2 Samuel 7:1–16

David Plans to Build a Temple

^1aNow it came about when the king lived in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,

²that the king said to ^aNathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in ^ba house of cedar, but the ark of God ^cdwells within tent curtains.”

³Nathan said to the king, “^aGo, do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴But in the same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,

⁵“Go and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord, “^aAre you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in?

⁶“For ^aI have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about ^bin a tent, even in a ¹tabernacle.

⁷“^aWherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, ^bwhich 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 therefore, thus you shall say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “^aI took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, ^bto be ruler over My people Israel.

⁹“^aI have been with you wherever you have gone and ^bhave cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth.

¹⁰“I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and ^awill plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, ^bnor will the ¹wicked afflict them any more as formerly,

¹¹even ^afrom the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and ^bI will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that ^cthe Lord will make a house for you.

¹²“^aWhen your days are complete and you ^blie down with your fathers, ^cI will raise up your ¹descendant after you, who will come forth from ²you, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹³“^aHe shall build a house for My name, and ^bI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

¹⁴“^aI will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; ^bwhen he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men,

¹⁵but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, ^aas I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

¹⁶“^aYour house and your kingdom shall endure before ¹Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”