Adonai’s Promise to David

7 Now it came about when the king lived in his palace and Adonai had granted him rest from all his enemies around him, ² that the king said to the prophet Nathan, “See now, I am living in a house of cedar, yet the ark of God remains within curtains.”

³ “Go, do all that is in your heart,” Nathan said to the king, “for Adonai is with you.”

⁴ But it came to pass the same night that the word of Adonai came to Nathan saying: ⁵ “Go, tell My servant David: Thus says Adonai: Are you to build Me a house for Me to dwell in? ⁶ Since the day that I brought up the children of Israel from Egypt to this day I have not dwelt in a house, but have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. ⁷ In all My journeying among all the children of Israel, did I ever speak a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ⁸ So now, thus you shall say to My servant David: Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make your name as great as the greatest on earth. ¹⁰ I will also set up a place for My people Israel and will plant them, so they may dwell in their own place and not be disturbed again. Nor will the children of wickedness afflict them anymore as in the past, ¹¹ since the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. So I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“Moreover, Adonai declares to you that Adonai will make a house for you. ¹² When your days are done and you sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed, who will come forth from you after you, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. ^{[a] 14} I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me.^[b] If he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the strokes from sons of men. ¹⁵ Yet My lovingkindness will not be withdrawn from him as I withdrew it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ So your house and your kingship will be secure forever before you; your throne will be established forever.” ^{[c] 17} Just so Nathan spoke all these words and all this vision to David.

Covenant Promise to David

17 After David settled in his place, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a house of cedar, while the Ark of the Covenant of Adonai is under a tent.”

² Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

³ But that same night the word of God came to Nathan, saying: ⁴ “Go and tell David My servant, thus says Adonai, ‘You are not to build Me a house in which to dwell. ⁵ For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel out to this day. I have gone from tent to tent, and from one dwelling to another. ⁶ Wherever I went throughout all Israel, did I ever speak a word to any of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, “Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?”’

⁷ “So now, say this to My servant David, ‘Thus says Adonai Tzva’ot, I took you from the pasture and from following the sheep, to be prince over My people Israel. ⁸ I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make your name like the names of the great ones that are in the earth. ⁹ I wil establish a place for My people Israel, and plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and shall tremble no more. Violent people will no longer wear them down, as they did formerly, ¹⁰ from the days I ordered judges to be over My people Israel. I will subdue all your enemies.’

“‘Moreover, I declare to you that Adonai will build you a house. ¹¹ It will be that when your days are fulfilled to go with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹² He will build a house for Me and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³ I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me,^[a] I will not withdraw My lovingkindness from him, as I withdrew it from the one who ruled before you. ¹⁴ I will appoint him over My House and My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.’”

¹⁵ According to all these words and according to all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before Adonai and said, “Who am I, my Lord Adonai, and what is my family, that You have brought me this far? ¹⁹ Yet this was a small thing in Your eyes, my Lord Adonai—for You have spoken also of Your servant’s house for the distant future. This is a revelation^[a] for humanity, my Lord Adonai. ²⁰ What more can David add in speaking to You? For You already know Your servant, my Lord Adonai. ²¹ For the sake of Your word and according to Your own heart, You have done everything great, revealing this to Your servant. ²² Therefore You are great, my Lord Adonai! For there is none like You, and there is no other God besides You, as we all have heard with our ears. ²³ What one nation on earth is like Your people, like Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a Name, to do for You a great thing and awesome deeds for Your land, before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt—driving out nations and their gods? ²⁴ So You established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your very own people forever, and You, Adonai, have become their God.

²⁵ “So now, my Lord Adonai, confirm the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house forever, and do as You have promised. ²⁶ Let Your Name be magnified forever by saying, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot is God over Israel!’ May the house of Your servant David be established before You. ²⁷ For You, Adonai-Tzva’ot God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found his heart to pray this prayer to You. ²⁸ So now, my Lord Adonai, You alone are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised Your servant this good thing. ²⁹ So now let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, to continue forever before You. For You, my Lord Adonai, have spoken, and with Your blessing Your servant’s house will be blessed forever.”

