The Lord’s Covenant with David
1 mNow when the king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, 2 the king said to nNathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a ohouse of cedar, but the ark of God dwells pin a tent.” 3 And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is qin your heart, for the Lord is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: rWould you build me a house to dwell in? 6 sI have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent for my dwelling. 7 In all places where I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges1 of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’ 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you tfrom the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be uprince2 over my people Israel. 9 And I have been vwith you wherever you went and have wcut off all your enemies from before you. And I will xmake for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will yplant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 zfrom 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 athe Lord will make you a house. 12 bWhen your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, cI will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body,3 and I will establish his kingdom. 13 dHe shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the ethrone of his kingdom forever. 14 fI will be to him a gfather, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, has I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.4 Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
David’s Prayer of Gratitude
18 iThen King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, j“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 19 And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! 20 And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! 21 Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. 22 Therefore you are kgreat, O Lord God. For lthere is none like you, and there is mno God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And nwho is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them5 great and awesome things by driving out before your people,6 whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? 24 And you oestablished for yourself your people Israel pto be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. 25 And now, O Lord God, qconfirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. 26 And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 27 For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 29 Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed rforever.”
David’s Victories
1 sAfter this David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.
2 And he tdefeated Moab and he measured them with a line, making them lie down on the ground. Two lines he measured to be put to death, and one full line to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.
3 David also defeated Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah, as he went to restore his power at the river Euphrates. 4 And David took from him 1,700 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. And David uhamstrung all the chariot horses but left enough for 100 chariots. 5 vAnd when the Syrians of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down 22,000 men of the Syrians. 6 Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus, and the Syrians wbecame servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went. 7 And David took the shields of gold that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 And from Betah and from Berothai, cities of Hadadezer, King David took very much bronze.
9 When Toi king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, 10 Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to ask about his health and to bless him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him, for Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. And Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold, and of bronze. 11 These also King David dedicated to the Lord, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, 12 from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of Hadadezer the son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 And David made a name for himself when he returned from xstriking down 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. 14 Then he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites ybecame David’s servants. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went.
David’s Officials
15 zSo David reigned over all Israel. And David administered ajustice and equity to all his people. 16 bJoab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and cJehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder, 17 and dZadok the son of Ahitub and eAhimelech the son of fAbiathar were priests, and Seraiah was secretary, 18 and gBenaiah the son of Jehoiada was over1 the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.
