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2 Samuel 7
The Voice
2 Samuel 7
The Voice
David’s dancing is part of the celebration and ritual involved with bringing the covenant chest into the city, part of a sacred party where in addition to ritual sacrifice and shouts of joy and playing the trumpet, all of the people feast. As the anointed king of Israel, David could behave with reserve and dignity—which his wife, Saul’s daughter Michal, apparently thinks most fitting in a king—but perhaps it is more fitting for the king God has placed on the throne to join in the worship and celebration welcoming God into their city and into their lives. David tells Michal that he doesn’t care how other people react to his worship and praise of God, for in his own eyes—and in the eyes of the faithful—he has done what is right.
7 Now when the king was settled in his house and the Eternal had given him rest from battling all his enemies, 2 he spoke to the prophet Nathan.
David: Look at this: I live in a beautiful palace made of cedar, but the covenant chest of the True God rests in a tent made of curtains.
Nathan: 3 Go do whatever you’re planning to do, for the Eternal One is with you.
4 But that same night, the Eternal spoke to Nathan.
Eternal One: 5 Go and tell My servant David this message is from the Eternal One: “Are you the person who will build a house for Me to live in? 6 I have not lived in a house since I brought My people Israel up from Egypt, but have moved around all this time in a tent, even in the congregation tent. 7 Wherever My travels with the people of Israel have taken Me, did I ever go to one of the tribal leaders who were the shepherds for My sheep and ask, ‘Why haven’t you made Me a house of cedar to live in?’”
8 So now you shall tell David, My servant this message is from the Eternal One, the Commander of heavenly armies: “I took you from the pastures where you followed sheep and made you king of all My people Israel so you now lead My sheep. 9 I have been with you wherever you journeyed and have given you victory over your enemies; and I will make you highly respected, with a name as great as any who live on earth. 10-11 And I will select a place for My people Israel and plant them firmly in that place, a land they can call their own, a land of peace. The wicked will not bother them again as they did from the time I appointed the judges to govern My people, and I will give you rest from fighting your enemies.
More importantly, I, the Eternal swear to you that I will raise up a dynasty from your family. 12 When you come to the end of your days, and you leave this life to lie down with your fathers, I will raise up from you a descendant, your own flesh and blood, and I will make his kingdom and family sure. 13 He will be the one to build a temple honoring My name, and I will establish the leadership of his kingdom for all time. 14 I will be to him a father, and he will be to Me a son.[a] When he crosses the line and acts badly, I will teach him with a rod used by people for correction and a lash for discipline. 15 But I will not withdraw My love from him as I did from Saul, whom I set aside in favor of you. 16 Your dynasty, your kingdom, will stand perpetually in My sight; your descendants will rule continually.”
17 Nathan did as He had told him and related this vision to David. 18 Then King David was strongly moved and went into the presence of the Eternal.
David: Who am I, O Eternal Lord, and what is my family that You have raised me so high? 19 You have spoken of this as though it were a tiny thing, simple, O Eternal Lord. You have also talked about the future of Your servant’s family and kingdom, a great future stretching off into the distance. This, O Eternal Lord, is Your instruction for humanity. 20 What can I say to You? You know Your servant inside and out, O Eternal Lord. 21 Because You promised it and it pleased You, You have made these amazing things happen, so that Your servant might know You are behind it. 22 So You are great, O Eternal Lord. No one else like You exists, and there is no god greater than You, as we should know from everything we have heard.
23 And who is like Your people, Israel? Is there another nation on the earth where God went to redeem them from Egypt and to distinguish Himself with awe-inspiring deeds of power by driving other nations and their false gods out of their path? 24 You chose to take Israel as Your people perpetually; and You, Eternal One, chose to be their God.
25 So yes, Eternal God, take the words You have spoken about me, Your servant, and my family and kingdom, and make them true perpetually. Do what You have promised. 26 Then Your name will be revered forever in the words, “The Eternal One, the Commander of heavenly armies, is the God over Israel,” and the dynasty of Your servant David will be established before You. 27 For You, O Eternal God, the Commander of heavenly armies, the God of Israel, have shown me what You intend, saying, “I will establish your dynasty,” and that is why I have found the courage to pray this prayer in Your presence. 28 O Eternal Lord, You are the True God, and Your words are always true, and You have made this good promise to me, Your servant. 29 So may it please You to continue to bless me, my family, and my kingdom so that my dynasty may be continually before Your sight. For You, O Eternal Lord, have spoken; and with Your blessing, my descendants and kingdom will always be blessed.
Footnotes
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.
2 Samuel 7
King James Version
2 Samuel 7
King James Version
7 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee.
4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,
5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time 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.
7 In all the 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 feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.
12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14 I 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:
15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.
17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
18 Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God?
20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy servant.
21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
22 Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.
25 And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.
26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
27 For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
28 And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
The Voice (VOICE)
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.