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2 Samuel 7
New English Translation

The Lord Establishes a Covenant with David

7 The king settled into his palace,[a] for the Lord gave him relief[b] from all his enemies on all sides.[c] 2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.” 3 Nathan replied to the king, “You should go[d] and do whatever you have in mind,[e] for the Lord is with you.” 4 That night the Lord’s message came to Nathan, 5 “Go, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has said: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent.[f] 7 Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say[g] to any of their leaders[h] whom I appointed to care for[i] my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?”’

8 “So now, say this to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has said: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd[j] to make you leader of my people Israel. 9 I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated[k] all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth.[l] 10 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle[m] them there; they will live there and not be disturbed[n] anymore. Violent men[o] will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief[p] from all your enemies. The Lord declares[q] to you that he himself[r] will build a dynastic house[s] for you. 12 When the time comes for you to die,[t] I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you,[u] and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent.[v] 14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me[w] permanently; your dynasty[x] will be permanent.’” 17 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.[y]

David Offers a Prayer to God

18 King David went in, sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Sovereign Lord, and what is my family,[z] that you should have brought me to this point? 19 And you didn’t stop there, O Lord God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family.[aa] Is this your usual way of dealing with men,[ab] O Sovereign Lord? 20 What more can David say to you? You have given your servant special recognition,[ac] O Sovereign Lord! 21 For the sake of your promise and according to your purpose[ad] you have done this great thing in order to reveal it to your servant.[ae] 22 Therefore you are great, O Sovereign Lord, for there is none like you. There is no God besides you! What we have heard is true.[af] 23 Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation[ag] on the earth? Their God[ah] went[ai] to claim[aj] a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land,[ak] before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods.[al] 24 You made Israel your very own people for all time.[am] You, O Lord, became their God. 25 So now, O Lord God, make this promise you have made about your servant and his family a permanent reality.[an] Do as you promised,[ao] 26 so you may gain lasting fame,[ap] as people say,[aq] ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ The dynasty[ar] of your servant David will be established before you, 27 for you, O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, have told[as] your servant, ‘I will build you a dynastic house.’[at] That is why your servant has had the courage[au] to pray this prayer to you. 28 Now, O Sovereign Lord, you are the true God.[av] May your words prove to be true![aw] You have made this good promise to your servant.[ax] 29 Now be willing to bless your servant’s dynasty[ay] so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O Sovereign Lord, have spoken. By your blessing may your servant’s dynasty be blessed from now on into the future!”[az]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 7:1 tn Heb “house” (also in the following verse).
  2. 2 Samuel 7:1 tn Or “rest.”
  3. 2 Samuel 7:1 tn The translation understands the disjunctive clause in v. 1b as circumstantial-causal.
  4. 2 Samuel 7:3 tc Several medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta lack this word.
  5. 2 Samuel 7:3 tn Heb “all that is in your heart.”
  6. 2 Samuel 7:6 tn Heb “in a tent and in a dwelling.” The expression is a hendiadys, using two terms to express one idea.
  7. 2 Samuel 7:7 tn Heb “Did I speak a word?” In the Hebrew text the statement is phrased as a rhetorical question.
  8. 2 Samuel 7:7 tn Heb “tribes of Israel” (so KJV, NASB, NCV), but the parallel passage in 1 Chr 17:6 has “judges of Israel.”
  9. 2 Samuel 7:7 tn Heb “whom I commanded to shepherd” (so NIV, NRSV).
  10. 2 Samuel 7:8 tn Heb “and from after the sheep.”
  11. 2 Samuel 7:9 tn Heb “cut off.”
  12. 2 Samuel 7:9 tn Heb “and I will make for you a great name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.”
  13. 2 Samuel 7:10 tn Heb “plant.”
  14. 2 Samuel 7:10 tn Heb “shaken.”
  15. 2 Samuel 7:10 tn Heb “the sons of violence.”
  16. 2 Samuel 7:11 tn Or “rest.”
