2 Samuel 7:1–13

God’s Covenant with David

7Now it came to pass ^awhen the king was dwelling in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies all around, ²that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in ^ba house of cedar, ^cbut the ark of God dwells inside tent ^dcurtains.”

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

⁴But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, ⁵“Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^f“Would you build a house for Me to dwell in? ⁶For I have not dwelt in a house ^gsince the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in ^ha tent and in a tabernacle. ⁷Wherever I have ⁱmoved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded ^jto shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ ⁸Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: ^k“I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel. ⁹And ^lI have been with you wherever you have gone, ^mand have ¹cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth. ¹⁰Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will ⁿplant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; ^onor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, ^11psince the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord ²tells you ^qthat He will make you a ³house.

^12r“When your days are fulfilled and you ^srest with your fathers, ^tI will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ^13uHe shall build a house for My name, and I will ^vestablish the throne of his kingdom forever.