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
Nathan's Message to David
(1 Chr 17.1–15)
1King David was settled in his palace, and the LORD kept him safe from all his enemies. 2Then the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Here I am living in a house built of cedar, but God's Covenant Box is kept in a tent!”
3Nathan answered, “Do whatever you have in mind, because the LORD is with you.” 4But that night the LORD said to Nathan, 5“Go and tell my servant David that I say to him, ‘You are not the one to build a temple for me to live in. 6From the time I rescued the people of Israel from Egypt until now, I have never lived in a temple; I have travelled round living in a tent. 7In all my travelling with the people of Israel I never asked any of the leaders#7.7 Probable text (see 1 Chr 17.6) leaders; Hebrew tribes. that I appointed why they had not built me a temple made of cedar.’
8“So tell my servant David that I, the LORD Almighty, say to him, ‘I took you from looking after sheep in the fields and made you the ruler of my people Israel. 9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have defeated all your enemies as you advanced. I will make you as famous as the greatest leaders in the world. 10-11I have chosen a place for my people Israel and have settled them there, where they will live without being oppressed any more. Ever since they entered this land, they have been attacked by violent people, but this will not happen again. I promise to keep you safe from all your enemies and to give you descendants. 12#Ps 89.3–4; 132.11; Jn 7.42; Acts 2.30When you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will make one of your sons king and will keep his kingdom strong. 13He will be the one to build a temple for me, and I will make sure that his dynasty continues for ever. 14#Ps 89.26–27; 2 Cor 6.18; Heb 1.5I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him as a father punishes his son. 15But I will not withdraw my support from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed so that you could be king. 16#Ps 89.36–37You will always have descendants, and I will make your kingdom last for ever. Your dynasty will never end.’ ”
17Nathan told David everything that God had revealed to him.
David's Prayer of Thanksgiving
(1 Chr 17.16–27)
18Then King David went into the Tent of the LORD's presence, sat down and prayed, “I am not worthy of what you have already done for me, Sovereign LORD, nor is my family. 19Yet now you are doing even more, Sovereign LORD; you have made promises about my descendants in the years to come. And you let a man see this,#7.19 Probable text you let a man see this; Hebrew this is a law for human beings. Sovereign LORD! 20What more can I say to you! You know me, your servant. 21It was your will and purpose to do this; you have done all these great things in order to teach me. 22How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is none like you; we have always known that you alone are God. 23#Deut 4.34There is no other nation on earth like Israel, whom you rescued from slavery to make them your own people. The great and wonderful things you did for them#7.23 Probable text them; Hebrew you (plural). have spread your fame throughout the world. You drove out#7.23 One ancient translation (and see 1 Chr 17.21) You drove out; Hebrew for your land. other nations and their gods as your people advanced, the people whom you set free from Egypt to be your own. 24You have made Israel your own people for ever, and you, LORD, have become their God.
25“And now, LORD God, fulfil for all time the promise you made about me and my descendants, and do what you said you would. 26Your fame will be great, and people will for ever say, ‘The LORD Almighty is God over Israel.’ And you will preserve my dynasty for all time. 27Almighty LORD, God of Israel! I have the courage to pray this prayer to you, because you have revealed all this to me, your servant, and have told me that you will make my descendants kings.
28“And now, Sovereign LORD, you are God; you always keep your promises, and you have made this wonderful promise to me. 29I ask you to bless my descendants so that they will continue to enjoy your favour. You, Sovereign LORD, have promised this, and your blessing will rest on my descendants for ever.”
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.