2 Samuel - Chapter 7

¹ Once the king had settled into his palace and Yahweh had granted him rest from all the enemies surrounding him,

² the king said to the prophet Nathan, 'Look, I am living in a cedar-wood palace, while the ark of God is under awnings.'

³ Nathan said to the king, 'Go and do whatever you have in mind, for Yahweh is with you.'

⁴ But that very night, the word of Yahweh came to Nathan:

⁵ 'Go and tell my servant David, "Yahweh says this: Are you to build me a temple for me to live in?

⁶ I have never lived in a house from the day when I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today, but have kept travelling with a tent for shelter.

⁷ In all my travels with all the Israelites, did I say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I had commanded to shepherd my people Israel: Why do you not build me a cedar-wood temple?"

⁸ This is what you must say to my servant David, "Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel;

⁹ I have been with you wherever you went; I have got rid of all your enemies for you. I am going to make your fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth.

¹⁰ I am going to provide a place for my people Israel; I shall plant them there, and there they will live and never be disturbed again; nor will they be oppressed by the wicked any more, as they were in former times

¹¹ ever since the time when I instituted judges to govern my people Israel; and I shall grant you rest from all your enemies. Yahweh furthermore tells you that he will make you a dynasty.

¹² And when your days are over and you fall asleep with your ancestors, I shall appoint your heir, your own son to succeed you (and I shall make his sovereignty secure.

¹³ He will build a temple for my name) and I shall make his royal throne secure for ever.

¹⁴ I shall be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does wrong, I shall punish him with a rod such as men use, with blows such as mankind gives.

¹⁵ But my faithful love will never be withdrawn from him as I withdrew it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

¹⁶ Your dynasty and your sovereignty will ever stand firm before me and your throne be for ever secure." '

¹⁷ Nathan related all these words and this whole revelation to David.

¹⁸ King David then went in, sat down in Yahweh's presence and said: 'Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my lineage, for you to have led me as far as this?

¹⁹ Yet, to you, Lord Yahweh, this seemed too little, and now you extend your promises for your servant's family into the distant future. Such is human destiny, Lord Yahweh.

²⁰ What more can David say to you, since you, Lord Yahweh, know all about your servant?

²¹ Because of your promise and since you were so inclined, you have had the generosity to reveal this to your servant.

²² That is why you are great, Lord Yahweh; there is no one like you, no God but you alone, as everything that we have heard confirms.

²³ Is there another people on earth like your people, like Israel, whom a god proceeded to redeem, to make them his people and to make a name for himself by performing great and terrible things on their behalf, by driving out nations and their gods before his people?-

²⁴ for you constituted your people Israel your own people for ever and you, Yahweh, became their God.

²⁵ 'Now, Yahweh God, may the promise which you have made for your servant and for his family stand firm forever as you have said,

²⁶ so that your name will be exalted for ever and people will say, "Israel's God is Yahweh Sabaoth." Your servant David's dynasty will be secure before you,

²⁷ since you, Yahweh Sabaoth, the God of Israel, have disclosed to your servant, "I am going to build you a dynasty." Hence, your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you.

²⁸ Yes, Lord Yahweh, you are God indeed, your words are true and you have made this generous promise to your servant.

²⁹ What is more, you have deigned to bless your servant's dynasty, so that it may remain for ever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken; and may your servant's dynasty be blessed with your blessing for ever.'

Book of 2 Samuel Chapters

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