2 Samuel 7

7 ¹When the king had settled in his house, and our Father had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, ²the king told Nathan the prophet, "Look now, I live in a house of cedar, but our Father's ark stays in a tent."

³Nathan told the king, "Go, do all that's in your heart, for our Father is with you."

⁴But that same night the word of our Father came to Nathan:

⁵"Go tell my servant David: This is what your Father says: 'Are you the one to build me a house to live in? ⁶I have not lived in a house since I brought Israel up from Egypt until now, but have moved from place to place with a tent for my dwelling.' ⁷Wherever I moved with all Israel, did I ever say a word to any leader I commanded to shepherd my people, 'Why haven't you built me a house of cedar?' ⁸Now tell my servant David: This is what the Father of heaven's armies says: 'I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to rule my people Israel. ⁹I was with you wherever you went, and cut off all your enemies before you. I will make your name great, like the greatest on earth. ¹⁰I will provide a place for my people Israel and plant them there to live undisturbed in their own place. Violent men will no longer oppress them as before, ¹¹from when I appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. Your Father also declares to you that he himself will make you a house. ¹²When your days end and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who comes from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He will build a house for my name, and I will establish his kingdom's throne forever. ¹⁴I will be his Father, and he will be my son. When he sins, I will discipline him with a human rod, with blows human hands deal, ¹⁵but my covenant love will not leave him, as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.'"

¹⁷Nathan reported to David all these words and this entire vision.

David Gives Thanks Before His Father

¹⁸Then King David went in and sat before our Father, and said: "Who am I, Sovereign Father, and what is my house, that you brought me this far? ¹⁹As if this were a small thing in your eyes, Sovereign Father, you have also spoken of your servant's house far into the future. Is this your way with all humanity, Sovereign Father? ²⁰What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign Father. ²¹For your word's sake and your own heart, you have done all this greatness, making it known to your servant. ²²So you are great, Sovereign Father. There is none like you, and no God but you, from all we have heard with our own ears. ²³Who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth our Father went out to redeem as a people for himself, making a name for himself, doing for you great and awesome things—driving out nations and their gods before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt? ²⁴You made your people Israel your own forever, and you, our Father, became their Father.

²⁵And now, our Father, keep forever the word you spoke about your servant and his house, and do as you promised.' ²⁶Your name will be great forever, and people will say, 'The Father of heaven's armies is God over Israel.' The house of your servant David will stand firm before you. ²⁷For you, Father of heaven's armies, God of Israel, revealed this to your servant: 'I will build you a house.' So your servant found courage to pray this prayer to you.

²⁸And now, Sovereign Father, you are God, your words are true, and you promised this good thing to your servant. ²⁹So now, please bless your servant's house, that it may last forever before you. For you, Sovereign Father, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant's house will be blessed forever."