2 Samuel 7 - Revised Standard Version(RSV)

1 of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’

8Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel;

9and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.

10And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,

11from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house.

12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

14 my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.

16And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.’ ”

17In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

18Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?

19And yet this was a small thing in thy eyes, O Lord God; thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast shown me future generations, O Lord God!

20And what more can David say to thee? For thou knowest thy servant, O Lord God!

21Because of thy promise, and according to thy own heart, thou hast wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it.

22Therefore thou art great, O Lord God; for there is none like thee, and there is no God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

23What other nation on earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name, and doing for them great and terrible things, by driving out before his people a nation and its gods?

24And thou didst establish for thyself thy people Israel to be thy people for ever; and thou, O Lord, didst become their God.

25And now, O Lord God, confirm for ever the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house, and do as thou hast spoken;

26and thy name will be magnified for ever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of thy servant David will be established before thee.

27For thou, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, hast made this revelation to thy servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house’; therefore thy servant has found courage to pray this prayer to thee.

28And now, O Lord God, thou art God, and thy words are true, and thou hast promised this good thing to thy servant;

29now therefore may 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, and with thy blessing shall the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.”