  17. 2 Samuel 7:11 tn In the Hebrew text the verb is apparently perfect with vav consecutive, which would normally suggest a future sense (“he will declare”; so the LXX, ἀπαγγελεῖ [apangelei]). But the context seems instead to call for a present or past nuance (“he declares” or “he has declared”). The synoptic passage in 1 Chr 17:10 has וָאַגִּד (vaʾaggid, “and I declared”). The construction used in 2 Sam 7:11 highlights this important statement.
  18. 2 Samuel 7:11 tn Heb “the Lord.”
  19. 2 Samuel 7:11 tn Heb “house,” but used here in a metaphorical sense, referring to a royal dynasty. Here the Lord’s use of the word plays off the literal sense that David had in mind as he contemplated building a temple for the Lord. To reflect this in the English translation the adjective “dynastic” has been supplied.
  20. 2 Samuel 7:12 tn Heb, “when your days are full and you lie down with your ancestors.”
  21. 2 Samuel 7:12 tn Heb “your seed after you who comes out from your insides.”
  22. 2 Samuel 7:13 tn Heb “and I will establish the throne of his kingdom permanently.”
  23. 2 Samuel 7:16 tc Heb “before you.” A few medieval Hebrew mss read instead “before me,” which makes better sense contextually. (See also the LXX and the Syriac Peshitta.) The MT reading is probably the result of dittography (note the כ [kaf] at the beginning of the next form), with the extra כ then being interpreted as a pronominal suffix.
  24. 2 Samuel 7:16 tn Heb “throne.”
  25. 2 Samuel 7:17 tn Heb “according to all these words and according to all this revelation, so Nathan said to David.”
  26. 2 Samuel 7:18 tn Heb “house.”
  27. 2 Samuel 7:19 tn Heb “and this was small in your eyes, O Lord God, so you spoke concerning the house of your servant for a distance.”
  28. 2 Samuel 7:19 tn Heb “and this [is] the law of man”; KJV “is this the manner of man, O Lord God?”; NAB “this too you have shown to man”; NRSV “May this be instruction for the people, O Lord God!” This part of the verse is very enigmatic; no completely satisfying solution has yet been suggested. The present translation tries to make sense of the MT by understanding the phrase as a question that underscores the uniqueness of God’s dealings with David as described here. The parallel passage in 1 Chr 17:17 reads differently (see the note there).
  29. 2 Samuel 7:20 tn Heb “and you know your servant.” The verb here refers to recognizing another in a special way and giving them special treatment (see 1 Chr 17:18). Some English versions take this to refer to the Lord’s knowledge of David himself: CEV “you know my thoughts”; NLT “know what I am really like.”
  30. 2 Samuel 7:21 tn Heb “for the sake of your word and according to your heart.”
  31. 2 Samuel 7:21 tn Heb “to make known, your servant.”
  32. 2 Samuel 7:22 tn Heb “in all which we heard with our ears.” The phrase translated “in all” בְּכֹל (bekhol) should probably be emended to “according to all” כְּכֹל (kekhol).
  33. 2 Samuel 7:23 tn Heb “a nation, one.”
  34. 2 Samuel 7:23 tn Heb “whose God” or “because God.” In the Hebrew text this clause is subordinated to what precedes. The clauses are separated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  35. 2 Samuel 7:23 tn The verb is plural in Hebrew, agreeing grammatically with the divine name, which is a plural of degree.
  36. 2 Samuel 7:23 tn Heb “redeem.”
  37. 2 Samuel 7:23 tn Heb “and to do for you [plural form] the great [thing] and awesome [things] for your land.”
  38. 2 Samuel 7:23 tn Heb “from Egypt, nations and their gods.” The LXX has “nations and tents,” which reflects a mistaken metathesis of letters in אֶלֹהָיו (ʾelohayv, “its gods”) and אֹהָלָיו (ʾohalayv, “its tents”).
  39. 2 Samuel 7:24 tn Heb “and you established for yourself your people Israel for yourself for a people permanently.”
  40. 2 Samuel 7:25 tn Heb “and now, O Lord God, the word which you spoke concerning your servant and concerning his house, establish permanently.”
  41. 2 Samuel 7:25 tn Heb “as you have spoken.”
  42. 2 Samuel 7:26 tn Heb “and your name might be great permanently.” Following the imperative in v. 23b, the prefixed verbal form with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result.
  43. 2 Samuel 7:26 tn Heb “saying.” The words “as people” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.
  44. 2 Samuel 7:26 tn Heb “the house.” See the note on “dynastic house” in the following verse.
  45. 2 Samuel 7:27 tn Heb “have uncovered the ear of.”
  46. 2 Samuel 7:27 tn Heb “a house.” This maintains the wordplay from v. 11 (see the note on the word “house” there) and is continued in v. 29.
  47. 2 Samuel 7:27 tn Heb “has found his heart.”
  48. 2 Samuel 7:28 tn Heb “the God.” The article indicates uniqueness here.
  49. 2 Samuel 7:28 tn The translation understands the prefixed verb form as a jussive, indicating David’s wish/prayer. Another option is to take the form as an imperfect and translate “your words are true.”
  50. 2 Samuel 7:28 tn Heb “and you have spoken to your servant this good thing.”
  51. 2 Samuel 7:29 tn Heb “house” (again later in this verse). See the note on “dynastic house” in v. 27.
  52. 2 Samuel 7:29 tn Or “permanently”; cf. NLT “it is an eternal blessing.”
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撒母耳记下 7
Chinese New Version (Traditional)

