But in the same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, “Go and say to My servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “(A)Should you build Me a house for My dwelling? For (B)I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; rather, I have been moving about (C)in a tent, that is, in a dwelling place. (D)Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, (E)whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’

God’s Covenant with David

Now then, this is what you shall say to My servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “(F)I Myself took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, (G)to be leader over My people Israel. And (H)I have been with you wherever you have gone, and (I)have eliminated all your enemies from you; I will also make a great name for you, like the names of the great men who [a]are on the earth. 10 And I will establish a place for My people Israel, and (J)will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, (K)nor will [b]malicious people oppress them anymore as previously, 11 even (L)from the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and (M)I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that (N)the Lord will make a house for you. 12 (O)When your days are finished and you [c](P)lie down with your fathers, (Q)I will raise up your [d]descendant after you, who will come from [e]you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 (R)He shall build a house for My name, and (S)I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 (T)I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; (U)when he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and with strokes of sons of mankind, 15 but My favor shall not depart from him, (V)as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from you. 16 (W)Your house and your kingdom shall endure before [f]Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’” 17 In accordance with all these words and all of this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 7:9 Or were
  2. 2 Samuel 7:10 Lit sons of malice
  3. 2 Samuel 7:12 I.e., die
  4. 2 Samuel 7:12 Lit seed
  5. 2 Samuel 7:12 Lit your bowels
  6. 2 Samuel 7:16 As in LXX and some ancient mss; MT you

But that same night the Lord said to Nathan,

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling. Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’

“Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! 10 And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, 11 starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.

“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 15 But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before me[a] for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

17 So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the Lord had said in this vision.

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Footnotes

  1. 7:16 As in Greek version and some Hebrew manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads before you.