God’s Promise to David
1The king moved into his palace. The Lord had given him peace and rest from all his enemies around him. 2Then the king spoke to Nathan the prophet. He said, “Here I am, living in a house that has beautiful cedar walls. But the ark of God remains in a tent.”
3Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do what you want to. The Lord is with you.”
4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan. The Lord said,
5“Go and speak to my servant David. Tell him, ‘The Lord says, “Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt. But I have not lived in a house from then until now. I have been moving from place to place. I have been living in a tent. 7I have moved from place to place with all the Israelites. I commanded their rulers to be shepherds over them. I never asked any of those rulers, ‘Why haven’t you built me a house that has beautiful cedar walls?’ ” ’
8“So tell my servant David, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “I took you away from the grasslands. That’s where you were taking care of your father’s sheep and goats. I made you ruler over my people Israel. 9I have been with you everywhere you have gone. I have destroyed all your enemies. Now I will make you famous. Your name will be just as respected as the names of the most important people on earth. 10I will provide a place where my people Israel can live. I will plant them in the land. Then they will have a home of their own. They will not be bothered anymore. Evil people will no longer crush them, as they did at first. 11That is what your enemies have done ever since I appointed leaders over my people Israel. But I will give you peace and rest from all of them.
“ ‘ “I tell you that I, the Lord, will set up a royal house for you. 12Some day your life will come to an end. You will join the members of your family who have already died. Then I will make one of your own sons the next king after you. And I will make his kingdom secure. 13He is the one who will build a house where I will put my Name. I will set up the throne of his kingdom. It will last forever. 14I will be his father. And he will be my son. When he does what is wrong, I will use other men to beat him with rods and whips. 15I took my love away from Saul. I removed him from being king. You were there when I did it. But I will never take my love away from your son. 16Your royal house and your kingdom will last forever in my sight. Your throne will last forever.” ’ ”
17Nathan reported to David all the words that the Lord had spoken to him.
David’s Prayer to the Lord
18Then King David went into the holy tent. He sat down in front of the Lord. He said,
“Lord and King, who am I? My family isn’t important. So why have you brought me this far? 19I would have thought that you had already done more than enough for me. But now, Lord and King, you have also said what will happen to my royal house in days to come. And, my Lord and King, this promise is for a mere human being!
20“What more can I say to you? Lord and King, you know all about me. 21You have done a wonderful thing. You have made it known to me. You have done it because that’s what you said you would do. It’s exactly what you wanted to do for me.
22“Lord and King, how great you are! There isn’t anyone like you. There isn’t any God but you. We have heard about it with our own ears. 23Who is like your people Israel? God, we are the one nation on earth you have saved. You have set us free for yourself. Your name has become famous. You have done great and wonderful things. You have driven out nations and their gods to make room for your people. You saved us when you set us free from Egypt. 24You made Israel your very own people forever. Lord, you have become our God.
25“And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made to me and my royal house. Do exactly as you promised. 26Then your name will be honored forever. People will say, ‘The Lord rules over all. He is God over Israel.’ My royal house will be made secure in your sight.
27“Lord who rules over all, you are the God of Israel. Here’s what you have shown me. You told me, ‘I will build you a royal house.’ So I can boldly pray this prayer to you. 28Lord and King, you are God! Your covenant can be trusted. You have promised many good things to me. 29Now please bless my royal house. Then it will continue forever in your sight. Lord and King, you have spoken. Because you have given my royal house your blessing, it will be blessed forever.”
Onyankopɔn Hyɛ Dawid Bɔ
1Bere a wɔbɔɔ ɔhene no atenase wɔ nʼahemfi na Awurade ama asomdwoe aba asase no so no, 2Dawid frɛɛ odiyifo Natan se, “Hwɛ, mete ahemfi a wɔde sida asi mu, na Onyankopɔn Adaka no nso si ntamadan mu.”
3Na Natan buaa ɔhene no se, “Biribiara a woadwene ho sɛ wobɛyɛ no, kɔ so na yɛ, na Awurade ka wo ho.”
