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David Magnifies Yahweh’s Name

16 Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh and said, “(A)Who am I, O Yahweh God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? 17 And this was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of the house of Your slave concerning the distant future, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Yahweh God. 18 Again what more can David say to You concerning the glory bestowed on Your slave? You know Your slave. 19 O Yahweh, (B)for the sake of Your slave, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20 O Yahweh, there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make You a name by great and awesome things, in driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt? 22 (C)Yet You gave Your people Israel to be Your own people forever, and You, O Yahweh, have become their God.

23 “So now, O Yahweh, let the word that You have spoken concerning Your slave and concerning his house [a]endure forever, and do as You have spoken, 24 that Your name [b]endure and be magnified forever, by saying, ‘Yahweh of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel; and the house of David Your [c]servant is established before You.’ 25 For You, O my God, have revealed in the hearing of Your slave that You will build for him a house; therefore Your slave has found courage to pray before You. 26 So now, O Yahweh, You are God, and You have [d]promised this good thing to Your slave. 27 So now, You have been pleased to bless the house of Your slave, that it may be forever before You. For You, O Yahweh, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:23 Or be true
  2. 1 Chronicles 17:24 Or be true
  3. 1 Chronicles 17:24 Or slave, cf. 17:23; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  4. 1 Chronicles 17:26 Lit spoken

David’s prayer

16 Then King David went and sat in the Lord’s presence. He asked:

Who am I, Lord God, and of what significance is my family that you have brought me this far? 17 But even this was too small in your eyes, God. You have spoken about the future of your servant’s dynasty and have chosen me as an important person, Lord God.

18 What more can I say to you for honoring your servant? You yourself know your servant. 19 Lord, for your servant’s sake and according to your will, you have done this great thing in order to make all these great things known.

20 Lord, no one can compare to you, no God except you, just as we have heard with our own ears.

21 Who is like your people Israel, a unique nation on the earth, that God redeemed as his own people, establishing a name for yourself by doing great and awesome things, by driving out nations before your people whom you saved from Egypt? 22 You established your people Israel as your own people forever, and you, Lord, became their God.

23 Now, Lord, confirm forever the promise you have made about your servant and his dynasty. Do as you have promised 24 so that it may be established and so that your name may be made great forever when people say, “The Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God.” May your servant David’s household be established before you. 25 You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a dynasty. That is why your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you. 26 Lord, you are truly God, and you promised this good thing to your servant. 27 So now willingly bless your servant’s dynasty so that it might continue forever before you, because you, Lord God, have promised. Let your servant’s dynasty be blessed forever by your blessing.

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