2 Samuel, 7

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

1. Now when the king dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about,

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.'

2. the king said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent."

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

3. And Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you."

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

4. But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,

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

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

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.

6. I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling.

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?"

7. In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'

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;

8. Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel;

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.

9. and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.

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

10. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,

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.

11. from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house.

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.

12. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

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

13. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

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.

14. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men;

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

15. but I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.

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

16. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.'"

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

17. In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

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?

18. Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?

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.

19. And yet this was a small thing in thy eyes, O Lord GOD; thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast shown me future generations, O Lord GOD!

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

20. And what more can David say to thee? For thou knowest thy servant, O Lord GOD!

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

21. Because of thy promise, and according to thy own heart, thou hast wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it.

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.

22. Therefore thou art great, O LORD God; for there is none like thee, and there is no God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

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?-

23. What other nation on earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name, and doing for them great and terrible things, by driving out before his people a nation and its gods?

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

24. And thou didst establish for thyself thy people Israel to be thy people for ever; and thou, O LORD, didst become their God.

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,

25. And now, O LORD God, confirm for ever the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house, and do as thou hast spoken;

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,

26. and thy name will be magnified for ever, saying, `The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,' and the house of thy servant David will be established before thee.

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.

27. For thou, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, hast made this revelation to thy servant, saying, `I will build you a house'; therefore thy servant has found courage to pray this prayer to thee.

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

28. And now, O Lord GOD, thou art God, and thy words are true, and thou hast promised this good thing to thy servant;

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.'

29. now therefore may it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee; for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken, and with thy blessing shall the house of thy servant be blessed for ever."