4Na anadwo no, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Natan se,
5“Kɔka kyerɛ me somfo Dawid se, ‘Sɛnea Awurade se ni: Wone obi a ɛsɛ sɛ wusi dan ma me na metena mu ana? 6Efi bere a mede Israelfo fi Misraim bae de besi nnɛ no, mentenaa ɔdan mu da. Daa wotu mʼase fi baabi kɔ baabi. 7Bere biara a wotu mʼase a Israelman nyinaa ka me ho no, motee sɛ mibisaa wɔn sodifo, wɔn a mehyɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnhwɛ me nkurɔfo Israelfo no se, “Adɛn nti na momfaa sida nsii ofi mmaa me da?” ’
8“Afei, kɔka kyerɛ me somfo Dawid se, ‘Sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni: Miyii wo fii mmoa adidibea ne nguan akyidi mu, de wo besii me nkurɔfo Israel so hene. 9Na baabiara a wokɔ no, meka wo ho, na matwa wʼatamfo nyinaa afi wʼanim. Na mɛma woagye din wɔ asase yi nyinaa so. 10Na mama me nkurɔfo Israelfo no baabi a wɔbɛtena afebɔɔ. Beae bi a ɛwɔ bammɔ a obiara renhaw wɔn. Ɛhɔ bɛyɛ wɔn ankasa asase a aman amumɔyɛfo renhyɛ wɔn so, sɛnea wɔyɛɛ bere bi a atwa mu no, 11efi bere a mepaw atemmufo sɛ wonni me nkurɔfo so no. Mɛsan ama mo bammɔ afi mo atamfo nyinaa nsam.
“ ‘Na Awurade aka akyerɛ wo se, ɔno Awurade na ɔbɛkyekyere ofi ama wo; ahemfo ntoatoaso fi. 12Na sɛ wo nna to twa a, mɛma wʼaseni a ofi wʼasen mu adi wʼade, na matim nʼaheman ase. 13Ɔno ne obi a obesi dan de me din ato so. Na matim nʼaheman mu ahengua ase afebɔɔ. 14Mɛyɛ nʼagya, na wayɛ me Ba. Sɛ ɔyɛ bɔne a, mɛma aman bi atwe nʼaso. 15Nanso, merenyi me dɔ mfi ne so da, sɛnea miyi fii Saulo a miyii no fii wʼanim no so ansa na wubedii nʼade no. 16Wo fi ne wʼahenni betim wɔ mʼanim afebɔɔ; na wʼahengua betim daa nyinaa.’ ”
17Enti Natan san kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn kɔkaa nsɛm a Awurade aka no nyinaa kyerɛɛ no.
Dawid Aseda Mpaebɔ
18Na ɔhene Dawid kɔtenaa Awurade anim bɔɔ mpae se,
“Awurade Tumfo, me ne hena, na me fifo yɛ dɛn a wode me abedu nnɛ? 19Na afei Otumfo Awurade, eyinom nyinaa akyi no, woka sɛ wobɛma me ahenni a ɛte hɔ daa. Woyɛ nnipa nyinaa sɛɛ ana, Awurade Tumfo?
20“Dɛn bio na metumi aka? Efisɛ wunim wʼakoa, Awurade Tumfo. 21Wʼasɛm ne wo pɛ mu nti, woayɛ nneɛma kɛse yi nyinaa akyerɛ wo somfo.
22“Wo kɛseyɛ yɛ kokuroo, Awurade Tumfo! Obiara nte sɛ wo, Onyankopɔn bi nni hɔ sɛ wo, na yɛntee onyame foforo bi mpo ho asɛm ɛ! 23Ɔman bɛn na ɛwɔ asase yi so a ɛte sɛ Israel? Ɔman foforo bɛn na woayi no afi nkoasom mu de wɔn ayɛ wo man? Bere a wuyii wo nkurɔfo fii Misraim no, wugyee din. Woyɛɛ anwonwade a ɛyɛ hu de pam aman ne ahoni ahorow a na wɔyɛ akwanside ma wo nkurɔfo no. 24Woasi wo nkurɔfo Israel sɛ wʼankasa wʼade afebɔɔ, na wo, Awurade, woabɛyɛ wɔn Nyankopɔn.
25“Na afei, Awurade Nyankopɔn, di bɔ a wohyɛ faa wʼakoa ne ne fi ho no so. Ma ɛnyɛ bɔhyɛ a ɛbɛtena hɔ daa, 26na ama wo din akorɔn afebɔɔ. Na nnipa bɛka se, ‘Asafo Awurade yɛ Israel so Nyankopɔn.’ Na ma wo somfo Dawid ahenni ase ntim wɔ wʼanim.
27“Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, masi me bo abɔ saa mpae yi efisɛ woakyerɛ sɛ wobɛkyekye ofi a ɛyɛ daa ahenni ama me. 28Awurade Tumfo, woyɛ Onyankopɔn! Wo nsɛm mu wɔ ahotoso, na woahyɛ wo somfo nnepa ho bɔ. 29Afei, ma ɛnyɛ wo pɛ sɛ wubehyira wʼakoa fi so, na atoa so afebɔɔ wɔ wʼanim, na wo, Awurade, woakasa, na wo nhyira a wode behyira wo somfo fi no bɛyɛ daapem nhyira.”