大衛有意為耶和華建殿(A)

7 那時，王住在自己的宮中，耶和華使他安享太平，不受周圍仇敵的侵擾。 2 王對拿單先知說：“你看！我自己住在香柏木的宮裡，耶和華的約櫃卻停在帳幕內。” 3 拿單對王說：“你可以照著你心所想的一切去作，因為耶和華與你同在。”

拿單把　神的話傳給大衛(B)

4 那天晚上，耶和華的話臨到拿單說： 5 “你去對我的僕人大衛說：耶和華這樣說：‘你要建造一座殿宇給我居住嗎？ 6 因為自從我把以色列人從埃及帶上來的那天起，直到今日，我都沒有住過殿宇。我一直都住在帳棚和會幕裡，到處漂泊。 7 我與以色列眾人一起走過的地方，我可曾對以色列的一個支派的官長，就是我所吩咐要牧養我子民以色列的，說：你們為甚麼不給我建造一座香柏木的殿宇呢？’ 8 現在你要對我的僕人大衛這樣說：‘萬軍之耶和華這樣說：我把你從牧場中、從照顧羊群的工作中揀選出來，使你作我子民以色列的領袖， 9 你無論到哪裡去，我都與你同在；我必在你面前剪除你所有的仇敵。我要使你得享大名，像世上那些偉人的名一樣。 10 我要為我的子民以色列選定一個地方，栽培他們，使他們住自己的地方，不再受騷擾；惡人也不能再像以前那樣苦待他們， 11 像我立了士師治理我的子民以色列的那天以來那樣。我要使你安享太平，不受你所有的仇敵侵擾。耶和華向你宣告，耶和華要親自為你建立一個朝代。 12 到了你的壽數滿足，你與你的列祖一起長眠的時候，我必興起你親生的後裔接替你，並且我要堅固他的國。 13 他必為我的名建造一座殿宇，我要永遠堅固他的國位。 14 我要作他的父親，他要作我的兒子，他若是犯了罪，我要用人的刑杖、用世人的鞭子糾正他。 15 但我的慈愛必不離開他，像離開在你面前的掃羅一樣。 16 你的家和你的王國，也必在我（按照《馬索拉文本》，“我”作“你”；現參照其他抄本及古譯本翻譯）的面前永遠堅定，你的王位也必永遠堅立。’” 17 拿單按著這一切話，又照著全部的默示，都對大衛說了。

大衛的禱告與稱頌(C)

18 於是，大衛王進去，坐在耶和華面前，說：“主耶和華啊！我是誰，我的家又算甚麼，你竟帶領我到這地步？ 19 主耶和華啊，這在你眼中還看為小事，你也說到你僕人的家未來的事。主耶和華啊，這豈是人常遇到的事嗎？ 20 主耶和華啊，你認識你的僕人，大衛還有甚麼話可以對你說呢？ 21 你因自己應許的緣故，又按照自己的心意，行了這大事，為要使你僕人明白。 22 主耶和華啊，因此，你是偉大的！按照我們耳朵所聽見的，沒有像你的，除了你以外，再沒有別的　神。 23 世上有哪一個國家像你的子民以色列呢？　神曾親自救贖他們，使他們作自己的子民，又為他自己立名，為他們（按照《馬索拉文本》，“他們”作“你們”；現參照其他抄本及古譯本翻譯）作了大事，為你的地作了可畏的事；在你的子民面前，就是你從埃及救贖出來歸你自己的子民面前，趕出了列國的人和他們的神。 24 你為自己堅立了你的子民以色列，使他們永遠作你的子民；耶和華啊，你也作了他們的　神。 25 耶和華　神啊！你所應許關於你僕人和他的家的話，現在求你永遠堅守，並且照著你所說的去行吧； 26 這樣，你的名必永遠為大，以致人要說：‘萬軍之耶和華是以色列的　神。’你僕人大衛的家也必在你面前得堅立。 27 萬軍之耶和華以色列的　神啊！因為你曾啟示你的僕人說：‘我要為你建立家室。’所以你的僕人才敢來向你作這樣的禱告。 28 主耶和華啊！你是　神；你的話是真實可信的。你向你僕人應許了這美好的福分。 29 現在求你樂意賜福給你僕人的家，使它在你面前可以永遠存在。主耶和華啊！因為你曾經這樣應許，願你僕人的家因你的賜福永遠蒙福。”

