2 Samuel 7:4-16
New Catholic Bible
4 However, that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: 5 “Go and tell my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: “Are you determined to build a house for me to dwell in? 6 I have not dwelled in a house from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt to this very day. I have been moving from place to place while living in a tent and a tabernacle. 7 In all of my travels everywhere among the Israelites, did I ever ask any of the judges whom I had appointed to shepherd my people Israel why they had never built me a house of cedar?” ’ ”
The Lord’s Promises.8 “Now then, this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I was the one who took you from the pastures and your work of caring for the sheep to be the ruler of my people Israel. 9 I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all of your enemies who dared to challenge you. Moreover, I intend to make your name as famous as the names of the greatest men on the earth.
10 “ ‘ “I also shall provide a place for my people Israel, and there I will plant them so that they may dwell there and never again be disturbed. Nor will the wicked afflict them anymore, as was the case formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will grant you rest from all of your enemies.
“ ‘ “Moreover, I, the Lord, promise that I will establish a royal house for you. 12 [a]And when it is time for you to be with your ancestors, I will designate as your heir one of your sons to succeed you, and I shall establish his kingdom forever. 13 It is he who will build a house in honor of my name, and I shall ensure that his royal throne will stand firm forever.
14 “ ‘ “I shall be a father to him, and he will be my son. If he does wrong, I shall punish him as any father would do and not fail to inflict chastisements upon him. 15 However, I will never withdraw my steadfast love from him as I withdrew it from Saul and shielded you from his vindictive plots. 16 Your descendants and your kingdom will stand firm forever before me, and your throne shall endure forever.” ’ ”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Samuel 7:12 The divine adoption of Solomon, one of whose descendants is the Messiah, will ensure the perpetuity of the kingdom, is a first ray of light on the divine sonship of Christ (see Heb 1:5). It is an impressive fact that while the kingdom of Israel, formed after Solomon’s death, saw no less than eight changes of dynasty in a little more than two centuries (931–721 B.C.), the Davidic dynasty was the only one to rule in Judah for three and a half centuries (931–587 B.C.), even though it, too, was subject to palace conspiracies.
