1And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;2That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.3And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.4And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,5Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?6Whereas 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.7In 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?8Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:9And 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.10Moreover 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,11And 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 the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.12And 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.13He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.14I 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:15But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.17According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.18Then went king David 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 hitherto?19And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant' house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?20And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant.21For thy word' sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them .22Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.23And 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, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?24For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, LORD, art become their God.25And 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.26And 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.27For 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 unto thee.28And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:29Therefore 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.
2 Samuel 7
English Standard Version
The Lord’s Covenant with David
1Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, (Jos 11:23; 1Ch 17:1)2the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” (Ex 26:1; 2Sa 5:11; 2Sa 7:17; 2Sa 12:1)3And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.” (1Ki 8:17; 1Ch 22:7; 1Ch 28:2; Ac 7:46)4But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan,5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: Would you build me a house to dwell in? (1Ki 5:3; 1Ki 8:19; 1Ch 22:8; 1Ch 28:3)6I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. (Ex 40:18; Ex 40:34; 1Ki 8:16)7In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges[1] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ (Le 26:11; De 23:14; 2Sa 5:2; 1Ch 17:6)8Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince[2] over my people Israel. (1Sa 16:11; Ps 78:70)9And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. (1Sa 18:14; 2Sa 5:10; 2Sa 8:6; 2Sa 8:14)10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, (2Ki 21:8; Ps 44:2; Ps 80:8; Ps 89:22; Jer 24:6; Am 9:15)11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. (Ex 1:21; Jos 11:23; Jud 2:14; 1Sa 2:35; 1Sa 12:9; 2Sa 7:1; 2Sa 7:27; 1Ki 11:38)12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. (De 31:16; 1Ki 1:21; 1Ki 2:1; 1Ki 2:10; 1Ki 8:20; Ps 132:11; Ac 13:36)13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2Sa 7:16; 1Ki 5:5; 1Ki 6:12; 1Ki 8:19; 1Ch 22:10; 1Ch 28:6; Ps 89:4; Ps 89:29; Ps 89:36)14I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, (Ps 89:26; Ps 89:32; Heb 1:5)15but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. (1Sa 15:23; 1Sa 15:28; 2Sa 7:14; 1Ki 11:13; 1Ki 11:34)16And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.[3] Your throne shall be established forever.’” (2Sa 7:13; Ps 89:36; Lu 1:33)17In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
David’s Prayer of Gratitude
18Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? (Ge 32:10)19And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! (2Sa 7:12; 1Ch 17:17)20And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! (Ps 139:1)21Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.22Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. (Ex 15:11; De 3:24; 1Ch 16:25; 2Ch 2:5; Ps 86:8; Ps 89:6; Ps 89:8; Isa 45:5; Jer 10:6)23And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them[4] great and awesome things by driving out before your people,[5] whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? (De 4:7; De 4:34; De 9:26; De 10:21; De 33:29; Ne 1:10; Ps 147:20)24And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. (De 26:18; 2Sa 7:13; 2Sa 7:16; 2Sa 7:26)25And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken.26And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you.27For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.28And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. (Joh 17:17)29Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” (2Sa 22:51; Ps 89:28)