2Sa 7 | NASB2020 | STEP | Now it came about , when the king lived in his house , and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies ,

2 Samuel 7

David Plans to Build a Temple

1 ^aNow it came about, when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2 that the king said to ^bNathan the prophet, “See now, I live in ^ca house of cedar, but the ark of God ^dremains within the tent.” 3 Nathan said to the king, “ ^eGo, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But in the same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and say to My servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “ ^fShould you build Me a house for My dwelling? 6 For ^gI have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; rather, I have been moving about ^hin a tent, that is, in a dwelling place. 7 ⁱWherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, ^jwhom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’

God’s Covenant with David

8 Now then, this is what you shall say to My servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “ ^kI Myself took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, ^lto be leader over My people Israel. 9 And ^mI have been with you wherever you have gone, and ⁿhave eliminated all your enemies from you; I will also make a great name for you, like the names of the great men who ^{▼▼Or were}are on the earth. 10 And I will establish a place for My people Israel, and ^pwill plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, ^qnor will ^{▼▼Lit sons of malice}malicious people oppress them anymore as previously, 11 even ^sfrom the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and ^tI will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that ^uthe Lord will make a house for you. 12 ^vWhen your days are finished and you ^{▼▼I.e., die
,} ^xlie down with your fathers, ^yI will raise up your ^{▼▼Lit seed}descendant after you, who will come from ^{▼▼Lit your bowels}you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 ^abHe shall build a house for My name, and ^acI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 ^adI will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; ^aewhen he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and with strokes of sons of mankind, 15 but My favor shall not depart from him, ^afas I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from you. 16 ^agYour house and your kingdom shall endure before ^{▼▼As in LXX and some ancient mss; MT you}Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’” 17 In accordance with all these words and all of this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer

18 Then David the king came in and sat before the Lord, and he said, “ ^aiWho am I, Lord ^{▼▼Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord, and so throughout the ch}God, and who are the members of my household, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, Lord God, ^akfor You have spoken also of the house of Your servant regarding the distant future. And ^althis is the ^{▼▼Or law}custom of mankind, Lord God. 20 Again what more can David say to You? For ^anYou know Your servant, Lord God! 21 ^aoFor the sake of Your word, and according to Your heart, You have done all this greatness, to let Your servant know. 22 For this reason ^apYou are great, Lord God; for ^aqthere is no one like You, and there is no God except You, ^araccording to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And ^aswhat one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, and to make a name for Himself, and ^atto do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, ^{▼▼Or before Your}because of ^avYour people whom ^awYou have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from other nations and their gods? 24 For ^axYou have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and ^ayYou, Lord, have become their God. 25 Now then, Lord God, the word that You have spoken about Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do just as You have spoken, 26 ^azso that Your name may be great forever, by saying, ‘The Lord of armies is God over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, Lord of armies, God of Israel, have ^{▼▼Lit uncovered the ear of}given a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘ ^bbI will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found ^{▼▼Lit his heart}courage to pray this prayer to You. 28 Now then, Lord God, You are God, and ^bdYour words are truth; and You have ^{▼▼Lit spoken}promised this good thing to Your servant. 29 And now, may ^{▼▼Lit You be resolved and bless}it please You to bless the house of Your servant, so that it may continue forever before You. For You, Lord God, have spoken; and ^{▼▼Lit from
,} ^bhwith Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”