2 Samuel 7:1–17
7 After the king was settled in his palaceh and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemiesi around him,j 2 he said to Nathank the prophet, “Here I am, living in a housel of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”m
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,n go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are youo the one to build me a house to dwell in?p 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.q I have been moving from place to place with a tentr as my dwelling.s 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,t did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherdu my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a housev of cedar?w” ’
8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,x and appointed you rulery over my people Israel.z 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone,a and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.b Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.c 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plantd them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.e Wickedf people will not oppress them anymore,g as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leadersa h over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.i
“ ‘The Lord declaresj to you that the Lord himself will establishk a housel for you: 12 When your days are over and you restm with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood,n and I will establish his kingdom.o 13 He is the one who will build a housep for my Name,q and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.r 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.s When he does wrong, I will punish himt with a rodu wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him,v as I took it away from Saul,w whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before meb; your thronex will be establishedy forever.z’ ”
17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.