2 Samuel 7

1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest on every side 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 to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but 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, Go, do all that is in thy heart; 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 that night, that the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,

But that same night the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying,

5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

“Go and tell David my servant, 'This is what Yahweh says: Will you build me a house in which to live?

6 Though I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked 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 in which I have walked with all the children of Israel have I spoken a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why do ye not build me an 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 so shalt thou say to my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be 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 was with thee wherever thou wentest, and have cut off all thy enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like the name of the great men that are in 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 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 in times past,

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 since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thy enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an 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 And when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, who shall proceed out of thy own 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 shall build an 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 will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he shall commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

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 mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away 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 established 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 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

Nathan spoke to David and reported to him all these words, and he told him about the entire vision.

18 Then king David went in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?

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 a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?

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 say more to thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.

What more can I, David, say to you? You have known your servant, Lord Yahweh.

21 For thy word’s sake, and according to thy own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.

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 thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to 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 what one nation in the earth is like thy 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 thy land, before thy people, whom thou didst redeem to thee from Egypt, from the 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 confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people to thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.

You established Israel as your own people forever, and you, Yahweh, became their God.

25 And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.

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 for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let 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, God 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 to thee.

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 GOD, thou art that God, and thy words are true, and thou hast promised this goodness to thy servant:

Now, Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are trustworthy, and you have made this good promise to your 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 Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with 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.”