2 Samuel 7 - Introduction

1 Nathan first approouing the purpose of Dauid to build God an house,

4 after by the word of God forbiddeth him.

12 He promiseth him benefites and blessings in his seede.

18 Dauids prayer and thankesgiuing.

1 And it came to passe, [Note: 1 Chronicles 17:2.] when the King sate in his house, and the Lord had giuen him rest round about fro all his enemies;

2 That the king said vnto Nathan the Prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of Cedar, but the Arke of God dwelleth within curtaines.

3 And Nathan sayde to the King,

[Gods promise.]

Go, doe all that is in thine heart: for the Lord is with thee.

4 And it came to passe that night, that the word of the Lord came vnto Nathan, saying;

5 Goe and tell [Note: Hebrew: to my seruant to Dauid.] my seruant Dauid, Thus sayth the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

6 Whereas I haue not dwelt in any house, since the time that I brought vp the children of Israel out of Egypt, euen to this day, but haue walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

7 In all the places wherein I haue walked with all the children of Israel, spake I a word with [Note: In the 1 Chronicles 17:6.any of the Iudges.] any of the tribes of Israel, whome I commanded to feede my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of Cedar?

8 Now therefore so shalt thou say vnto my seruant Dauid; Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, [Note: 1 Samuel 16:12; Psalms 78:70.] I tooke thee from the sheepe-cote, [Note: Hebrew: from after.] from following the sheepe, to be ruler ouer my people, ouer Israel.

9 And I was with thee withersoeuer thou wentest, and haue cut off all thine enemies [Note: Hebrew: from thy face.] out of thy sight, and haue made thee a great name, like vnto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

10 (Moreouer I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their owne, and mooue no more: neither shall the children of wickednesse afflict them any more, as beforetime,

11 And as since the time that I commanded Iudges to bee ouer my people Israel, and haue caused thee to rest from all thine enemies:) Also the Lord telleth thee, that he will make thee an house.

12 And [Note: 1 Kings 8:20.] when thy dayes be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers, I will set vp thy seede after thee, which shall proceede out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdome.

13 [Note: 1 Kings 5:5; 1 Kings 6:12; 1 Chronicles 22:10.] Hee shall build an house for my Name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdome for euer.

14 [Note: Hebrews 1:5.] I will be his father, and he shall be my sonne: [Note: Psalms 89:31-32.] if hee commit iniquitie, I will chasten him with the rodde of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.

15 But my mercie shall not depart away from him, as I tooke it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

[Dauids thankes, and prayer.]

16 And thine house, and thy kingdome shall be stablished for euer before thee: thy throne shall be stablished for euer.

17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speake vnto Dauid.

18 Then went king Dauid in, and sate before the Lord, and hee 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 seruants house for a great while to come, and is this the [Note: Hebrew: Law.] maner of man, O Lord God?

20 And what can Dauid say more vnto thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy seruant.

21 For thy words sake, and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things, to make thy seruant 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 haue heard with our eares.

23 And [Note: Deuteronomy 4:7.] what one nation in the earth is like thy people, euen like Israel, whom God went to redeeme for a people to himselfe, & to make him a name, and to doe for you great things, and terrible, for thy lande, before thy people which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations, and their gods?

24 For thou hast confirmed to thy selfe thy people Israel to be a people vnto thee for euer: and thou, Lord art become their God.

25 And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken, concerning thy seruant, and concerning his house, establish it for euer, and doe as thou hast said.

26 And let thy name bee magnified for euer, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God ouer Israel: and let the house of thy seruant Dauid bee established before thee.

27 For thou, O Lord of hostes, God of Israel, hast [Note: Hebrew: opened the eare.] reuealed to thy seruant, saying, I will build thee an house: therfore hath thy seruant found in his heart to pray this prayer vnto thee.

28 And now, O Lord GOD, (thou art that God, and [Note: John 17:17.] thy words be true,

[Dauids thankes, and prayer.]

and thou hast promised this goodnesse vnto thy seruant.)

29 Therefore now [Note: Hebrew: bee thou pleased and blesse.] let it please thee to blesse the house of thy seruant, that it may continue for euer before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it, and with thy blessing let the house of thy seruant be blessed for euer.