2 Samuel 7:1-29
7 And it came about that, when the king dwelt in his own house+ and Jehovah himself had given him rest from all his enemies round about,+
2 then the king said to Nathan+ the prophet: “See, now, I am dwelling in a house of cedars+ while the ark of the [true] God is dwelling in the middle of tent cloths.”+
3 Upon that Nathan said to the king: “Everything that is in your heart—go, do,+ because Jehovah is with you.”
4 And it came about on that night that the word+ of Jehovah came to Nathan, saying:
5 “Go, and you must say to my servant David, ‘This is what Jehovah has said: “Should you yourself build me a house for me to dwell in?+
6 For I have not dwelt in a house from the day of my bringing the sons of Israel up out of Egypt to this day,+ but I was continually walking+ about in a tent+ and in a tabernacle.+
7 During all the time that I have walked about among all the sons of Israel,+ was there a word that I spoke with one of the tribes* of Israel+ that I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why did YOU people not build me a house of cedars?’”’
8 And now this is what you will say to my servant David, ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said: “I myself took you from the pasture ground from following the flock+ to become a leader+ over my people Israel.
9 And I shall prove to be with you wherever you do go,+ and I will cut off all your enemies from before you;+ and I shall certainly make for you a great name,+ like the name of the great ones that are in the earth.
10 And I shall certainly appoint a place+ for my people Israel and plant+ them, and they will indeed reside where they are, and no more will they be disturbed; and the sons of unrighteousness will not afflict them again as they did at the first,+
11 even from the day that I put judges+ in command over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies.+
“‘“And Jehovah has told you that a house+ is what Jehovah will make for you.
12 When your days come to the full,+ and you must lie down with your forefathers,+ then I shall certainly raise up your seed after you, which will come out of your inward parts; and I shall indeed firmly establish his kingdom.+
13 He is the one that will build a house for my name,+ and I shall certainly establish the throne of his kingdom firmly to time indefinite.+
14 I myself shall become his father,+ and he himself will become my son.+ When he does wrong, I will also reprove him with the rod+ of men and with the strokes of the sons of Adam.*
15 As for my loving-kindness,* it will not depart from him the way I removed it from Saul,+ whom I removed on account of you.
16 And your house and your kingdom will certainly be steadfast to time indefinite before you; your very throne will become one firmly established to time indefinite.”’”+
17 According to all these words and according to all this vision was the way that Nathan spoke to David.+
18 At that King David came in and sat down before Jehovah and said: “Who am I,+ O Sovereign Lord Jehovah? And what is my house that you have brought me thus far?
19 As though this should even be something little in your eyes, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah, yet you also speak respecting the house of your servant down to a distant future time; and this is the law given for mankind,*+ O Sovereign Lord Jehovah.+
20 And what more can David add and speak to you, when you yourself know your servant well,+ O Sovereign Lord Jehovah?
21 For the sake of your word+ and in agreement with your own heart+ you have done all these great things to cause your servant to know them.+
22 That is why you are indeed great,+ O Sovereign Lord Jehovah; for there is no other like you,+ and there is no God except you+ among all of whom we have heard with our ears.
23 And what one* nation in the earth is like your people Israel,+ whom God went to redeem to himself as a people+ and to assign himself a name+ and to do for them* great and fear-inspiring things+—to drive out* because of your people, whom you have redeemed+ to yourself from Egypt, the nations and their gods?
24 And you proceeded to establish your people Israel+ firmly for yourself as your people to time indefinite; and you yourself, O Jehovah, have become their God.+
25 “And now, Jehovah God,* the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house carry out to time indefinite and do just as you have spoken.+
26 And let your own name become great to time indefinite,+ saying, ‘Jehovah of armies is God over Israel,’+ and let the very house of your servant David become firmly established before you.+
27 For you, Jehovah of armies the God of Israel, have made a revelation to your servant’s ear, saying, ‘A house I shall build for you.’+ That is why your servant has taken heart* to pray to you with this prayer.+
28 And now, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah, you are the [true] God; and as for your words, let them prove to be truth,*+ since you promise to your servant this goodness.+
29 And now take it upon yourself and bless+ the house of your servant [for it] to continue to time indefinite before you;+ for you yourself, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah, have promised, and due to your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed to time indefinite.”+
Footnotes
^ Or, “of an earthling man.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ; LXXSyVg, “of men.”
^ Or, “loyal love.”
^ “Mankind.” Heb., ha·ʼa·dhamʹ; LXX, “the man”; Lat., aʹdam.
^ “For them,” four Heb. mss (compare TSyVg); M, “for you people.”
^ “To drive out,” in agreement with LXX and 1Ch 17:21; M, “for your land”; Vg, “upon the land (earth).”
^ “One,” MSy; LXX, “other.”
^ Lit., “has found his heart.”
^ Or, “true.” Heb., ʼemethʹ.
