2 Samuel 7
GOD’S WORD Translation
David’s Wish to Build a House for God(A)
7 While King David was living in his house, the Lord gave him peace with all his enemies around him. 2 So the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I’m living in a house made of cedar, while the ark of God remains in the tent.”
3 Nathan told the king, “Do everything you have in mind, because the Lord is with you.”
4 But that same night the Lord spoke his word to Nathan: 5 “Say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one who will build me a house to live in? 6 I haven’t lived in a house from the day I took Israel out of Egypt to this day. Instead, I moved around in a tent, the tent ⌞of meeting⌟. 7 In all the places I’ve moved with all the Israelites, did I ever ask any of the judges [a] of Israel whom I ordered to be shepherds of my people Israel why they didn’t build me a house of cedar?’
8 “Now this is what you will say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel. 9 I was with you wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies in front of you. I will make your name famous like the names of the greatest people on earth. 10 I will make a place for my people Israel and plant them there. They will live in their own place and not be troubled anymore. The wicked will no longer oppress them as they used to do 11 ever since I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. So I will give you peace with all your enemies. I, the Lord, tell you that I will make a house for you.
12 “ ‘When the time comes for you to lie down in death with your ancestors, I will send one of your descendants, ⌞one⌟ who will come from you. I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he will be my Son. If he sins, I will punish him with a rod and with blows inflicted by people. 15 But I will never stop showing him my love as I did to Saul, whom I took out of your way. 16 Your royal house will remain in my presence [b] forever. Your throne will be established forever.’ ”
17 Nathan told David all these words and everything he had seen.
18 King David went into the tent and sat in front of the Lord. “Who am I, Almighty Lord,” he asked, “and why is my house so important that you have brought me this far? 19 And even this you consider to be a small act, Almighty Lord. You’ve also spoken about the distant future of my house. Almighty Lord, this is the teaching about the man.
20 “What more can I, David, say to you, Almighty Lord, since you know me so well! 21 You’ve done this great thing because of your promise and your own desire. You made it known to me.
22 “That is why you are great, Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no other god except you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 Who is like your people Israel? It is the one nation on earth that God came to free in order to make its people his own, to make his name [c] known, and to do great and wonderful things for them. You forced [d] nations and their gods out of the way of your people, whom you freed from Egypt to be your own. 24 You created the people of Israel to be your people forever. And you, Lord, became their God.
25 “Now, Lord God, keep the promise you made to me and my house forever. Do as you promised. 26 Your name will be respected forever when ⌞people⌟ say, ‘The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your presence. 27 You, Lord of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed it especially to me, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ That is why I have found the courage to offer this prayer to you.
28 “Almighty Lord, you are God, and your words are trustworthy. You promised me this good thing. 29 Now, please bless my house so that it may continue in your presence forever. Indeed, you, Almighty Lord, have promised it. With your blessing my house will be blessed forever.”
Footnotes
- 7:7 1 Chronicles 17:6; Masoretic Text “tribes.”
- 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Greek, Latin, Syriac; other Hebrew manuscripts “in your presence.”
- 7:23 Or “its name.”
- 7:23 Greek and 1 Chronicles 17:21; Masoretic Text “Your land.”
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
King James Version
7 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee.
4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,
5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
18 Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God?
20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy servant.
21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
22 Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.
25 And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.
26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
27 For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
28 And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
2 Samuel 7
Expanded Bible
David Wants to Build a Temple(A)
7 King David was living in his ·palace [L house], and the Lord had given him ·peace [L rest] from all his enemies ·around [L sur-rounding] him [Deut. 12:10; C apparently a sign that the conquest of Canaan was complete and the Temple should be built]. 2 Then David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a ·palace [L house] made of cedar wood, but the Ark of God ·is [stays; dwells] in a tent!”
3 Nathan said to the king, “Go and do what you ·really want to do [L have in your mind/heart], because the Lord is with you.”
