2 Samuel 7:1–16

Yahweh Makes a Covenant with David

7It happened that the king settled in his house. (Now Yahweh had given rest to him from all his enemies all around.) ²And the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, please, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is staying in the middle of the tent.” ³Nathan said to the king, “Go and do all that is in your heart, for Yahweh is with you.” ⁴But it happened that night,^a the word of Yahweh came^b to Nathan, saying, ⁵“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh: “Are you the one to build for me a house for my dwelling? ⁶For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought up the Israelites^c from Egypt until this day; rather, I was going about in a tent and in a tabernacle. ⁷In all of my going about among all the Israelites,^d did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why did you not build me a cedar house?’ ” ’ ⁸So then, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I took you from the pasture from following^e the sheep to be a leader over my people, over Israel, ⁹and I have been with you everywhere you went.^f I have cut off all of your enemies from in front of you, and I will make a great name for you, as the name of the great ones who are on the earth. ¹⁰I will make a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them^g so that they^h can dwell in their own place.ⁱ They will not tremble any longer, and the children of wickedness will not afflict them again, as in the former days. ¹¹In the manner that^j I appointed judges over my people Israel, I will give you rest from all your enemies. And Yahweh declares to you that Yahweh will build a house for you. ¹²When your days are full and you lie down with your ancestors,^k I will raise up your offspring after you who will go out from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴I will be a father to him, and he will be a son for me, whom I will punish when he does wrong, with a rod of men and with blows of human beings.^{l 15}But my loyal love shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before you; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”