God’s Promise to David

7:1–17pp—1Ch 17:1–15

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.

David’s Prayer

7:18–29pp—1Ch 17:16–27

18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I,a Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree,b Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!c

20 “What more can David sayc to you? For you knowd your servant,e Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.

22 “How greatf you are,g Sovereign Lord! There is no one likeh you, and there is no Godi but you, as we have heard with our own ears.j 23 And who is like your people Israelk—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a namel for himself, and to perform great and awesome wondersm by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemedn from Egypt?d 24 You have established your people Israel as your very owno forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.p

25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promiseq you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your namer will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be establisheds in your sight.

27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy,t and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessingu the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”