2 Samuel 7
International Standard Version
David Plans to Build the Temple(A)
7 After the king had settled down in his palace and the Lord had given him respite from all of his surrounding enemies, 2 he[a] told the prophet Nathan, “Look now, I’m living in a cedar palace, but the Ark of God resides behind[b] a tent[c] curtain.”
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Go do everything you have in mind,[d] because the Lord is with you.”
4 But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from the Lord:
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.”’”
17 Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David with precisely these words.
David’s Prayer(B)
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,[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.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:2 Lit. the king
- 2 Samuel 7:2 Lit. between
- 2 Samuel 7:2 The Heb. lacks tent
- 2 Samuel 7:3 Lit. heart
- 2 Samuel 7:5 I.e. a temple, and so throughout the chapter
- 2 Samuel 7:6 Lit. tent and
- 2 Samuel 7:7 Lit. ask the tribes
- 2 Samuel 7:8 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority
- 2 Samuel 7:9 Lit. name
- 2 Samuel 7:9 Lit. name
- 2 Samuel 7:9 The Heb. lacks have lived
- 2 Samuel 7:10 Lit. place
- 2 Samuel 7:10 Lit. Children of wickedness
- 2 Samuel 7:11 Lit. judges over
- 2 Samuel 7:11 I.e. a dynasty
- 2 Samuel 7:12 Lit. days
- 2 Samuel 7:12 Lit. you rest with
- 2 Samuel 7:12 Lit. seed; MT is sing.
- 2 Samuel 7:12 Lit. your inward parts
- 2 Samuel 7:14 Lit. men
- 2 Samuel 7:14 Lit. by children of Adam
- 2 Samuel 7:18 Lit. house or household, and so throughout the chapter
- 2 Samuel 7:19 Or law or instruction
- 2 Samuel 7:21 Lit. heart; cf. Eph 1:5
- 2 Samuel 7:27 Lit. heart
2 Samuel 7
Names of God Bible
David’s Wish to Build a House for God(A)
7 While King David was living in his house, Yahweh gave him peace with all his enemies around him. 2 So the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I’m living in a house made of cedar, while the ark of Elohim remains in the tent.”
3 Nathan told the king, “Do everything you have in mind, because Yahweh is with you.”
4 But that same night Yahweh spoke his word to Nathan: 5 “Say to my servant David, ‘This is what Yahweh says: Are you the one who will build me a house to live in? 6 I haven’t lived in a house from the day I took Israel out of Egypt to this day. Instead, I moved around in a tent, the tent of meeting. 7 In all the places I’ve moved with all the Israelites, did I ever ask any of the judges[a] of Israel whom I ordered to be shepherds of my people Israel why they didn’t build me a house of cedar?’
8 “Now this is what you will say to my servant David: ‘This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel. 9 I was with you wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies in front of you. I will make your name famous like the names of the greatest people on earth. 10 I will make a place for my people Israel and plant them there. They will live in their own place and not be troubled anymore. The wicked will no longer oppress them as they used to do 11 ever since I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. So I will give you peace with all your enemies. I, Yahweh, tell you that Yahweh will make a house for you.
12 “‘When the time comes for you to lie down in death with your ancestors, I will send one of your descendants, one who will come from you. I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Ab, and he will be my Son. If he sins, I will punish him with a rod and with blows inflicted by people. 15 But I will never stop showing him my love as I did to Saul, whom I took out of your way. 16 Your royal house will remain in my presence[b] forever. Your throne will be established forever.’”
17 Nathan told David all these words and everything he had seen.
18 King David went into the tent and sat in front of Yahweh. “Who am I, Adonay Yahweh,” he asked, “and why is my house so important that you have brought me this far? 19 And even this you consider to be a small act, Adonay Yahweh. You’ve also spoken about the distant future of my house. Adonay Yahweh, this is the teaching about the man.
20 “What more can I, David, say to you, Adonay Yahweh, since you know me so well! 21 You’ve done this great thing because of your promise and your own desire. You made it known to me.
22 “That is why you are great, Adonay Yahweh. There is no one like you, and there is no other god except you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23 Who is like your people Israel? It is the one nation on earth that Elohim came to free in order to make its people his own, to make his name[c] known, and to do great and wonderful things for them. You forced[d] nations and their gods out of the way of your people, whom you freed from Egypt to be your own. 24 You created the people of Israel to be your people forever. And you, Yahweh, became their Elohim.
25 “Now, Yahweh Elohim, keep the promise you made to me and my house forever. Do as you promised. 26 Your name will be respected forever when people say, ‘Yahweh Tsebaoth is Elohim over Israel.’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your presence. 27 You, Yahweh Tsebaoth, Elohim of Israel, have revealed it especially to me, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ That is why I have found the courage to offer this prayer to you.
28 “Adonay Yahweh, you are Elohim, and your words are trustworthy. You promised me this good thing. 29 Now, please bless my house so that it may continue in your presence forever. Indeed, you, Adonay Yahweh, have promised it. With your blessing my house will be blessed forever.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:7 1 Chronicles 17:6; Masoretic Text “tribes.”
- 2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Greek, Latin, Syriac; other Hebrew manuscripts “in your presence.”
- 2 Samuel 7:23 Or “its name.”
- 2 Samuel 7:23 Greek and 1 Chronicles 17:21; Masoretic Text “Your land.”
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