2 Samuel 7

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

1After King David was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him peace from all the enemies around him,

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.

2the king said to Nathan the prophet, 'Look, I am living in a beautiful palace made of cedar, while the ark of God is kept in a tent made of curtains.'

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

3Nathan replied to the king, 'Go and do whatever you have in mind, because the LORD is with you.'

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

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

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

5'Go and tell my servant David: This is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build a house for me to live 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.

6I have not lived in a house from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today. Instead, I have been moving around in a tent and 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?

7In all the places where I have traveled with the Israelites, did I ever say a word to any of the tribal leaders I appointed to shepherd my people? Did I ever ask them, "Why haven't you 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;

8'Now then, tell my servant David: This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be the leader over my people 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.

9I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. Now I will make your name famous, like the names of the greatest people on 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,

10I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so they can have a home of their own where they won't be disturbed anymore. Evil people will no longer mistreat them as they did in the past,

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.

11dating back to the time I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. Furthermore, the LORD tells you that he himself will build a house for you.

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.

12When your life is over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your own descendants to succeed you, and I will make his kingdom strong.

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

13He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will make his royal throne secure forever.

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;

14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod and with strokes from men, as a father would.

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

15But I will never take my faithful love away from him as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed to make way for you.

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

16Your house and your kingdom will continue forever before me; your throne will be established forever.'

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

17Nathan told David everything that the LORD had said to him in this vision.

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?

18Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, 'Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this 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!

19And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Lord GOD, you have even spoken about the future of my family for a long time to come. Is this your usual way of dealing with people, O Lord GOD?

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

20What more can I say to you? For you know me, your servant, O Lord GOD.

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

21Because of your promise and according to your own will, you have done all these great things to let your servant know about them.

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.

22How great you are, O Lord GOD! There is no one like you, and there is no God except you, just as we have heard with our own 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 redeemedst to thee out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

23And what other nation on earth is like your people Israel? You are the God who went to rescue them to be your own people, to make a name for yourself, and to do great and awesome miracles for your land. You did this in front of your people, whom you rescued for yourself from Egypt and from other 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.

24You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, LORD, have become 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.

25And now, O LORD God, keep the promise you have made concerning me and my family forever. Do exactly what you have said.

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.

26Then your name will be honored forever when people say, "The LORD of Heaven’s Armies is God over Israel!" And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

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.

27O LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, "I will build a house for you." That is why I have found the courage to pray this prayer to you.

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

28O Lord GOD, you are God! Your words are true, and you have promised these good things to your 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.

29Now, please bless my family so that it may continue forever in your presence. For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing may my family be blessed forever.'