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17 Now it came to pass, as Dovid sat in his bais, that Dovid said to Natan HaNavi, Hinei, I dwell in a bais ha’arazim (a palace of cedars) but the Aron Brit Hashem [dwelleth] under tent curtains.

Then Natan said to Dovid, Do all that is in thine levav; for HaElohim is with thee.

And it came to pass the same lailah, that the Devar Elohim came to Natan, saying,

Go and tell Dovid Avdi, Thus saith Hashem, Thou shalt not build Me HaBayit to dwell in,

For I have not dwelt in a Bayit since the day that I brought up Yisroel until this day, but have gone from ohel to ohel, and from one mishkan to another.

Wheresoever I have walked with kol Yisroel, spoke I a word to any of the Shofetim of Yisroel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, Why have ye not built me a Bais Arazim?

Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto Avdi Dovid, Thus saith Hashem Tzva’os, I took thee from the naveh, even from following the tzon, that thou shouldest be Nagid over My people Yisroel;

And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine oyevim from before thee, and have made thee a shem like the shem of the gedolim that are in ha’aretz.

Also I will ordain a makom for My people Yisroel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the bnei avel oppress them any more, as they did at the beginning,

10 And since the time that I commanded Shofetim to be over My people Yisroel. Moreover I will subdue all thine oyevim. Furthermore I tell thee that Hashem will build thee a Bais (House, Dynasty).

11 And it shall come to pass, when thy yamim are expired that thou must go to be with Avoteicha, that I will raise up thy zera after thee, which shall be of thy banim; and I will establish his Malchut ([Messianic] Kingdom).

12 He shall build for Me a Bais, and I will establish his kisse ad olam.

13 I will be his Av, and he shall be My Ben [HaElohim]; and I will not take My chesed away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee,

14 But I will set him in Mine Bais and in My Malchut ad olam, and his kisse shall be established ad olam.

15 According to all these devarim, and according to all this chazon (revelation), so did Natan speak unto Dovid.

16 And Dovid HaMelech came and sat before Hashem, and said, Who am I, Hashem Elohim, and what is mine bais, that Thou hast brought me hitherto?

17 And as if this were not sufficient in Thine eyes, O Elohim, Thou hast also spoken of Bais Avdecha in the future afar off, and hast regarded me according to the estate of ha’adam hama’alah (the man of high degree), O Hashem Elohim.

18 What more can Dovid speak to Thee regarding the kavod of Thy eved? For Thou hast da’as of Thy eved.

19 Hashem, for the sake of Thy eved, and according to Thine own lev (heart, will), hast Thou done all this gedullah (greatness), in making known kol hagedulot (all great things).

20 Hashem, there is none like Thee, neither is there any Elohim zulah (besides) Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

21 And what one goy (nation) in ha’aretz is like Thy people Yisroel, whom HaElohim went to redeem to be His own people, to make for Thee Shem Gedullot and Nora’ot, by driving out Goyim from before Thy people whom Thou hast redeemed out of Mitzrayim?

22 For Thy people Yisroel didst Thou make Thine own people ad olam; Thou Hashem, became their Elohim.

23 Therefore now, Hashem, let the davar that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy eved and concerning his Bais be established ad olam, and do as Thou hast said.

24 Let it even be established, that Thy Shem may be magnified ad olam, saying, Hashem Tzva’os is Elohei Yisroel, even Elohim to Yisroel; let Bais Dovid Avdecha be established before Thee.

25 For Thou, O Elohai, hast revealed in the ozen of Thy eved that Thou wilt build him a Bais; therefore Thy eved hath found to daven in prayer before Thee.

26 Now, Hashem, Thou art HaElohim, and hast promised this tovah unto Thy eved.

27 Now therefore let it please Thee to make brocha upon the Bais of Thy eved, that it may be before Thee l’olam; for Thou makest brocha Hashem, and it shall be mevorech l’olam (blessed forever).

God’s Promise to David(A)

17 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.(B)

Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind,(C) do it, for God is with you.”

But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You(D) are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders[a] whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?(E)”’

“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler(F) over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders(G) over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build(H) a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.(I) 13 I will be his father,(J) and he will be my son.(K) I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne(L) will be established forever.(M)’”

15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer(N)

16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.

18 “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, 19 Lord. For the sake(O) of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.(P)

20 “There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you,(Q) as we have heard with our own ears. 21 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem(R) a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22 You made your people Israel your very own forever,(S) and you, Lord, have become their God.

23 “And now, Lord, let the promise(T) you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, 24 so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

25 “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. 26 You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight;(U) for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:6 Traditionally judges; also in verse 10