7:1 The king settled into his palace, 1 for the Lord gave him relief 2 from all his enemies on all sides. 3 7:2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.” 7:3 Nathan replied to the king, “You should go 4 and do whatever you have in mind, 5 for the Lord is with you.” 7:4 That night the Lord told Nathan, 6 7:5 “Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: Do you really intend to build a house for me to live in? 7:6 I have not lived in a house from the time I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day. Instead, I was traveling with them and living in a tent. 7 7:7 Wherever I moved among all the Israelites, I did not say 8 to any of the leaders 9 whom I appointed to care for 10 my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?”’
7:8 “So now, say this to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd 11 to make you leader of my people Israel. 7:9 I was with you wherever you went, and I defeated 12 all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth. 13 7:10 I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle 14 them there; they will live there and not be disturbed 15 any more. Violent men 16 will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning 7:11 and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. Instead, I will give you relief 17 from all your enemies. The Lord declares 18 to you that he himself 19 will build a dynastic house 20 for you. 7:12 When the time comes for you to die, 21 I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, 22 and I will establish his kingdom. 7:13 He will build a house for my name, and I will make his dynasty permanent. 23 7:14 I will become his father and he will become my son. When he sins, I will correct him with the rod of men and with wounds inflicted by human beings. 7:15 But my loyal love will not be removed from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 7:16 Your house and your kingdom will stand before me 24 permanently; your dynasty 25 will be permanent.’” 7:17 Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him. 26
7:18 King David went in, sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, 27 that you should have brought me to this point? 7:19 And you didn’t stop there, O Lord God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant’s family. 28 Is this your usual way of dealing with men, 29 O Lord God? 7:20 What more can David say to you? You have given your servant special recognition, 30 O Lord God! 7:21 For the sake of your promise and according to your purpose 31 you have done this great thing in order to reveal it to your servant. 32 7:22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God, for there is none like you! There is no God besides you! What we have heard is true! 33 7:23 Who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation 34 on the earth? Their God 35 went 36 to claim 37 a nation for himself and to make a name for himself! You did great and awesome acts for your land, 38 before your people whom you delivered for yourself from the Egyptian empire and its gods. 39 7:24 You made Israel your very own people for all time. 40 You, O Lord, became their God. 7:25 So now, O Lord God, make this promise you have made about your servant and his family a permanent reality. 41 Do as you promised, 42 7:26 so you may gain lasting fame, 43 as people say, 44 ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel!’ The dynasty 45 of your servant David will be established before you, 7:27 for you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have told 46 your servant, ‘I will build you a dynastic house.’ 47 That is why your servant has had the courage 48 to pray this prayer to you. 7:28 Now, O sovereign Lord, you are the true God! 49 May your words prove to be true! 50 You have made this good promise to your servant! 51