2 Samuel 7

1 It happened, when the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about,
2 that the king said to Natan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains.
3 Natan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you.
4 It happened the same night, that the word of the LORD came to Natan, saying,
5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus says the LORD, Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in?
6 for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Yisra'el out of Mitzrayim, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tent.
7 In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Yisra'el, spoke I a word with any of the tribes of Yisra'el, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Yisra'el, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
8 Now therefore thus shall you tell my servant David, Thus says the LORD of Hosts, I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people, over Yisra'el;
9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the eretz.
10 I will appoint a place for my people Yisra'el, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,
11 and [as] from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Yisra'el; and I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD tells you that the LORD will make you a house.
12 When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
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 lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Sha'ul, whom I put away before you.
16 Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before you: your throne shall be established forever.
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Natan speak to David.
18 Then David the king went in, and sat before the LORD; and he said, Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?
19 This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord GOD; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come; and this [too] after the manner of men, Lord GOD!
20 What can David say more to you? for you know your servant, Lord GOD.
21 For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, have you worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it.
22 Therefore you are great, LORD God: for there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 What one nation in the eretz is like your people, even like Yisra'el, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to you out of Mitzrayim, [from] the nations and their gods?
24 You did establish to yourself your people Yisra'el to be a people to you forever; and you, LORD, became their God.
25 Now, LORD God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm you it forever, and do as you have spoken.
26 Let your name be magnified forever, saying, the LORD of hosts is God over Yisra'el; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you.
27 For you, LORD of Hosts, the God of Yisra'el, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.
28 Now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant:
29 now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord GOD, have spoken it: and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed forever.

2 Samuel 7 Commentaries

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.