¹⁶ Then King David went in and sat before Adonai, and said, “Who am I, Adonai Elohim, and what is my family, that You have brought me thus far? ¹⁷ And this was not enough in Your eyes, O God! You have spoken about the future of Your servant’s household. You have regarded me as the most distinquished of men, Adonai Elohim.

¹⁸ “What more can David say to You for honoring Your servant? For You know Your servant. ¹⁹ Adonai, for the sake of Your servant and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to reveal all Your greatness.

²⁰ “Adonai, there is none like You and there is no other god besides You, as we have heard with our own ears. ²¹ And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself and to make a Name for Yourself by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt? ²² You made Your people Israel Your own people forever, and You, Adonai, became their God.

²³ “Now, Adonai, may the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house be confirmed forever. Do as You have spoken ²⁴ so that it might be established and Your Name might be magnified forever, saying, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God.’ Then the house of David Your servant will be established before You.

²⁵ “You, my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him. So Your servant has found courage to pray before You. ²⁶ Now, Adonai, You are God! You have promised this good thing to Your servant. ²⁷ Now You are willing to bless the house of Your servant, so that it may continue forever before You, for it is You, Adonai who have blessed, and it is blessed forever!”

David’s Kingdom Expands

8 Now afterward David attacked the Philistines and subdued them, and took Metheg-ammah^[a] from the hand of the Philistines. ² He also defeated Moab. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them with a cord. Every two measures of them were put to death, and the third measure was kept alive. So the Moabites became vassals to David, bringing tribute.

³ David also defeated King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah, as he went to restore his dominion along the River^[b]. ⁴ David captured from him 1700 horsemen and 20,000 foot soldiers, and David hamstrung all the chariot horses, while reserving 100 of them for chariots. ⁵ When the Arameans of Damascus came to the aid of King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 Aramean men. ⁶ Then David stationed garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Arameans became vassals to David, bringing tribute. So Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went ⁷ David also took the golden shields of Hadadezer’s officers and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ From Betah and Berothai, towns of Hadadezer, King David took a vast amount of bronze.

⁹ Now when King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰ Toi sent his son Joram to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer—for Hadadezer had been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold and bronze. ¹¹ These too King David consecrated to Adonai, along with the silver and gold that he had consecrated from all the nations that he had subdued: ¹² from Aram, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer, son of Rehob, king of Zobah.

¹³ Then David made a name for himself when he returned from striking 18,000 down from Edom in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴ Then he stationed garrisons in Edom. Throughout all Edom he stationed garrisons, so that all the Edomites became vassals to David. So Adonai gave victory to David wherever he went.

King David’s Rule Expands

18 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them. He took Gath and its villages from the hand of the Philistines. ² He also defeated Moab, and the Moabites became vassals to David and brought tribute.

³ Moreover, David defeated King Hadadezer of Zobah at Hamath, when he went to establish his dominion to the Euphrates River. ⁴ David captured from him 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen and 20,000 infantrymen. David hamstrung all the chariot horses but reserved 100 of them for chariots.

⁵ When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 of the Arameans. ⁶ David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus and the Arameans became subject to David and brought tribute. Adonai gave David victory wherever he went. ⁷ David took the gold shields that were on Hadadezer’s servants and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸ From Tibhath and from Kun, Hadadezer’s cities, David took a very large quantity of bronze, which Solomon used to make the bronze sea, pillars and bronze vessels.

⁹ When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of King Hadadezer of Zobah, ¹⁰ he sent his son Hadoram to King David to greet and bless him because he fought against Hadarezer and defeated him—for Hadadezer had many wars with Tou. He also sent all kinds of articles of gold, silver and bronze.

¹¹ King David dedicated these articles to Adonai, along with the silver and gold that he had taken from all the nations: from Edom and Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines and Amalek.

¹² Abishai son of Zeruiah struck down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. ¹³ Then he put garrisons in Edom, and all the Edomites became vassals to David. So Adonai gave David victory wherever he went.

Song of Victory Over Edom

Psalm 60