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.”
上帝對大衛的應許
1大衛住在王宮裡，耶和華使他安享太平，不受四圍的仇敵侵擾。 2一天，王對拿單先知說：「你看，我住在香柏木建的王宮中，上帝的約櫃卻還在帳幕裡。」 3拿單答道：「你有什麼想法，就去做吧，因為耶和華與你同在。」 4當晚耶和華對拿單說： 5「你去告訴我的僕人大衛，『耶和華說，你要建造殿宇給我居住嗎？ 6從我把以色列人帶出埃及那天起，直到今天，我從未住過殿宇，一路上都住在帳幕裡。 7在我與以色列人同行的日子，我從未責問任何我委派牧養我子民的士師，你為何不為我建香柏木的殿宇呢？』
8「現在你要告訴我的僕人大衛，萬軍之耶和華說，『你原本在草場牧羊，我召你來做我以色列子民的首領。 9無論你去哪裡，我都與你同在，為你剷除所有仇敵。現在我要使你聲名遠揚，與世上的偉人齊名。 10-11我必為我的以色列子民預備一個地方，栽培他們，使他們住在自己的家園，不再受驚擾，不會像從前我設立士師治理他們的時候那樣受惡人壓迫。我必使你安定，免受仇敵的侵擾。我耶和華向你宣告，我必為你建立王朝。 12你離世與祖先同眠時，我必興起你親生的後裔接替你，使他的國穩固。 13他必為我的名建造殿宇，我必使他的國度王位永固。 14我要作他的父親，他要作我的兒子。如果他犯了罪，我必用人的杖、世人的鞭子來懲治他， 15我的慈愛曾離開從你面前被廢的掃羅，但我的慈愛必不離開他。 16你的家和你的國必在我面前永遠堅立，你的王位必永遠穩固。』」
17拿單就把所聽到的啟示全部告訴大衛。
大衛的禱告
18於是，大衛王進去，在耶和華面前坐下，說：「主耶和華啊，我是誰？我的家算什麼？你竟這樣厚待我。 19主耶和華啊，在你眼中這還不夠，你還說到僕人家的將來。主耶和華啊，你竟這樣恩待世人！ 20主耶和華啊，大衛還能對你說什麼呢？因為你深知你的僕人。 21你讓僕人知道你憑自己的應許、按自己的心意成就這大事。 22主耶和華啊，你真偉大！我們從未聽過有誰能與你相比，你是獨一無二的上帝。 23世上哪個民族比得上你的以色列子民呢？你從埃及救贖他們，讓他們做你的子民，又彰顯你的大名，行偉大而可畏的事，把列國及其神明從你的以色列子民面前趕走。 24你讓以色列人永遠做你的子民，你耶和華做他們的上帝。
25「耶和華上帝啊，求你永遠信守你對僕人和僕人家的應許，求你成就你的應許。 26這樣，你的名必永遠被尊崇，人們必說，『萬軍之耶和華是以色列的上帝。』你僕人大衛的家必在你面前堅立。 27以色列的上帝——萬軍之耶和華啊，因為你曾啟示僕人，說要為僕人建立王朝，僕人才敢這樣向你祈禱。 28主耶和華啊，唯有你是上帝，你的話真實可靠，你給了僕人美好的應許。 29現在求你賜福給僕人家，使僕人家在你面前永續不斷。主耶和華啊，這些都是你的應許，願你永遠賜福給僕人家。」
