2 Samuel 7

1 And it happened, when the king was settled in his house and the Lord had given him his inheritance on every side, from all his enemies around him, [a] 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look now — I am living in a house of cedar, and the ark of God sits in the middle of a tent.” [b] 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Everything that is in your heart — go and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4 And it happened that night, and the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and say to my slave David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one who will build me a house for me to live in. [c] 6 For I have not lived in a house from the day I brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt until this day; I have been walking about in a lodging and in a tent. 7 In all the places I went with all Israel, did I ever speak a word to one tribe of Israel, the one I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, and say, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ [d]

8 And now, this is what you are to say to my slave David: ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the sheepfold, to be leader over my people, over Israel. [e] 9 And I was with you everywhere you went, and I destroyed all your enemies from before you, and I made you renowned, like the name of the great ones on the earth. 10 And I will set a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they will settle by themselves and worry no more; and a son of wrongdoing will not go on bringing them low, as he did from the beginning, 11 from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. And the Lord will tell you that you will build him a house. [f]

12 And when your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, one who will come from your own body, and I will make his kingdom ready. 13 He will build me a house for my name, and I will set his throne upright forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. And if his wrongdoing comes, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the strokes of the sons of men. 15 But my mercy I will not take away from him, as I took it away from those I removed from before me. 16 And his house will be made sure, and his kingdom forever before me, and his throne will be set upright forever.’” 17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

18 And King David came in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, Lord my Lord, and what is my house, that you have loved me this far? [g] 19 And this was made a small thing before you, Lord my Lord, and you have spoken about the house of your slave far into the years to come. And this is the law of mankind, Lord my Lord. [h] 20 And what more will David say to you? You yourself know your slave, Lord my Lord.

21 For the sake of your word you have acted, and according to your own heart you have done all this greatness, to make it known to your slave, [i] 22 so that you may be made great, Lord my Lord. For there is no one like you, and there is no God but you, among all of whom we have heard with our ears. 23 And who is like your people Israel, another nation on the earth? — how God led him, to ransom for himself a people, to make you a name, to do greatness and to show himself, so that you should drive out from before your people, whom you ransomed for yourself out of Egypt, nations and their dwellings. [j] 24 And you made your people Israel ready for yourself, a people forever; and you, Lord, became their God.

25 And now, Lord my Lord, the word you have spoken about your slave and about his house — make it sure forever, Lord Almighty, God of Israel. And now, just as you have spoken, 26 may your name be made great forever. 27 Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have uncovered the ear of your slave and said, ‘I will build you a house.’ That is why your slave has found his own heart to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, Lord my Lord, you are God, and your words will be true, and you have spoken these good things about your slave. 29 And now begin, and bless the house of your slave, so that it may last forever before you; for you, Lord my Lord, have spoken it, and from your blessing the house of your slave will be blessed forever.”