2 Samuel 7

Chapter 7

The LORD’s Covenant Promise to David

1 When King David was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies,

2 the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace,t but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”

3 Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.”

4 But that same night the LORD said to Nathan,
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in?6 I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling.7 Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’8 “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.9 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!10 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,11 starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘Furthermore, the LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings!12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong.13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever.14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do.15 But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight.16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before met for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”

17 So Nathan went back to David and told him everything the LORD had said in this vision.

David’s Prayer of Thanks

18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and prayed,

“Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?19 And now, Sovereign LORD, in addition to everything else, you speak of giving your servant a lasting dynasty! Do you deal with everyone this way, O Sovereign LORD?t20 “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, Sovereign LORD.21 Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.22 “How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!23 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 and gods that stood in their way.t24 You made Israel your very own people forever, and you, O LORD, became their God.25 “And now, O LORD God, I am your servant; do as you have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever.26 And may your name be honored forever so that everyone will say, ‘The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!’ And may the house of your servant David continue before you forever.27 “O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, God of Israel, I have been bold enough to pray this prayer to you because you have revealed all this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you—a dynasty of kings!’28 For you are God, O Sovereign LORD. Your words are truth, and you have promised these good things to your servant.29 And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!”

2 SAMUEL 7

The [Lord]'s Message //to David

(1 Chronicles 17.1-15)

1 King David moved into his new palace, and the [Lord] let his kingdom be at peace.

2 Then one day, as David was talking with Nathan the prophet, David said, “Look around! I live in a palace made of cedar, but the sacred chest has to stay in a tent.”

3 Nathan replied, “The [Lord] is with you, so do what you want!”
4 That night, the [Lord] told Nathan

5 to go to David and give him this message:
David, you are my servant, so listen to what I say. Why should you build a temple for me? 6 I didn't live in a temple when I brought my people out of Egypt, and I don't live in one now. A tent has always been my home wherever I have gone with them.

7 I chose leaders and told them to be like shepherds for my people Israel. But did I ever say anything to even one of them about building a cedar temple for me?
8  t David, this is what I, the [Lord] All-Powerful, say to you. I brought you in from the fields where you took care of sheep, and I made you the leader of my people.

9 Wherever you went, I helped you and destroyed your enemies right in front of your eyes. I have made you one of the most famous people in the world.
10 I have given my people Israel a land of their own where they can live in peace, and they won't have to tremble with fear any more. Evil nations won't bother them, as they did

11 when I let judges rule my people. And I have kept your enemies from attacking you.
Now I promise that you and your descendants will be kings. 12 t I'll choose one of your sons to be king when you reach the end of your life and are buried in the tomb of your ancestors. I'll make him a strong ruler, 13 and no one will be able to take his kingdom away from him. He will be the one to build a temple for me.

14 t I will be his father, and he will be my son.
When he does wrong, I'll see that he is corrected, just as children are corrected by their parents. 15 But I will never put an end to my agreement with him, as I put an end to my agreement with Saul, who was king before you.

16 t I will make sure that one of your descendants will always be king.

17 Nathan told David exactly what he had heard in the vision.

David Gives Thanks //to the [Lord]

(1 Chronicles 17.16-27)

18 David went into the tent he had set up for the sacred chest. Then he sat there and prayed:
[Lord] All-Powerful, my family and I don't deserve what you have already done for us, 19 and yet you have promised to do even more. Is this the way you usually treat people?t 20 I am your servant, and you know my thoughts, so there is nothing more that I need to say.

21 You have done this wonderful thing, and you have let me know about it, because you wanted to keep your promise.
22 [Lord] All-Powerful, you are greater than all others. No one is like you, and you alone are God. Everything we have heard about you is true. 23 t And there is no other nation on earth like Israel, the nation you rescued from slavery in Egypt to be your own. You became famous by using great and wonderful miracles to force other nations and their gods out of your land, so your people could live here.t

24 You have chosen Israel to be your people forever, and you have become their God.
25 And now, [Lord] God, please do what you have promised me and my descendants. 26 Then you will be famous forever, and everyone will say, “The [Lord] God All-Powerful rules Israel, and David's descendants are his chosen kings.”

27 After all, you really are Israel's God, the [Lord] All-Powerful. You've told me that you will let my descendants be kings. That's why I have the courage to pray to you like this, even though I am only your servant.
28 [Lord] All-Powerful, you are God. You have promised me some very good things, and you can be trusted to do what you promise. 29 Please bless my descendants and let them always be your chosen kings. You have already promised, and I'm sure that you will bless my family forever.