2 Samuel 7

The Lord’s Covenant with David

¹When the king had settled into his palace and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,²³the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”⁴

⁵So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your mind, for the Lord is with you.”⁶

⁷But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan:⁸⁹“Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in?¹⁰¹¹From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as my dwelling.¹²¹³In all my journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever spoken a word to one of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’¹⁴

¹⁵“So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.¹⁶¹⁷I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest on the earth.¹⁸¹⁹I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done²⁰²¹ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. “‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you.²²²³When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.²⁴²⁵He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.²⁶²⁷I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals.²⁸²⁹But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.³⁰³¹Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’”³²

³³Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.³⁴

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

³⁵Then King David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said, Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?³⁶³⁷What you have done so far was a little thing to you, Lord God, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation for mankind, Lord God.³⁸³⁹What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord God.⁴⁰⁴¹Because of your word and according to your will, you have revealed all these great things to your servant.⁴²

⁴³This is why you are great, Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms.⁴⁴⁴⁵And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt.⁴⁶⁴⁷You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.⁴⁸

⁴⁹Now, Lord God, fulfill the promise forever that you have made to your servant and his house. Do as you have promised,⁵⁰⁵¹so that your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you⁵²⁵³since you, Lord of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant when you said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you.⁵⁴⁵⁵Lord God, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.⁵⁶⁵⁷Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever.⁵⁸