2 Samuel 7

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Once the king had settled into his palace and Yahweh had granted him rest from al the enemiessurrounding him,	1 When King David was settled in his palace, and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side,
2 the king said to the prophet Nathan, 'Look, I am living in a cedar-wood palace, while the ark of God isunder awnings.'	2 he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!"
3 Nathan said to the king, 'Go and do whatever you have in mind, for Yahweh is with you.'	3 Nathan answered the king, "Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you."
4 But that very night, the word of Yahweh came to Nathan:	4 But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:
5 'Go and tell my servant David, "Yahweh says this: Are you to build me a temple for me to live in?	5 "Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in?
6 I have never lived in a house from the day when I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today, buthave kept travel ing with a tent for shelter.	6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day on which I led the Israelites out of Egypt to the present, but I have been going about in a tent under cloth.
7 In al my travels with al the Israelites, did I say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I had commanded to shepherd my people Israel: Why do you not build me a cedar-wood temple?"	7 In all my wanderings everywhere among the Israelites, did I ever utter a word to any one of the judges whom I charged to tend my people Israel, to ask: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'
8 This is what you must say to my servant David, "Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I took you from thepasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel;	8 "Now then, speak thus to my servant David, 'The LORD of hosts has this to say: It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel.
9 I have been with you wherever you went; I have got rid of al your enemies for you. I am going to makeyour fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth.	9 I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.
10 I am going to provide a place for my people Israel; I shall plant them there, and there they wil live andnever be disturbed again; nor wil they be oppressed by the wicked any more, as they were in former times	10 I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old,
11 ever since the time when I instituted judges to govern my people Israel; and I shal grant you rest fromal your enemies. Yahweh furthermore tel s you that he wil make you a dynasty.	11 since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you.
12 And when your days are over and you fal asleep with your ancestors, I shal appoint your heir, yourown son to succeed you (and I shal make his sovereignty secure.	12 And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm.
13 He wil build a temple for my name) and I shal make his royal throne secure for ever.	13 It is he who shall build a house for my name. And I will make his royal throne firm forever.
14 I shal be a father to him and he a son to me; if he does wrong, I shal punish him with a rod such asmen use, with blows such as mankind gives.	14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he does wrong, I will correct him with the rod of men and with human chastisements;
15 But my faithful love wil never be withdrawn from him as I withdrew it from Saul, whom I removed frombefore you.	15 but I will not withdraw my favor from him as I withdrew it from your predecessor Saul, whom I removed from my presence.
16 Your dynasty and your sovereignty will ever stand firm before me and your throne be for ever secure."'	16 Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"
17 Nathan related al these words and this whole revelation to David.	17 Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.
18 King David then went in, sat down in Yahweh's presence and said: 'Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and whatis my lineage, for you to have led me as far as this?	18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, "Who am I, Lord GOD, and who are the members of my house, that you have brought me to this point?
19 Yet, to you, Lord Yahweh, this seemed too little, and now you extend your promises for your servant'sfamily into the distant future. Such is human destiny, Lord Yahweh.	19 Yet even this you see as too little, Lord GOD; you have also spoken of the house of your servant for a long time to come: this too you have shown to man, Lord GOD!
20 What more can David say to you, since you, Lord Yahweh, know al about your servant?	20 What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord GOD!
21 Because of your promise and since you were so inclined, you have had the generosity to reveal this toyour servant.	21 For your servant's sake and as you have had at heart, you have brought about this entire magnificent disclosure to your servant.
22 That is why you are great, Lord Yahweh; there is no one like you, no God but you alone, as everythingthat we have heard confirms.	22 And so-- "Great are you, Lord GOD! There is none like you and there is no God but you, just as we have heard it told.
23 Is there another people on earth like your people, like Israel, whom a god proceeded to redeem, tomake them his people and to make a name for himself by performing great and terrible things on their behalf, bydriving out nations and their gods before his people? -	23 What other nation on earth is there like your people Israel, which God has led, redeeming it as his people; so that you have made yourself renowned by doing this magnificent deed, and by doing awe-inspiring things as you cleared nations and their gods out of the way of your people, which you redeemed for yourself from Egypt?
24 for you constituted your people Israel your own people for ever and you, Yahweh, became their God.	24 You have established for yourself your people Israel as yours forever, and you, LORD, have become their God.
25 'Now, Yahweh God, may the promise which you have made for your servant and for his family standfirm forever as you have said,	25 And now, LORD God, confirm for all time the prophecy you have made concerning your servant and his house, and do as you have promised.
26 so that your name wil be exalted for ever and people wil say, "Israel's God is Yahweh Sabaoth." Yourservant David's dynasty wil be secure before you,	26 Your name will be forever great, when men say, 'The LORD of hosts is God of Israel,' and the house of your servant David stands firm before you.
27 since you, Yahweh Sabaoth, the God of Israel, have disclosed to your servant, "I am going to buildyou a dynasty." Hence, your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you.	27 It is you, LORD of hosts, God of Israel, who said in a revelation to your servant, 'I will build a house for you.' Therefore your servant now finds the courage to make this prayer to you.
28 Yes, Lord Yahweh, you are God indeed, your words are true and you have made this generouspromise to your servant.	28 And now, Lord GOD, you are God and your words are truth; you have made this generous promise to your servant.
29 What is more, you have deigned to bless your servant's dynasty, so that it may remain for ever beforeyou; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken; and may your servant's dynasty be blessed with your blessing forever.'	29 Do, then, bless the house of your servant that it may be before you forever; for you, Lord GOD, have promised, and by your blessing the house of your servant shall be blessed forever."