2 Samuel, 7

1. When King David was settled in his palace, and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,

1. Once the king had settled into his palace and Yahweh had granted him rest from all the enemies surrounding him,

2. he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"

2. the king said to the prophet Nathan, 'Look, I am living in a cedar-wood palace, while the ark of God is under awnings.'

3. Nathan answered the king, "Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you."

3. Nathan said to the king, 'Go and do whatever you have in mind, for Yahweh is with you.'

4. But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:

4. But that very night, the word of Yahweh came to Nathan:

5. "Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in?

5. 'Go and tell my servant David, "Yahweh says this: Are you to build me a temple for me to live in?

6. I have not dwelt in a house from the day on which I led the Israelites out of Egypt to the present, but I have been going about in a tent under cloth.

6. I have never lived in a house from the day when I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today, but have kept travelling with a tent for shelter.

7. In all my wanderings everywhere among the Israelites, did I ever utter a word to any one of the judges whom I charged to tend my people Israel, to ask: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'

7. In all my travels with all the Israelites, did I say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I had commanded to shepherd my people Israel: Why do you not build me a cedar-wood temple?"

8. "Now then, speak thus to my servant David, 'The LORD of hosts has this to say: It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel.

8. This is what you must say to my servant David, "Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel;

9. I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.

9. I have been with you wherever you went; I have got rid of all your enemies for you. I am going to make your fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth.

10. I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,

10. I am going to provide a place for my people Israel; I shall plant them there, and there they will live and never be disturbed again; nor will they be oppressed by the wicked any more, as they were in former times

11. since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you.

11. ever since the time when I instituted judges to govern my people Israel; and I shall grant you rest from all your enemies. Yahweh furthermore tells you that he will make you a dynasty.

12. And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm.

12. And when your days are over and you fall asleep with your ancestors, I shall appoint your heir, your own son to succeed you (and I shall make his sovereignty secure.

13. It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever.

13. He will build a temple for my name) and I shall make his royal throne secure for ever.

14. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he does wrong, I will correct him with the rod of men and with human chastisements;

14. I shall be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does wrong, I shall punish him with a rod such as men use, with blows such as mankind gives.

15. but I will not withdraw my favor from him as I withdrew it from your predecessor Saul, whom I removed from my presence.

15. But my faithful love will never be withdrawn from him as I withdrew it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

16. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"

16. Your dynasty and your sovereignty will ever stand firm before me and your throne be for ever secure." '

17. Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

17. Nathan related all these words and this whole revelation to David.

18. Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, "Who am I, Lord GOD, and who are the members of my house, that you have brought me to this point?

18. King David then went in, sat down in Yahweh's presence and said: 'Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my lineage, for you to have led me as far as this?

19. Yet even this you see as too little, Lord GOD; you have also spoken of the house of your servant for a long time to come: this too you have shown to man, Lord GOD!

19. Yet, to you, Lord Yahweh, this seemed too little, and now you extend your promises for your servant's family into the distant future. Such is human destiny, Lord Yahweh.

20. What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord GOD!

20. What more can David say to you, since you, Lord Yahweh, know all about your servant?

21. For your servant's sake and as you have had at heart, you have brought about this entire magnificent disclosure to your servant.

21. Because of your promise and since you were so inclined, you have had the generosity to reveal this to your servant.

22. And so-- "Great are you, Lord GOD! There is none like you and there is no God but you, just as we have heard it told.

22. That is why you are great, Lord Yahweh; there is no one like you, no God but you alone, as everything that we have heard confirms.

23. What other nation on earth is there like your people Israel, which God has led, redeeming it as his people; so that you have made yourself renowned by doing this magnificent deed, and by doing awe-inspiring things as you cleared nations and their gods out of the way of your people, which you redeemed for yourself from Egypt?

23. Is there another people on earth like your people, like Israel, whom a god proceeded to redeem, to make them his people and to make a name for himself by performing great and terrible things on their behalf, by driving out nations and their gods before his people?-

24. You have established for yourself your people Israel as yours forever, and you, LORD, have become their God.

24. for you constituted your people Israel your own people for ever and you, Yahweh, became their God.

25. And now, LORD God, confirm for all time the prophecy you have made concerning your servant and his house, and do as you have promised.

25. 'Now, Yahweh God, may the promise which you have made for your servant and for his family stand firm forever as you have said,

26. Your name will be forever great, when men say, 'The LORD of hosts is God of Israel,' and the house of your servant David stands firm before you.

26. so that your name will be exalted for ever and people will say, "Israel's God is Yahweh Sabaoth." Your servant David's dynasty will be secure before you,

27. It is you, LORD of hosts, God of Israel, who said in a revelation to your servant, 'I will build a house for you.' Therefore your servant now finds the courage to make this prayer to you.

27. since you, Yahweh Sabaoth, the God of Israel, have disclosed to your servant, "I am going to build you a dynasty." Hence, your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you.

28. And now, Lord GOD, you are God and your words are truth; you have made this generous promise to your servant.

28. Yes, Lord Yahweh, you are God indeed, your words are true and you have made this generous promise to your servant.

29. Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever; for you, Lord GOD, have promised, and by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever."

29. What is more, you have deigned to bless your servant's dynasty, so that it may remain for ever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken; and may your servant's dynasty be blessed with your blessing for ever.'