International Standard Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1After the king had settled down in his palace and the LORD had given him respite from all of his surrounding enemies,

1Now it came about when the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,

2he told the prophet Nathan, "Look now, I'm living in a cedar palace, but the Ark of God resides behind a tent curtain."

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

3Nathan replied to the king, "Go do everything you have in mind, because the LORD is with you."

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

4But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from the LORD:

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

5"Go tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD says: "'"Are you going to build a house for me to inhabit?

5"Go and say to My servant David, 'Thus says the LORD, "Are you the one who should build Me a house to dwell in?

6After all, I haven't lived in a house since the day I brought up the Israelis from Egypt until now. Instead, I've moved around in a tent that served as my dwelling place.

6"For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle.

7Wherever I moved among the Israelis, did I ever ask even one tribal leader of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, 'Why haven't you built me a cedar house?'

7"Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?'"'

8"'"Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: 'This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself—from tending sheep—to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over 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, to be ruler over My people Israel.

9"'"Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation for you, like the reputation of great ones who have lived on earth.

9"I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the earth.

10I will establish a homeland for my people—for Israel—planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past

10"I will also appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, nor will the wicked afflict them any more as formerly,

11when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' "'The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you.

11even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that the LORD will make a house for you.

12When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom.

12"When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom.

13He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever.

13"He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

14I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies and with wounds inflicted by human beings.

14"I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men,

15But I'll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence.

15but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

16Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence—your throne will be secure forever."'"

16"Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever."'"

17Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David with precisely these words.

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

18Then King David went in to the presence of the LORD, sat down, and said: "Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this?

18Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?

19And this is still a small thing to you, Lord GOD—you also have spoken about the future of your servant's house, and this is the charter for mankind, O Lord GOD!

19"And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord GOD, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord GOD.

20"What more can David say to you, and you surely know your servant, Lord GOD.

20"Again what more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord GOD!

21For the sake of your word and consistent with your desire, you have done all of these great things, informing your servant.

21"For the sake of Your word, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness to let Your servant know.

22And therefore you are great, Lord GOD, there is no one like you, there is no God except for you, just as we've heard with our own ears.

22"For this reason You are great, O Lord GOD; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

23"And who is like your people, like Israel, the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to carry out for them great and awe-inspiring accomplishments, driving out nations and their gods in front of your people, whom you redeemed to yourself from Egypt?

23"And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods?

24You have prepared your people Israel to be your very own people for ever, and you, LORD, have become their God!

24"For You have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.

25"And now, LORD God, let what you have spoken concerning your servant and his household be done—and let it be done just as you've promised.

25"Now therefore, O LORD God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken,

26May your name be made great forever with the result that it is said that the LORD of the Heavenly Armies is God over Israel, and that the household of your servant David may be established before you.

26that Your name may be magnified forever, by saying, 'The LORD of hosts is God over Israel'; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You.

27For you, LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant, telling him, 'I will build a dynasty for you,' so that your servant has found fortitude to pray this prayer to you.

27"For You, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house'; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.

28"Now therefore, Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have spoken to your servant these good things.

28"Now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.

29So may it please you to bless the household of your servant, so that it might remain forever in your presence, because you, Lord GOD, have spoken, and from your blessing may the household of your servant be blessed forever."

29"Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever."

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org