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18 Then King David went and sat before Yahweh and said, “Who am I, my lord Yahweh, and what is my house that you have brought me up to this place?[a] 19 Still, this was insignificant[b] in your eyes, my lord Yahweh, and also you have spoken about the house of your servant from afar, and this may be the teaching of humans, my lord Yahweh. 20 What more can David say to you?[c] You know your servant, my lord Yahweh. 21 Because of your word and according to your heart, you have done all of this great thing, in order to let your servant know. 22 Therefore you are great, my lord Yahweh, for there is no one like you, and there is no god except you, in all that we have heard with our ears. 23 Who is like your people, like Israel? Israel is the one nation on earth whose God led them,[d] in order to redeem a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to do for you[e] the great and awesome things for your land in the presence of your people whom he redeemed for himself from Egypt, from the nations and their gods. 24 You have established your people Israel for yourself as a people forever, and you, O Yahweh, have become their God. 25 So then, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do just as you have promised. 26 Your name shall be great forever, and they will say,[f] ‘Yahweh of hosts is God over Israel’; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you. 27 For you, O Yahweh of hosts, are God of Israel! You have revealed to the ear of your servant, ‘I will build a house for you’; therefore your servant has found courage[g] to pray this prayer to you. 28 Now, my Lord Yahweh, you alone are God, and your words are[h] true. You have promised this good to your servant. 29 So then, be content and bless the house of your servant to be forever in your presence, for you, my Lord Yahweh, have spoken, and because of your blessing, may the house of your servant be blessed forever.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 7:18 Literally “here”
  2. 2 Samuel 7:19 Literally “small”
  3. 2 Samuel 7:20 Literally “And what can David still add to say”
  4. 2 Samuel 7:23 Literally “went”; LXX reads “led”
  5. 2 Samuel 7:23 David switches pronouns from the third person to the second person
  6. 2 Samuel 7:26 Literally “saying”
  7. 2 Samuel 7:27 Literally “has found his heart”
  8. 2 Samuel 7:28 Hebrew “will be”

David’s Prayer(A)

18 Then King David went in to the presence of the Lord, sat down, and said:

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family,[a] that you have brought me to this? 19 And this is still a small thing to you, Lord God—you also have spoken about the future of your servant’s house, and this is the charter[b] for mankind, O Lord God!

20 “What more can David say to you, and you surely know your servant, Lord God. 21 For the sake of your word and consistent with your desire,[c] you have done all of these great things, informing your servant. 22 And therefore you are great, Lord God, there is no one like you, there is no God except for you, just as we’ve heard with our own ears.

23 “And who is like your people, like Israel, the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to carry out for them great and awe-inspiring accomplishments, driving out nations and their gods in front of your people, whom you redeemed to yourself from Egypt? 24 You have prepared your people Israel to be your very own people for ever, and you, Lord, have become their God!

25 “And now, Lord God, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done—and let it be done just as you’ve promised. 26 May your name be made great forever with the result that it is said that the Lord of the Heavenly Armies is God over Israel, and that the household of your servant David may be established before you. 27 For you, Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant, telling him, ‘I will build a dynasty for you,’ so that your servant has found fortitude[d] to pray this prayer to you.

28 “Now therefore, Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have spoken to your servant these good things. 29 So may it please you to bless the household of your servant, so that it might remain forever in your presence, because you, Lord God, have spoken, and from your blessing may the household of your servant be blessed forever.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 7:18 Lit. house or household, and so throughout the chapter
  2. 2 Samuel 7:19 Or law or instruction
  3. 2 Samuel 7:21 Lit. heart; cf. Eph 1:5
  4. 2 Samuel 7:27 Lit. heart