2 Samuel 7
1 And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
It happened that after the king had settled in his house, and after Yahweh had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,
2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is staying in the middle of a tent.”
3 And Nathan said to the king, all that is in thy heart go and do; for the Lord is with thee.
Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do what is in your heart, for Yahweh is with you.”
4 And it came to pass during that night, That the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,
But that same night the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying,
5 Go and say unto my servant, unto David, Thus hath said the Lord, Wilt thou indeed build me a house for my dwelling?
“Go and tell David my servant, 'This is what Yahweh says: Will you build me a house in which to live?
6 For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even until this day; but have been moving about in a tent and in a tabernacle.
For I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought up the people of Israel out of Egypt until this present day; instead, I have been moving about in a tent, a tabernacle.
7 In all the places where I moved about among all the children of Israel, did I speak a word to any one of the tribes of Israel, whom I ordained to feed my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built for me a house of cedar?
In all places where I have moved among all the people of Israel, did I ever say anything to any of Israel's leaders whom I appointed to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”'”
8 Now therefore, thus shalt thou say unto my servant, to David, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheep-cote, from behind the flocks, to be a ruler over my people, over Israel;
Now then, tell my servant David, “This is what Yahweh of hosts says: 'I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, so that you would be ruler over my people Israel.
9 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou didst go, and I have cut off all thy enemies from thy presence, and I have made thee a great name, like the name of the great who are on the earth;
I have been with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the great ones of the earth.
10 And I have procured a place for my people, for Israel, and I have planted them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and be no more troubled; and that the children of wickedness shall not afflict them any more as aforetimes,
I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them there, so that they may live in their own place and be troubled no more. No longer will wicked people oppress them, as they did before,
11 And [as it was] since the day that I ordained judges to be over my people Israel; and I have caused thee to rest from all thy enemies; and the Lord telleth thee that he, the Lord, will make thee a house.
as they were doing from the days that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Now I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, I, Yahweh declare to you that I will make you a house.
12 When thy days will be completed, and thou wilt sleep with thy fathers: then will I set up thy seed after thee, who shall proceed out of thy body, and I will establish his kingdom.
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up a descendant after you, one who will come out from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He it is that shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 I too will be to him as a father, and he shall indeed be to me as a son: so that when he committeth iniquity, I will chastise him with the rod of men, and with the plagues of the children of man;
I will be a father to him, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the whipping of the sons of men.
15 But my kindness shall not depart from him, as I caused it to depart from Saul, whom I removed from before thee.
But my covenant faithfulness will not leave him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
16 And thy house and thy kingdom shall be steadfast for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
Your house and kingdom will be confirmed forever before you. Your throne will be established forever.'”
17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
Nathan spoke to David and reported to him all these words, and he told him about the entire vision.
18 Then went king David in, and sat down before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord Eternal? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me as far as hitherward?
Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh and said, “Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my family that you have brought me to this point?
19 And this was yet too small a thing in thine eyes, O Lord Eternal; and thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a distant time. And is this the desert of man, O Lord Eternal?
Now this was a small thing in your sight, Lord Yahweh. You have even spoken about your servant's family for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, Lord Yahweh!
20 And what can David add yet more to speak unto thee? since thou, O Lord Eternal, knowest well thy servant?
What more can I, David, say to you? You have known your servant, Lord Yahweh.
21 For the sake of thy word, and in accordance with thy own heart, hast thou done all this great thing, so as to let thy servant know it.
For your word's sake, and to fulfill your own purpose, you have done this great thing and revealed it to your servant.
22 Therefore art thou great, O Eternal God; for there is none like thee, and there is no God beside thee, in accordance with all that we have heard with our ears.
Therefore you are great, Lord Yahweh, for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as we have heard with our own ears.
23 And who is like thy people, like Israel, the only nation on the earth, which God went to redeem for himself as a people, and to acquire for himself a name, and to do for you this great deed, and fearful things for thy land [to drive out], from before thy people which thou hast redeemed for thyself from Egypt, nations and their gods.
What nation is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom you, God, went and rescued for yourself? You did this so that they would become a people for yourself, to make a name for yourself, and to do great and fearful deeds for your land. You drove out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you rescued from Egypt.
24 For thou hast established for thyself thy people Israel as a people unto thee for ever; and thou, O Lord, art indeed become their God.
You established Israel as your own people forever, and you, Yahweh, became their God.
25 And now, O Eternal God, let the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, stand firm for ever, and do as thou hast spoken.
So now, Yahweh God, may the promise that you made concerning your servant and his family be established forever. Do as you have spoken.
26 And let thy name be magnified unto everlasting, that men may say, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and may the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
May your name be forever great, so the people will say, 'Yahweh of hosts is the God of Israel,' while the house of me, David, your servant is established before you.
27 For thou, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, saying, A house will be built up for thee; therefore hath thy servant found the heart to pray unto thee this prayer.
For you, Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house. That is why I, your servant, have found courage to pray to you.
28 And now, O Lord Eternal, thou art the [true] God, and thy words must become the truth, and thou hast spoken unto thy servant this goodness:
Now, Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are trustworthy, and you have made this good promise to your servant.
29 And now let it please thee and bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee; for thou, O Lord Eternal, hast spoken it; and from thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
Now then, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, Lord Yahweh, have said these things, and with your blessing your servant's house will be blessed forever.”