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2 Samuel 7
New International Version

God’s Promise to David(A)

7 After the king was settled in his palace(B) and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies(C) around him,(D) 2 he said to Nathan(E) the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house(F) of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”(G)

3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,(H) go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But 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(I) the one to build me a house to dwell in?(J) 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.(K) I have been moving from place to place with a tent(L) as my dwelling.(M) 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,(N) did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd(O) my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house(P) of cedar?(Q)”’

8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,(R) and appointed you ruler(S) over my people Israel.(T) 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone,(U) and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.(V) Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.(W) 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant(X) them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.(Y) Wicked(Z) people will not oppress them anymore,(AA) as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[a](AB) over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.(AC)

“‘The Lord declares(AD) to you that the Lord himself will establish(AE) a house(AF) for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest(AG) with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood,(AH) and I will establish his kingdom.(AI) 13 He is the one who will build a house(AJ) for my Name,(AK) and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.(AL) 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.(AM) When he does wrong, I will punish him(AN) with a rod(AO) wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him,(AP) as I took it away from Saul,(AQ) whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b]; your throne(AR) will be established(AS) forever.(AT)’”

17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer(AU)

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I,(AV) Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And 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,(AW) Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human![c]

20 “What more can David say(AX) to you? For you know(AY) your servant,(AZ) Sovereign Lord. 21 For 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(BA) you are,(BB) Sovereign Lord! There is no one like(BC) you, and there is no God(BD) but you, as we have heard with our own ears.(BE) 23 And who is like your people Israel(BF)—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name(BG) for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders(BH) by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed(BI) from Egypt?[d] 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own(BJ) forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.(BK)

25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise(BL) you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name(BM) will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established(BN) 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. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy,(BO) and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing(BP) the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 7:11 Traditionally judges
  2. 2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts you
  3. 2 Samuel 7:19 Or for the human race
  4. 2 Samuel 7:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 17:21; Hebrew wonders for your land and before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from the nations and their gods.
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2 Samuel 7
Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

7 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,

2 He said to Nathan the prophet: Dost thou see that I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God is lodged within skins?

3 And Nathan said to the king: Go, do all that is in thy heart: because the Lord is with thee.

4 But it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

5 Go, and say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord: Shalt thou build me a house to dwell in?

6 Whereas I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt even to this day: but have walked in a tabernacle, and in a tent.

7 In all the places that I have gone through with all the children of Israel, did ever I speak a word to any one of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?

8 And now thus shalt thou speak to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: a I took thee out of the pastures from following the sheep to be ruler over my people Israel:

9 And I have been with thee wheresoever thou hast walked, and have slain all thy enemies from before thy face: and I have made thee a great man, like unto the name of the great ones that are on the earth.

10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall dwell therein, and shall be disturbed no more: neither shall the children of iniquity afflict them any more as they did before,

11 From the day that I appointed judges over my people Israel: and I will give thee rest from all thy enemies. And the Lord foretelleth to thee, that the Lord will make thee a house.

12 And when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 He shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and if he commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.

15 But my mercy I will not take away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before my face.

16 And thy house shall be faithful, and thy kingdom for ever before thy face, and thy throne shall be firm for ever.

17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

18 And David went in, and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?

19 But yet this hath seemed little in thy sight, O Lord God, unless thou didst also speak of the house of thy servant for a long time to come: for this is the law of Adam, O Lord God.

20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou knowest thy servant, O Lord God:

21 For thy word's sake, and according to thy own heart thou hast done all these great things, so that thou wouldst make it known to thy servant.

22 Therefore thou art magnified, O Lord God, because there is none like to thee, neither is there any God besides thee, in all the things that we have heard with our ears.

23 And what nation is there upon earth, as thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for them great and terrible things, upon the earth, before the face of thy people, whom thou redeemedst to thyself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods.

24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be an everlasting people: and thou, O Lord God, art become their God.

25 And now, O Lord God, raise up for ever the word that thou hast spoken, concerning thy servant and concerning his house: and do as thou hast spoken,

26 That thy name may be magnified for ever, and it may be said: The Lord of hosts is God over Israel. And the house of thy servant David shall be established before the Lord.

27 Because thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, saying: I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to thee.

28 And now, O Lord God, thou art God, and thy words shall be true: for thou hast spoken to thy servant these good things.

29 And now begin, and bless the house of thy servant, that it may endure for ever before thee: because thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it, and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

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