2 Samuel 7
Complete Jewish Bible
7 After the king had been living in his palace awhile and Adonai had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to Natan the prophet, “Here, I’m living in a cedar-wood palace; but the ark of God is kept in a tent!” 3 Natan said to the king, “Go, do everything that is in your heart, for Adonai is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of Adonai came to Natan: 5 “Go and tell my servant David that this is what Adonai says: ‘You are going to build me a house to live in? 6 Since the day I brought the people of Isra’el out of Egypt until today, I never lived in a house; rather, I traveled in a tent and a tabernacle. 7 Everywhere I traveled with all the people of Isra’el, did I ever speak a word to any of the tribes of Isra’el, whom I ordered to shepherd my people Isra’el, asking, “Why haven’t you built me a cedar-wood house?”’
8 “Therefore say this to my servant David that this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘I took you from the sheep-yards, from following the sheep, to make you chief over my people, over Isra’el. 9 I have been with you wherever you went; I have destroyed all your enemies ahead of you; and I am making your reputation great, like the reputations of the greatest people on earth. 10 I will assign a place to my people Isra’el; I will plant them there, so that they can live in their own place without being disturbed any more. The wicked will no longer oppress them, as they did at the beginning, 11 and as they did from the time I ordered judges to be over my people Isra’el; instead, I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘Moreover, Adonai tells you that Adonai will make you a house. 12 When your days come to an end and you sleep with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own flesh and blood; and I will set up his rulership. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. 14 I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me. If he does something wrong, I will punish him with a rod and blows, just as everyone gets punished; 15 nevertheless, my grace will not leave him, as I took it away from Sha’ul, whom I removed from before you. 16 Thus your house and your kingdom will be made secure forever before you; your throne will be set up forever.’” 17 Natan told David all of these words and described this entire vision.
18 Then David went in, sat before Adonai and said, “Who am I, Adonai Elohim; and what is my family, that has caused you to bring me this far? 19 Yet in your view, Adonai Elohim, even this was too small a thing; so you have even said that your servant’s dynasty will continue on into the distant future. This is [indeed] a teaching for a man, Adonai Elohim — 20 what more can David say to you? For you know your servant intimately, Adonai Elohim. 21 It is for the sake of your word and in accordance with your own heart that you have done all this greatness and revealed it to your servant. 22 Therefore, you are great, Adonai, God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you — everything we have heard confirms that. 23 Who can be compared with your people, with Isra’el? What other nation on earth did God set out to redeem and make into a people for himself? You made yourself a reputation by doing for your land things that even for you are great and terrifying, for the sake of your people whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt and from other nations and from their gods. 24 You set up your people for yourself as your people forever; and you, Adonai, became their God. 25 So now, Adonai, God, establish forever the word you have spoken to your servant and his house; do what you have promised. 26 May your name be magnified forever, so that it will be said, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot is God over Isra’el, and the dynasty of your servant David will be set up in your presence.’ 27 You, Adonai-Tzva’ot, God of Isra’el, have disclosed to your servant, ‘I will build you a house.’ This is why your servant has the courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Now, Adonai Elohim, you alone are God; your words are truth; and you have made this wonderful promise to your servant. 29 So may it please you to bless the family of your servant and thereby cause it to continue forever in your presence. For you, Adonai Elohim, have said it. May your servant’s family be blessed forever by your blessing.”
2 Samuel 7
New King James Version
God’s Covenant with David(A)
7 Now it came to pass (B)when the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in (C)a house of cedar, (D)but the ark of God dwells inside tent (E)curtains.”
3 Then Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your (F)heart, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: (G)“Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? 6 For I have not dwelt in a house (H)since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in (I)a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 Wherever I have (J)moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded (K)to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ 8 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: (L)“I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. 9 And (M)I have been with you wherever you have gone, (N)and have [a]cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will (O)plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; (P)nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 11 (Q)since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord [b]tells you (R)that He will make you a [c]house.
12 (S)“When your days are fulfilled and you (T)rest with your fathers, (U)I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 (V)He shall build a house for My name, and I will (W)establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 (X)I will be his Father, and he shall be (Y)My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the [d]blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, (Z)as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And (AA)your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before [e]you. Your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
David’s Thanksgiving to God(AB)
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: (AC)“Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. (AD)Is this the manner of man, O Lord God? 20 Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, (AE)know Your servant. 21 For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. 22 Therefore (AF)You are great, [f]O Lord God. For (AG)there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our (AH)ears. 23 And who is like Your people, like Israel, (AI)the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before (AJ)Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? 24 For (AK)You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; (AL)and You, Lord, have become their God.
25 “Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said. 26 So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.
28 “And now, O Lord God, You are God, and (AM)Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant. 29 Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed (AN)forever.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:9 destroyed
- 2 Samuel 7:11 declares to you
- 2 Samuel 7:11 Royal dynasty
- 2 Samuel 7:14 strokes
- 2 Samuel 7:16 LXX Me
- 2 Samuel 7:22 Tg., Syr. O Lord God
Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
