7:1  WHEN KING David dwelt in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,

7:2  The king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains.

7:3  And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.

7:4  That night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,

7:5  Go and tell My servant David, Thus says the Lord: Shall you build Me a house in which to dwell?

7:6  For I have not dwelt in a house since I brought the Israelites out of Egypt to this day, but have moved about with a tent for My dwelling.

7:7  In all the places where I have moved with all the Israelites, did I speak a word to any from the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to be shepherd of My people Israel, asking, Why do you not build Me a house of cedar?

7:8  So now say this to My servant David, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over My people Israel.

7:9  And I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like [that] of the great men of the earth.

7:10  And I will appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and be moved no more. And wicked men shall afflict them no more, as formerly

7:11  And as from the time that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord declares to you that He will make for you a house:

7:12  And when your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up after you your offspring who shall be born to you, and I will establish his kingdom.

7:13  He shall build a house for My Name [and My Presence], and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

7:14  I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. When he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the sons of men.

7:15  But My mercy {and} loving-kindness shall not depart from him, as I took [them] from Saul, whom I took away from before you.

7:16  And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you; your throne shall be established forever.

7:17  In accordance with all these words and all this vision Nathan spoke to David.

7:18  Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?

7:19  Then as if this were a little thing in Your eyes, O Lord God, You have spoken also of Your servant's house in the far distant future. And this is the law for man, O Lord God!

7:20  What more can David say to You? For You know Your servant, O Lord God.

7:21  Because of Your promise and as Your own heart dictates, You have done all these astounding things to make Your servant know {and} understand.

7:22  Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for none is like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all [You have made] our ears to hear.

7:23  What [other] one nation on earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be a people for Himself and to make for Himself a name? You have done great and terrible things for Yourself {and} for Your land, before Your people, whom You redeemed {and} delivered for Yourself from Egypt, from the nations and their gods.

7:24  And You have established for Yourself Your people Israel to be Your people forever, and You, Lord, became their God.

7:25  Now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word You have given as to Your servant and his house; and do as You have said,

7:26  And Your name [and presence] shall be magnified forever, saying, The Lord of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of Your servant David will be made firm before You.

7:27  For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant: I will build you a house. So Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You.

7:28  And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.

7:29  Therefore now let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let [his] house be blessed forever.