2 Samuel 7:4-29

4 But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying:
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?
6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling.
7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’
8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel.
9 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.
10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning
11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[a] over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. “ ‘The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you:
12 When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He is the one who 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. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands.
15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b] ; your throne will be established forever.’ ”
17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer

18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?
19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign LORD, is for a mere human![c]
20 “What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign LORD.
21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.
22 “How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.
23 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?[d]
24 You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, LORD, have become their God.
25 “And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised,
26 so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The LORD Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.
27 “LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.
28 Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.
29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

Cross References 59

  • 1. 1 Kings 8:19; 1 Chronicles 22:8
  • 2. 1 Kings 5:3-5; 1 Chronicles 28:3
  • 3. Acts 7:45
  • 4. Exodus 40:18,34; Joshua 18:1
  • 5. 1 Kings 8:16
  • 6. Deuteronomy 23:14
  • 7. S 2 Samuel 5:2
  • 8. 1 Kings 8:27; Isaiah 66:1
  • 9. Leviticus 26:11-12
  • 10. S 1 Samuel 16:11; 1 Chronicles 21:17; Psalms 74:1; Amos 7:15
  • 11. S 1 Samuel 2:7-8; S 1 Samuel 9:16; S 1 Samuel 16:1; S 2 Samuel 6:21
  • 12. Psalms 78:70-72; 2 Corinthians 6:18*
  • 13. S 1 Samuel 18:14; 2 Samuel 5:10
  • 14. Psalms 18:37-42
  • 15. S Exodus 11:3
  • 16. S Exodus 15:17; Isaiah 5:1-7
  • 17. 2 Kings 21:8; 2 Chronicles 33:8
  • 18. Psalms 89:22-23
  • 19. Psalms 147:14; Isaiah 54:14; Isaiah 60:18
  • 20. S Judges 2:16; 1 Samuel 12:9-11
  • 21. ver 1
  • 22. 1 Kings 2:24
  • 23. 1 Samuel 25:28; Psalms 89:35-37; S Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:32-33; Acts 13:22-23; 2 Timothy 2:8
  • 24. ver 27; S Exodus 1:21; Isaiah 7:2
  • 25. S Genesis 15:15; 1 Kings 2:1; Acts 13:36
  • 26. 1 Kings 8:20; Psalms 132:11-12; Jeremiah 30:21; Jeremiah 33:15
  • 27. 2 Chronicles 23:3
  • 28. S Deuteronomy 12:5; 1 Kings 6:12
  • 29. Deuteronomy 16:11; 1 Kings 5:5; 1 Kings 8:19,29; 2 Kings 21:4,7
  • 30. ver 16; S Genesis 9:16; 2 Samuel 22:51; 1 Kings 2:4,45; 1 Chronicles 22:10; 1 Chronicles 28:6; 2 Chronicles 6:16; 2 Chronicles 7:18; 2 Chronicles 13:5; 2 Chronicles 21:7; Ps 89:3-4,29,35-37; Proverbs 25:5; Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 16:5; Jeremiah 17:25; Jeremiah 33:17,21; Daniel 7:27
  • 31. Psalms 2:7; Psalms 89:26; Jeremiah 3:19; S Matthew 3:17; John 1:49; 2 Corinthians 6:18*; Hebrews 1:5*; Revelation 21:7
  • 32. S Deuteronomy 8:5; 1 Kings 11:34; 1 Chronicles 22:10; Hebrews 12:7
  • 33. Psalms 89:30-33; Proverbs 13:24
  • 34. ver 25; 1 Kings 2:4; 1 Kings 6:12; 1 Kings 8:25; 1 Kings 9:5; 1 Kings 11:13,32; 2 Kings 19:34; 2 Chronicles 6:16; 2 Chronicles 7:18; 2 Chronicles 21:7; Psalms 89:24,33; Jeremiah 33:17
  • 35. S 1 Samuel 13:13; S 1 Samuel 15:28; 1 Samuel 16:14; 1 Samuel 15:23,28
  • 36. Psalms 89:36-37; S Luke 1:33
  • 37. Psalms 9:7; Psalms 93:2; Psalms 103:19
  • 38. S ver 13
  • 39. S Exodus 3:11; 1 Samuel 18:18
  • 40. Isaiah 55:8-9
  • 41. Isaiah 38:15
  • 42. John 21:17
  • 43. S 1 Samuel 16:7
  • 44. Psalms 48:1; Psalms 77:13; Psalms 86:10; Jeremiah 10:6
  • 45. Deuteronomy 3:24
  • 46. S Exodus 9:14
  • 47. S Exodus 8:10; S Exodus 20:4; Exodus 15:11
  • 48. Exodus 10:2; S Judges 6:13; Psalms 44:1
  • 49. Deuteronomy 4:32-38; S Deuteronomy 33:29; S 1 Samuel 12:22
  • 50. S Numbers 6:27
  • 51. Deuteronomy 10:21
  • 52. Deuteronomy 7:7-8; S Deuteronomy 9:26; Deuteronomy 15:15
  • 53. Deuteronomy 26:18
  • 54. Exodus 6:6-7; Psalms 48:14
  • 55. S ver 15; S Numbers 23:19; 2 Chronicles 1:9
  • 56. S Exodus 6:3; Nehemiah 9:5; Psalms 72:19; Psalms 96:8; Matthew 6:9
  • 57. S 1 Samuel 25:28
  • 58. Exodus 34:6; John 17:17
  • 59. Numbers 6:23-27

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Traditionally "judges"
  • [b]. Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts "you"
  • [c]. Or "for the human race"
  • [d]. See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 17:21; Hebrew "wonders for your land and before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from the nations and their gods" .
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.