2 Samuel 7:1–13

God’s Promise to David

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

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h	2 Sa 6:3
i	2 Sa 7:11
j	1 Ch 22:18
k	2 Sa 12:1 1 Ki 1:8 1 Ki 1:22 1 Ch 29:29 2 Ch 9:29
l	2 Sa 5:11 1 Ki 3:1 1 Ki 7:1 1 Ki 7:2 1 Ki 7:7 1 Ki 9:1 2 Ch 8:1 Je 22:14 Hag 1:4
m	Ex 26:1 Ps 132:3 Ac 7:45–46
n	1 Sa 10:7 Ps 132:1–5
o	1 Ki 8:19 1 Ch 22:8
p	1 Ki 5:3–5 1 Ch 28:3
q	Ac 7:45
r	Ex 40:18 Ex 40:34 Jos 18:1
s	1 Ki 8:16
t	Dt 23:14
u	2 Sa 5:2
v	1 Ki 8:27 Is 66:1
w	Le 26:11–12
x	1 Sa 16:11 1 Ch 21:17 Ps 74:1 Am 7:15
y	1 Sa 2:7–8 1 Sa 9:16 1 Sa 16:1 2 Sa 6:21
z	Ps 78:70–72 2 Co 6:18
a	1 Sa 18:14 2 Sa 5:10
b	Ps 18:37–42
c	Ex 11:3
d	Ex 15:17 Is 5:1–7
e	2 Ki 21:8 2 Ch 33:8
f	Ps 89:22–23
g	Ps 147:14 Is 54:14 Is 60:18
a	Traditionally judges
h	Jdg 2:16 1 Sa 12:9–11
i	2 Sa 7:1
j	1 Ki 2:24
k	1 Sa 25:28 Ps 89:35–37 Mt 1:1 Lk 1:32–33 Ac 13:22–23 2 Ti 2:8
l	Ex 1:21 Is 7:2
m	Ge 15:15 1 Ki 2:1 Ac 13:36
n	1 Ki 8:20 Ps 132:11–12 Je 30:21 Je 33:15
o	2 Ch 23:3
p	Dt 12:5 1 Ki 6:12
q	Dt 16:11 1 Ki 5:5 1 Ki 8:19 1 Ki 8:29 2 Ki 21:4 2 Ki 21:7
r	2 Sa 7:16 Ge 9:16 2 Sa 22:51 1 Ki 2:4 1 Ki 2:45 1 Ch 22:10 1 Ch 28:6 2 Ch 6:16 2 Ch 7:18 2 Ch 13:5 2 Ch 21:7 Ps 89:3–4 Ps 89:29 Ps 89:35–37 Pr 25:5 Is 9:7 Is 16:5 Je 17:25 Je 33:17 Je 33:21 Da 7:27