Chronological

⁵ “Go tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘“Are you going to build a house^[e] for me to inhabit? ⁶ After all, I haven’t lived in a house since the day I brought up the Israelis from Egypt until now. Instead, I’ve moved around in a tent that served as my^[f] dwelling place. ⁷ Wherever I moved among the Israelis, did I ever ask even one tribal leader^[g] of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built me a cedar house?’

⁸ “‘“Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “I took you from the pasture myself—from tending sheep—to become Commander-in-Chief^[h] over my people, that is, over Israel.

⁹ “‘“Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation^[i] for you, like the reputation^[j] of great ones who have lived on^[k] earth. ¹⁰ I will establish a homeland^[l] for my people—for Israel—planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people^[m] will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past ¹¹ when I had commanded judges to administer^[n] my people Israel. I’ll also grant you relief from all your enemies.”’

“‘The Lord also announces to you: “The Lord will himself build a house^[o] for you. ¹² When your life^[p] is complete and you go to join^[q] your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring^[r] after you, who will come forth from your body,^[s] and I will fortify his kingdom. ¹³ He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. ¹⁴ I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies^[t] and with wounds inflicted by human beings.^{[u] 15} But I’ll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. ¹⁶ Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence—your throne will be secure forever.”’”

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family,^[v] 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^[w] 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,^[x] 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^[y] 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.”

⁴ “Go tell David, my servant, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘“You won’t be building a house^[d] for me to inhabit, will you? ⁵ After all, I haven’t lived in a house from the day I brought out Israel until today. Instead, I’ve lived from tent to tent and from one place to another.^{[e] 6} Wherever I’ve moved within all of Israel, did I ever ask even one judge of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people, ‘Why haven’t you built me a cedar house?’”’

⁷ “Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David:

‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “I took you from the pasture myself—from tending sheep—to become Commander-in-Chief^[f] over my people Israel.

⁸ “‘“Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make your reputation^[g] great, like the reputation^[h] of the great ones who have lived on^[i] earth. ⁹ I will establish a homeland^[j] for my people Israel, planting them in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people^[k] will not oppress them as happened in the past, ¹⁰ during the time I had commanded judges to administer^[l] my people Israel. I’ll also grant you deliverance from all your enemies.

“‘“I’m also announcing to you that the Lord also will himself build a house^[m] for you. ¹¹ It will come about that when your life^[n] is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring^[o] after you, who is related to one of^[p] your sons, and I will fortify his kingdom. ¹² He will build a temple dedicated to me, and I will make his throne last forever. ¹³ I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me. I will never remove my gracious love from him as I did from the one who preceded you. ¹⁴ I will confirm him in my Temple and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will remain secure forever.”’”

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my household,^[q] since you have brought me to this? ¹⁷ Furthermore, this is a small thing to you, God, and yet you have spoken concerning your servant’s household for a great while to come, and you have seen in me the fulfillment^[r] of man’s purpose, Lord God.

¹⁸ “What more can David say to you about how you are honoring your servant, and you surely know your servant. ¹⁹ Lord, for the sake of your servant, and consistent with your heart, you have done all of these great things and are now making these^[s] great things known.

²⁰ “Lord, there is no one like you, and we have heard from no god other than you. ²¹ What other one nation on the earth is like your people Israel, God, which you have redeemed from slavery to become your own people, making a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You did awesome miraculous deeds, driving out nations that stood in their way. ²² You took^[t] your people Israel to be your very own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

²³ “And now, Lord, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done forever—and let it be done just as you’ve promised. ²⁴ May your name be made great and honored forever: The Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, is God for Israel, and may the family of David your servant stand before you forever.

²⁵ “Because of you, my God, I have been bold to pray to you, as you have told your servant that you will build him a dynasty. ²⁶ And now, Lord, you are God, and you have promised all of these good things to your servant. ²⁷ Furthermore, it has pleased you to bless the dynasty of your servant, so that it will continue in place forever in your presence, because when you, Lord, grant a blessing, it is an eternal blessing.”