God’s Promise to David
1After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”
3Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
4But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in? 6I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place with a tent as my dwelling. 7Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” ’
8“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 over my people Israel. 9I 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 great, like the names of the greatest men on earth. 10And 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 11and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders7:11 Traditionally judges over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.
“ ‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: 12When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. 15But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me7:16 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts you; your throne will be established forever.’ ”
17Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
David’s Prayer
18Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:
“Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!7:19 Or for the human race
20“What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Sovereign Lord. 21For the sake of your word and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.
22“How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears. 23And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth that God went out to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and their gods from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?7:23 See Septuagint and 1 Chron. 17:21; Hebrew wonders for your land and before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt, from the nations and their gods. 24You have established your people Israel as your very own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
25“And now, Lord God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning your servant and his house. Do as you promised, 26so that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty is God over Israel!’ And the house of your servant David will be established in your sight.
27“Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant, saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’ So your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your covenant is trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant. 29Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”
上帝对大卫的应许
1大卫住在王宫里，耶和华使他安享太平，不受四围的仇敌侵扰。 2一天，王对拿单先知说：“你看，我住在香柏木建的王宫中，上帝的约柜却还在帐幕里。” 3拿单答道：“你有什么想法，就去做吧，因为耶和华与你同在。” 4当晚耶和华对拿单说： 5“你去告诉我的仆人大卫，‘耶和华说，你要建造殿宇给我居住吗？ 6从我把以色列人带出埃及那天起，直到今天，我从未住过殿宇，一路上都住在帐幕里。 7在我与以色列人同行的日子，我从未责问任何我委派牧养我子民的士师，你为何不为我建香柏木的殿宇呢？’
8“现在你要告诉我的仆人大卫，万军之耶和华说，‘你原本在草场牧羊，我召你来做我以色列子民的首领。 9无论你去哪里，我都与你同在，为你铲除所有仇敌。现在我要使你声名远扬，与世上的伟人齐名。 10-11我必为我的以色列子民预备一个地方，栽培他们，使他们住在自己的家园，不再受惊扰，不会像从前我设立士师治理他们的时候那样受恶人压迫。我必使你安定，免受仇敌的侵扰。我耶和华向你宣告，我必为你建立王朝。 12你离世与祖先同眠时，我必兴起你亲生的后裔接替你，使他的国稳固。 13他必为我的名建造殿宇，我必使他的国度王位永固。 14我要做他的父亲，他要做我的儿子。如果他犯了罪，我必用人的杖、世人的鞭子来惩治他， 15我的慈爱曾离开从你面前被废的扫罗，但我的慈爱必不离开他。 16你的家和你的国必在我面前永远坚立，你的王位必永远稳固。’”
17拿单就把所听到的启示全部告诉大卫。
大卫的祷告
18于是，大卫王进去，在耶和华面前坐下，说：“主耶和华啊，我是谁？我的家算什么？你竟这样厚待我。 19主耶和华啊，在你眼中这还不够，你还说到仆人家的将来。主耶和华啊，你竟这样恩待世人！ 20主耶和华啊，大卫还能对你说什么呢？因为你深知你的仆人。 21你让仆人知道你凭自己的应许、按自己的心意成就这大事。 22主耶和华啊，你真伟大！我们从未听过有谁能与你相比，你是独一无二的上帝。 23世上哪个民族比得上你的以色列子民呢？你从埃及救赎他们，让他们做你的子民，又彰显你的大名，行伟大而可畏的事，把列国及其神明从你的以色列子民面前赶走。 24你让以色列人永远做你的子民，你耶和华做他们的上帝。
25“耶和华上帝啊，求你永远信守你对仆人和仆人家的应许，求你成就你的应许。 26这样，你的名必永远被尊崇，人们必说，‘万军之耶和华是以色列的上帝。’你仆人大卫的家必在你面前坚立。 27以色列的上帝——万军之耶和华啊，因为你曾启示仆人，说要为仆人建立王朝，仆人才敢这样向你祈祷。 28主耶和华啊，唯有你是上帝，你的话真实可靠，你给了仆人美好的应许。 29现在求你赐福给仆人家，使仆人家在你面前永续不断。主耶和华啊，这些都是你的应许，愿你永远赐福给仆人家。”
