New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 When David was settled in his palace, he summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of the LORD ’s Covenant is out there under a tent!”
1
After the king had made himself at home, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Look at this: Here I am comfortable in a luxurious palace of cedar and the Chest of the Covenant of God sits under a tent."
2 Nathan replied to David, “Do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you.”
2
Nathan told David, "Whatever is on your heart, go and do it; God is with you."
3 But that same night God said to Nathan,
3
But that night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD has declared: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in.
4
"Go and tell my servant David, This is God's word on the matter: You will not build me a 'house' to live in.
5 I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. My home has always been a tent, moving from one place to another in a Tabernacle.
5
Why, I haven't lived in a 'house' from the time I brought up the children of Israel from Egypt till now; I've gone from one tent and makeshift shelter to another.
6 Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s leaders, the shepherds of my people. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’
6
In all my travels with all Israel, did I ever say to any of the leaders I commanded to shepherd Israel, 'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?'
7 “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.
7
"So here is what you are to tell my servant David: The God-of-the-Angel-Armies has this word for you: I took you from the pasture, tagging after sheep, and made you prince over my people Israel.
8 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!
8
I was with you everywhere you went and mowed your enemies down before you; and now I'm about to make you famous, ranked with the great names on earth.
9 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,
9
I'm going to set aside a place for my people Israel and plant them there so they'll have their own home and not be knocked around anymore; nor will evil nations afflict them as they always have,
10 starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will defeat all your enemies. “‘Furthermore, I declare that the LORD will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!
10
even during the days I set judges over my people Israel. And finally, I'm going to conquer all your enemies.
11 For when you die and join your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong.
11
When your life is complete and you're buried with your ancestors, then I'll raise up your child to succeed you, a child from your own body, and I'll firmly establish his rule.
12 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for me. And I will secure his throne forever.
12
He will build a house to honor me, and I will guarantee his kingdom's rule forever.
13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you.
13
I'll be a father to him, and he'll 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 as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever.’”
14
I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will always be there, rock solid."
15 So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the LORD had said in this vision.
15
Nathan gave David a complete and accurate report of everything he heard and saw in the vision.
16 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and prayed, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?
16
King David went in, took his place before God, and prayed:
17 And now, O God, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! You speak as though I were someone very great, O LORD God!
17
But that's nothing compared to what's coming, for you've also spoken of my family far into the future, given me a glimpse into tomorrow and looked on me, Master God, as a Somebody.
18 “What more can I say to you about the way you have honored me? You know what your servant is really like.
18
What's left for David to say to this - to your honoring your servant, even though you know me, just as I am?
19 For the sake of your servant, O LORD, and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known.
19
O God, out of the goodness of your heart, you've taken your servant to do this great thing and put your great work on display.
20 “O LORD, there is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!
20
There's none like you, God, no God but you, nothing to compare with what we've heard with our own ears.
21 What other nation on earth is like your people Israel? What other nation, O God, have you redeemed from slavery to be your own people? You made a great name for yourself when you redeemed your people from Egypt. You performed awesome miracles and drove out the nations that stood in their way.
21
And who is like your people, like Israel, a nation unique on earth, whom God set out to redeem as his own people (and became most famous for it), performing great and fearsome acts, throwing out nations and their gods left and right as you saved your people from Egypt?
22 You chose Israel to be your very own people forever, and you, O LORD, became their God.
22
You established for yourself a people - your very own Israel! - your people forever. And you, God, became their God.
23 “And now, O LORD, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. May it be a promise that will last forever.
23
So now, great God, this word that you have spoken to me and my family, guarantee it forever! Do exactly what you've promised!
24 And may your name be established and honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.
24
Then your reputation will be confirmed and flourish always as people exclaim, "The God-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God over Israel, is Israel's God!" And the house of your servant David will remain rock solid under your watchful presence.
25 “O my God, I have been bold enough to pray to you because you have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him—a dynasty of kings!
25
You, my God, have told me plainly, "I will build you a house." That's how I was able to find the courage to pray this prayer to you.
26 For you are God, O LORD . And you have promised these good things to your servant.
26
God, being the God you are, you have spoken all these wonderful words to me.
27 And now, it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, so that it will continue forever before you. For when you grant a blessing, O LORD, it is an eternal blessing!”
27
As if that weren't enough, you've blessed my family so that it will continue in your presence always. Because you have blessed it, God, it's really blessed - blessed for good!
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.