Font Size
2 Samuel 7
Evangelical Heritage Version
2 Samuel 7
Evangelical Heritage Version
The Lord’s Messianic Covenant With David
7 It happened that when the king was living in his palace, and when the Lord had given him rest from his enemies all around, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the Ark of God sits under tent curtains.”
3 Nathan said to the king, “Go and do everything that is in your heart, because the Lord is with you.”
4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan. He said, 5 “Go and tell my servant David all these things.”
The Covenant
This is what the Lord says. Are you the one to build a house for me to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house from the day I brought the people of Israel up from Egypt until today. I have been moving around in the Tent and the Dwelling. 7 I have traveled everywhere with all the people of Israel. Did I ever speak a word to any of the judges[a] of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, or ask them, “Why have you not built a house of cedar for me?”
8 You are also to say the following to my servant David.
This is what the Lord of Armies says. I took you from the pasture, from following sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make your reputation great, like that of the great ones on the earth. 10 I will set up a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them there. They will dwell there, and they will not be disturbed again. Violent men will not afflict them again as they did at the beginning 11 and ever since the day I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies.
The Lord also declares to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you. 12 When your days are complete and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your seed,[b] who will come from your own body. I will establish his kingdom. 13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will discipline him with a rod used by men and with blows of the sons of men. 15 My faithful mercy will not depart from him as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed to make room for you. 16 Your house will stand firm, and your kingdom will endure forever before you.[c] Your throne will be established forever.
17 Nathan told David all the words that had been revealed in this vision.
David’s Response to the Covenant
18 Then King David went and sat before the Lord and said:
Who am I, Lord God? And what is my house that you have brought me to this point? 19 Yet this was a small thing in your eyes, Lord God. You have also spoken about the house of your servant for a long time into the future. Is this the law for the man, Lord God?[d]
20 What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord God. 21 Because of your word and according to the plan of your heart, you have carried out this great thing in order to make your servant aware of it. 22 Therefore, you are great, Lord God, because there is none like you. There is no God except you, in keeping with everything we have heard with our ears.
23 Who is like your people Israel, the one people on earth whom God went out to redeem for himself, to make them his people and to make a name for himself? You yourself did great and awe-inspiring things for your land in the presence of your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, in the presence of the nations and their gods.[e] 24 You established your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever. You, Lord, became their God.
25 Now, Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 Your name will be great forever. People will say, “The Lord of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you.
27 You, Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, have whispered into the ear[f] of your servant, saying, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the heart to pray to you this prayer. 28 Now, Lord God, you are God. Your words are truth. You have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now, therefore, please bless the house of your servant, so that it will endure forever in your presence. For you, Lord God, have spoken. With your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:7 The translation follows the parallel reading in 1 Chronicles 17:6. Here the Hebrew reads tribes. In Hebrew script the words for tribes and judges look almost identical.
- 2 Samuel 7:12 Or your offspring or your descendent. The literal term seed is retained to point out the continuity of the messianic promises from Eve, through Abraham, David, and the kings of Judah, until they reach their fulfillment in Christ, the Seed of the Woman. To agree with the singular noun seed, the pronouns are singular throughout (he not they).
- 2 Samuel 7:16 The reading before you is the reading of the main Hebrew text. A few Hebrew manuscripts and the Greek Old Testament read before me.
- 2 Samuel 7:19 Literally this law of the man, Adonai Yahweh. This statement is cryptic, and the meaning is much debated. Most translations take it to mean something like Is this your usual way of dealing with mankind, Lord God? Martin Luther understood it to be a direct reference to Christ: This is the way of the Man (adam), who is the Lord God. Compare 1 Chronicles 17:17.
- 2 Samuel 7:23 The word order and agreement of the nouns in this verse is unusual and requires some rearranging in English.
- 2 Samuel 7:27 Or revealed into the ear. Literally you have uncovered the ear.
2 Samuel 7
New International Version
2 Samuel 7
New International Version
God’s Promise to David(A)
7 After the king was settled in his palace(B) and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies(C) around him,(D) 2 he said to Nathan(E) the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house(F) of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”(G)
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,(H) go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you(I) the one to build me a house to dwell in?(J) 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.(K) I have been moving from place to place with a tent(L) as my dwelling.(M) 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,(N) did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd(O) my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house(P) of cedar?(Q)”’
8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,(R) and appointed you ruler(S) over my people Israel.(T) 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone,(U) and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.(V) Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.(W) 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant(X) them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.(Y) Wicked(Z) people will not oppress them anymore,(AA) as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders[a](AB) over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.(AC)
“‘The Lord declares(AD) to you that the Lord himself will establish(AE) a house(AF) for you: 12 When your days are over and you rest(AG) with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood,(AH) and I will establish his kingdom.(AI) 13 He is the one who will build a house(AJ) for my Name,(AK) and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.(AL) 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son.(AM) When he does wrong, I will punish him(AN) with a rod(AO) wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15 But my love will never be taken away from him,(AP) as I took it away from Saul,(AQ) whom I removed from before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me[b]; your throne(AR) will be established(AS) forever.(AT)’”
17 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
David’s Prayer(AU)
18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
“Who am I,(AV) Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree,(AW) Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human![c]
20 “What more can David say(AX) to you? For you know(AY) your servant,(AZ) Sovereign Lord. 21 For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.
22 “How great(BA) you are,(BB) Sovereign Lord! There is no one like(BC) you, and there is no God(BD) but you, as we have heard with our own ears.(BE) 23 And who is like your people Israel(BF)—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name(BG) for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders(BH) by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed(BI) from Egypt?[d] 24 You have established your people Israel as your very own(BJ) forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.(BK)
25 “And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise(BL) you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26 so that your name(BM) will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established(BN) in your sight.
27 “Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy,(BO) and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29 Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing(BP) the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:11 Traditionally judges
- 2 Samuel 7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts you
- 2 Samuel 7:19 Or for the human race
- 2 Samuel 7:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 17:21; Hebrew wonders for your land and before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from the nations and their gods.
Evangelical Heritage Version (EHV)
The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version®, EHV®, © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.