4 But that night the ·Lord spoke his word [L word of the Lord came] to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘·This is what the Lord says: ·Will you [Are you the one to] build a house for me to ·live [dwell] in? 6 From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until ·now [L this day] I have not ·lived [dwelt] in a house. I have been moving around all this time with a tent ·as my home [or and a tabernacle]. 7 As I have moved with the Israelites, ·I have never [L have I ever] said to ·the tribes [any of the tribal leaders], whom I commanded to ·take care of [shepherd] my people Israel, “Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?” ’
8 “You must tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: I took you from the pasture and from ·tending [following] the sheep and made you ·leader [ruler; prince] of my people Israel. 9 I have been with you everywhere you have gone and have ·defeated [destroyed; L cut off] your enemies for you. I will make ·you as famous [L for you a name as great] as any of the great people on the earth. 10 Also I will ·choose [appoint; provide] a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them ·so they can live in their own homes [L to dwell in their own place]. They will not be bothered anymore. Wicked people will no longer ·bother [afflict; oppress] them as they have in the past 11 when I ·chose [appointed; commanded; instituted] judges for my people Israel. But I will give you ·peace [L rest] from all your enemies. ·I also tell you [L The Lord also declares] that ·I [L the Lord] will ·make your descendants kings of Israel after [L establish a house/dynasty for] you.
12 “‘When ·you die [L your days are complete/fulfilled/over] and ·join [you lie down/are buried with] your ancestors, I will ·make one of your sons the next king [L raise up your descendant/offspring after you; C Solomon; 1 Kin. 1–2], and I will ·set up [establish] his kingdom. 13 He will build a house [C the Temple; 1 Kin. 6–7] for ·me [L my name], and I will ·let his kingdom rule always [L establish the throne of his kingdom forever]. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son [Ps. 2:7]. When he ·sins [does wrong], I ·will use other people to punish him. They will be my whips [L …correct/discipline him with the rod of/used by men and the whippings/blows used by humans]. 15 I took away my ·love [favor; faithful love] from Saul, whom I removed before you, but I will never stop loving your son. 16 But your ·family [L house] and your kingdom will ·continue [endure] always before me. Your throne will ·last [L be established/secure] forever.’”
17 Nathan told David ·everything God had said in [all these words of] this vision.
David Prays to God
18 Then King David went in and sat ·in front of [before; in the presence of] the Lord. David said, “Lord God, who am I? What is my ·family [L house]? Why did you bring me ·to this point [this far]? 19 But even this ·is not enough for you [L was a small thing in your eyes], Lord God. You have also ·made promises about my future family [spoken about the future of my house]. ·This is extraordinary [So it is with humanity; or This is a decree/instruction/charter for the people/humanity], Lord God.
20 “What more can I say to you, Lord God, since you know me, your servant, so well! 21 You have done ·this great thing [L all this greatness] ·because you said you would [L for the sake of your word/promise] and ·because you wanted to [L according to your will/heart], and you have ·let me know about it [made it known to your servant]. 22 This is why you are great, Lord God! There is no one like you. There is no God except you. ·We have heard all this ourselves […that we have ever heard of]! 23 ·There is no nation like [L What other nation/people is like…?] your people Israel. ·They are the only [L What other…?] people on earth ·that God chose [did God choose] to be his own [Gen. 12:1–3]. ·You made your name well known. You did great and wonderful miracles for them […to make a name for himself by doing great and awesome things/miracles/wonders on their behalf?]. You went ahead of them and ·forced [drove] other nations and their gods out of the land. You ·freed [redeemed; ransomed] your people from ·slavery in Egypt [Egypt]. 24 You ·made [established] the people of Israel your very own people forever, and, Lord, you ·are [have become] their God.
25 “Now, Lord God, keep the ·promise forever that you made [word you have spoken] about my ·family [L house] and me, your servant. Do what you have said [promised]. 26 Then ·you [L your name] will be ·honored [magnified] ·always [forever], ·and people will say […by people saying], ‘The Lord ·All-Powerful [of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] is God over Israel!’ And ·the family [L may the house] of your servant David will ·continue [be established/secure] before you.
27 “Lord ·All-Powerful [of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, you have ·said to me [revealed this to me, saying], ‘I will ·make your family great [L build a house/dynasty for you].’ So I, your servant, am ·brave [bold; courageous] enough to pray to you. 28 Lord God, you are God, and your words are ·true [truth; trustworthy]. And you have promised these good things to me, your servant. 29 Please, bless ·my family [L the house of your servant]. Let it ·continue [remain] before you always. Lord God, you have ·said so [spoken]. With your blessing let ·my family [L the house of your servant] always be blessed.”
Copyright © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.