2 Samuel 7
7
David Wants to Build a Temple
1After King David moved into his new house the Lord gave him some relief from all of his enemies around him. 2King David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a fancy house made of cedar wood, but God’s Holy Box is still kept in a tent!”
3Nathan said to King David, “Do whatever you want to do. The Lord will be with you.”
4But that night, the Lord’s word came to Nathan:
5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build a house for me to live in. 6I did not live in a house at the time I took the Israelites out of Egypt. No, I traveled around in a tent. I used the tent for my home. 7I never told any of the tribes of Israel to build me a fancy house made from cedar wood.’
8“You must say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord All-Powerful says: I chose you while you were out in the pasture following the sheep. I took you from that job and made you the leader of my people, the Israelites. 9I have been with you every place you went. I have defeated your enemies for you. I will make you one of the most famous people on earth. 10-11And I chose a place for my people, the Israelites. I planted the Israelites. I gave them their own place to live so that they will not have to move from place to place anymore. In the past, I sent judges to lead my people, but evil people gave them many troubles. That will not happen now. I am giving you peace from all of your enemies. I promise that I will make your family a family of kings.#7:10-11 make … family of kings Literally, “make a house for you.”
12“‘When your life is finished, you will die and be buried with your ancestors. But then I will make one of your own children become the king. 13He will build a house for my name, and I will make his kingdom strong forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son.#7:14 father … son God “adopted” the kings from David’s family, and they became his “sons.” See Ps. 2:7. When he sins, I will use other people to punish him. They will be my whips. 15But I will never stop loving him. I will continue to be loyal to him. I took away my love and kindness from Saul. I pushed Saul away when I turned to you. 16Your family of kings will continue—you can depend on that! For you, your kingdom will continue forever! Your throne will stand forever!’”
17Nathan told David about that vision. He told David everything God had said.
David Prays to God
18Then King David went in and sat in front of the Lord. David said,
“Lord GOD, why am I so important to you? Why is my family important? Why have you made me so important? 19I am nothing but a servant, but Lord GOD, you have also said these kind things about my future family. Lord GOD, you don’t always talk like this to people, do you? 20How can I continue talking to you? Lord GOD, you know that I am only a servant. 21You will do all these wonderful things because you said you would do them and because you want to do them. And you decided to let me know about all these things. 22Lord GOD, this is why you are so great! There is no one like you. There is no god except you! We know that because of what we ourselves have heard about what you did.
23“And there is no nation on earth like your people, Israel. They are a special people. They were slaves, but you took them out of Egypt and made them free. You made them your people. You did great and wonderful things for the Israelites and for your land. 24You made the people of Israel your very own people forever, and Lord, you became their God.
25“Now, Lord God, you promised to do something for me, your servant, and for my family. Now please do what you promised—make my family a family of kings forever! 26Then your name will be honored forever. People will say, ‘The Lord God All-Powerful rules Israel! And may the family of your servant David continue to be strong in serving you.’
27“You, Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, have shown things to me. You said, ‘I will make your family great.’ That is why I, your servant, decided to pray this prayer to you. 28Lord GOD, you are God, and I can trust what you say. And you said that these good things would happen to me, your servant. 29Now, please, bless my family. Let them stand before you and serve you forever. Lord GOD, you yourself said these things. You yourself blessed my family with a blessing that will continue forever.”
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
2 Samuel 7
7
The Lord’s Covenant with David
1When the king had settled into his palace#2Sm 5:11 and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2the king said to the prophet Nathan,#2Sm 12:1–7; 1Kg 1:8–11,34–45; 2Ch 9:29; 29:25 “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”#Ex 26:1; 1Ch 17:1
3So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your mind, for the Lord is with you.”
4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5“Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in?#1Kg 5:3; 8:19; 1Ch 22:8; 28:3 6From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as my dwelling.#Ex 25:8–9; 26:1 7In all my journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever spoken a word to one of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’
8“So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.#1Sm 16:11–13 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name#Gn 11:4; 12:2; 2Sm 7:23; Neh 9:10; Is 55:13; 63:14; Jr 32:20 for you like that of the greatest on the earth.#1Sm 18:14; 2Sm 5:10; 8:6 10I will designate a place#1Kg 8:21 for my people Israel and plant them,#Ex 15:17; Ps 44:2; 80:8,16; Is 5:2; Jr 1:10; 2:21; 11:17; 12:2; 18:9; 24:6; 31:28; 32:41; 42:10; 45:4; Am 9:15 so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done 11ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel.#Jdg 2:14–16; 1Sm 12:9–11 I will give you rest from all your enemies.
“‘The Lord declares to you: The Lord himself will make a house for you. 12When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.#Ac 13:23 13He is the one who will build a house for my name,#1Kg 5:2–5; 6:12; 8:18–19; Ac 7:47 and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.#Lk 1:32–33 14I will be his father, and he will be my son.#Ps 2:7; Heb 1:5; Rv 21:7 When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals. 15But my faithful love will never leave him#Ps 89:21,28,33 as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.#1Sm 15:24–28 16Your house and kingdom will endure before me#7:16 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr; other Hb mss read you forever,#Lk 1:32–33 and your throne will be established forever.’”#Ps 89:3–4,26–37; Ezk 34:23–24; Rv 11:15
17Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.
David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving
18Then King David went in,#1Ch 17:16–27 sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,
Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far? 19What you have done so far#7:19 Lit Yet this was a little thing to you, Lord God, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation#7:19 Or custom, or instruction for mankind, Lord God. 20What more can David say to you? You know your servant,#Ps 139:1–4 Lord God. 21Because of your word and according to your will, you have revealed all these great things to your servant.
22This is why you are great,#1Ch 16:25; 2Ch 2:5 Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you,#Mk 12:32 as all we have heard confirms. 23And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them#7:23 Some Hb mss, Tg, Vg, Syr; other Hb mss read you great and awesome acts,#7:23 LXX; MT reads acts for your land driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt.#Dt 4:32–38 24You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.#Ex 6:7; Dt 26:18
25Now, Lord God, fulfill the promise forever that you have made to your servant and his house. Do as you have promised, 26so that your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David#Lk 1:69 will be established before you 27since you, Lord of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant when you said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you. 28Lord God, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever.#2Sm 22:51; Ps 89:28–29
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