2 Samuel 7:1-20 ▼

1 The king settled into his palace, for the LORD gave him relief from all his enemies on all sides.

2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, |Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.|

3 Nathan replied to the king, |You should go and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.|

4 That night the LORD told Nathan,

5 Go, tell my servant David: 'This is what the LORD says: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in?

6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent.

7 Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say to any of the leaders whom I appointed to care for my people Israel, |Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?|'

8 So now, say this to my servant David: 'This is what the LORD of hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you leader of my people Israel.

9 I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth.

10 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed any more. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning

11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief from all your enemies. The LORD declares to you that he himself will build a dynastic house for you.

12 When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent.

14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings.

15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me permanently; your dynasty will be permanent.'|

17 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.

18 King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, |Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me to this point?

19 And you didn't stop there, O LORD God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant's family. Is this your usual way of dealing with men, O LORD God?

20 What more can David say to you? You have given your servant special recognition, O LORD God!