2 Samuel 7 — The Davidic Covenant

1And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies round about,💡

2that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.💡

3And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thy heart; for Jehovah is with thee.💡

4And it came to pass the same night, that the word of Jehovah came unto Nathan, saying,💡

5Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah, Shalt thou build me a house for me to dwell in?💡

6for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.💡

7In all places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel, spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built me a house of cedar?💡

8Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be prince over my people, over Israel;💡

9and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a great name, like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth.💡

10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first,💡

11and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover Jehovah telleth thee that Jehovah will make thee a house.💡

12When thy days are fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, that shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.💡

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

14I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men;💡

15but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.💡

16And thy house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.💡

17According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.💡

18Then David the king went in, and sat before Jehovah; and he said, Who am I, O Lord Jehovah, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?💡

19And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes, O Lord Jehovah; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come; and this too after the manner of men, O Lord Jehovah!💡

20And what can David say more unto thee? for thou knowest thy servant, O Lord Jehovah.💡

21For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it.💡

22Wherefore thou art great, O Jehovah God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.💡

23And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem unto himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and terrible things for thy land, before thy people, whom thou redeemest to thee out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?💡

24And thou didst establish to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever; and thou, Jehovah, becamest their God.💡

25And now, O Jehovah God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, confirm thou it for ever, and do as thou hast spoken.💡

26And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, Jehovah of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of thy servant David shall be established before thee.💡

27For thou, O Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.💡

28And now, O Lord Jehovah, thou art God, and thy words are truth, and thou hast promised this good thing unto thy servant:💡

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