2 Samuel 7:1–16

The Lord’s Covenant with David

7^sNow when the king lived in his house and the Lord ^thad given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, ²the king said to ^uNathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell ^vin a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells ^win a tent.” ³And Nathan said to the king, ^x“Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, ⁵“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^yWould you build me a house to dwell in? ⁶I have not lived in a house ^zsince the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about ^ain a tent for my dwelling. ⁷In all places where ^bI have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with ^cany of the judges¹ of Israel, whom I commanded ^dto shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’ ⁸Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, ^eI took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince² over my people Israel. ^9fAnd I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. ¹⁰And I will appoint a place for my people Israel ^gand will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place ^hand be disturbed no more. ⁱAnd violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, ^11jfrom the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And ^kI will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that ^lthe Lord will make you a house. ^12mWhen your days are fulfilled and ⁿyou lie down with your fathers, ^oI will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body,³ and I will establish his kingdom. ^13pHe shall build a house for my name, and ^qI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ^14rI will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, ^sI will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, ^15sbut my steadfast love will not depart from him, ^tas I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. ^16uAnd your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.^{4 u}Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”