1After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him,2he said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.’3Nathan replied to the king, ‘Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.’4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:5‘Go and tell my servant David, “This is what the Lord says: are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?6I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling.7Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ ”8‘Now then, tell my servant David, “This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.10And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people shall not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning11and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[1] over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. ‘ “The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you:12when your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.14I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.15But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.16Your house and your kingdom shall endure for ever before me[2]; your throne shall be established for ever.” ’17Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
David’s prayer
18Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: ‘Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?19And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant – and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human![3]20‘What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord.21For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.22‘How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no-one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.23And who is like your people Israel – the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?[4] (1Ch 17:21)24You have established your people Israel as your very own for ever, and you, Lord, have become their God.25‘And now, Lord God, keep for ever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised,26so that your name will be great for ever. Then people will say, “The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!” And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.27‘Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, “I will build a house for you.” So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.28Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.29Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will 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)