I went with all Israel. Have I ever spoken to any of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to tend my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of Cedar?

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?’

8 And now thus shall you say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord Almighty, I took you from the sheep-cote, that you should be a prince over my people, over Israel.

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.

9 And I was with you wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies before you, and I made you renowned according to the renown of the great ones on the earth.

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.

10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell by themselves, and shall be no more distressed; and the son of iniquity shall no more afflict them, as he [has done] from the beginning,

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,

11 from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel: and I will give you rest from all your enemies, and the Lord will tell you that you shall build a house to him.

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.

12 And it shall come to pass when your days shall have been fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, that I will raise up your seed after you, even your own issue, and I will establish his kingdom.

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.

13 He shall build for me a house to my name, and I will set up his throne even for ever.

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

14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men.

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.

15 But my mercy I will not take from him, as I took it from those whom I removed from my presence.

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.

16 And his house shall be made sure, and his kingdom for ever before me, and his throne shall be set up for ever.

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

17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

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

18 And king David came in, and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord, my Lord, and what [is] my house, that you have loved me hitherto?

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?

19 Whereas I was very little before you, O Lord, my Lord, yet you spoke concerning the house of your servant for a long time to [to come]. And [is] this the law of man, O Lord, my Lord?

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?

20 And what shall David yet say to you? and now you know your servant, O Lord, my Lord.

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

21 And you have wrought for your servant's sake, and according to your heart you have wrought all this greatness, to make it known to your servant,

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.

22 that he may magnify you, O my Lord; for there is no one like you, and there is no God, but you among all of whom we have heard with our ears.

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.

23 And what other nation in the earth [is] as your people Israel? whereas God was his guide, to redeem for himself a people to make you a name, to do mightily and nobly, so that you should cast out nations an [their] tabernacles from the presence of your people, whom you did redeem for yourself out of Egypt?

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.

24 And you has prepared for yourself your people Israel to be a people for ever, and you, Lord, are become their God.

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

25 And now, O my Lord, the Almighty Lord God of Israel, confirm the word for ever which you have spoken concerning your servant and his house: and now as you have said,

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,

26 Let your name be magnified for ever.

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.

27 Almighty Lord God of Israel, you have uncovered the ear of your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore your servant has found [in] his heart to pray this prayer to you.

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.

28 And now, O Lord my Lord, you are God; and your words will be true, and you have spoken these good things concerning your servant.

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

29 And now begin and bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever before you; for you, O Lord, my Lord, have spoken, and the house of your servant shall be blessed with your blessing so as to continue for ever.

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.”