2 Samuel 7
Easy-to-Read Version
David Wants to Build a Temple
7 After King David moved into his new house the Lord gave him some relief from all of his enemies around him. 2 King David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a fancy house made of cedar wood, but God’s Holy Box is still kept in a tent!”
3 Nathan said to King David, “Do whatever you want to do. The Lord will be with you.”
4 But that night, the Lord’s word came to Nathan:
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in. 6 I did not live in a house at the time I took the Israelites out of Egypt. No, I traveled around in a tent. I used the tent for my home. 7 I never told any of the tribes of Israel to build me a fancy house made from cedar wood.’
8 “You must say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: I chose you while you were out in the pasture following the sheep. I took you from that job and made you the leader of my people, the Israelites. 9 I have been with you every place you went. I have defeated your enemies for you. I will make you one of the most famous people on earth. 10-11 And I chose a place for my people, the Israelites. I planted the Israelites. I gave them their own place to live so that they will not have to move from place to place anymore. In the past, I sent judges to lead my people, but evil people gave them many troubles. That will not happen now. I am giving you peace from all of your enemies. I promise that I will make your family a family of kings.[a]
12 “‘When your life is finished, you will die and be buried with your ancestors. But then I will make one of your own children become the king. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his kingdom strong forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.[b] When he sins, I will use other people to punish him. They will be my whips. 15 But I will never stop loving him. I will continue to be loyal to him. I took away my love and kindness from Saul. I pushed Saul away when I turned to you. 16 Your family of kings will continue—you can depend on that! For you, your kingdom will continue forever! Your throne will stand forever!’”
17 Nathan told David about that vision. He told David everything God had said.
David Prays to God
18 Then King David went in and sat in front of the Lord. David said,
“Lord God, why am I so important to you? Why is my family important? Why have you made me so important? 19 I am nothing but a servant, but Lord God, you have also said these kind things about my future family. Lord God, you don’t always talk like this to people, do you? 20 How can I continue talking to you? Lord God, you know that I am only a servant. 21 You will do all these wonderful things because you said you would do them and because you want to do them. And you decided to let me know about all these things. 22 Lord God, this is why you are so great! There is no one like you. There is no god except you! We know that because of what we ourselves have heard about what you did.
23 “And there is no nation on earth like your people, Israel. They are a special people. They were slaves, but you took them out of Egypt and made them free. You made them your people. You did great and wonderful things for the Israelites and for your land. 24 You made the people of Israel your very own people forever, and Lord, you became their God.
25 “Now, Lord God, you promised to do something for me, your servant, and for my family. Now please do what you promised—make my family a family of kings forever! 26 Then your name will be honored forever. People will say, ‘The Lord God All-Powerful rules Israel! And may the family of your servant David continue to be strong in serving you.’
27 “You, Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, have shown things to me. You said, ‘I will make your family great.’ That is why I, your servant, decided to pray this prayer to you. 28 Lord God, you are God, and I can trust what you say. And you said that these good things would happen to me, your servant. 29 Now, please, bless my family. Let them stand before you and serve you forever. Lord God, you yourself said these things. You yourself blessed my family with a blessing that will continue forever.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:10 make … family of kings Literally, “make a house for you.”
- 2 Samuel 7:14 father … son God “adopted” the kings from David’s family, and they became his “sons.” See Ps. 2:7.
2 Samuel 7
English Standard Version
The Lord's Covenant with David
7 (A)Now when the king lived in his house and the Lord (B)had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to (C)Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell (D)in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells (E)in a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, (F)“Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: (G)Would you build me a house to dwell in? 6 I have not lived in a house (H)since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about (I)in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where (J)I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with (K)any of the judges[a] of Israel, whom I commanded (L)to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, (M)I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince[b] over my people Israel. 9 (N)And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel (O)and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place (P)and be disturbed no more. (Q)And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 (R)from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And (S)I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that (T)the Lord will make you a house. 12 (U)When your days are fulfilled and (V)you lie down with your fathers, (W)I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body,[c] and I will establish his kingdom. 13 (X)He shall build a house for my name, and (Y)I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 (Z)I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, (AA)I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 (AB)but my steadfast love will not depart from him, (AC)as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 (AD)And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.[d] (AE)Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
David's Prayer of Gratitude
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, (AF)“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. (AG)You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? (AH)For you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 (AI)Therefore you are great, O Lord God. (AJ)For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 (AK)And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name (AL)and doing for them[e] great and awesome things by driving out before your people,[f] whom (AM)you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 (AN)And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and (AO)your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, (AP)and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:7 Compare 1 Chronicles 17:6; Hebrew tribes
- 2 Samuel 7:8 Or leader
- 2 Samuel 7:12 Hebrew loins
- 2 Samuel 7:16 Septuagint; Hebrew you
- 2 Samuel 7:23 With a few Targums, Vulgate, Syriac; Hebrew you
- 2 Samuel 7:23 Septuagint (compare 1 Chronicles 17:21); Hebrew awesome things for your land, before your people
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 © 2006 by Bible League International
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
