2 Samuel · Bible in Basic English
2 Samuel 7 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 Now when the king was living in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from war on every side;
1 When the king lived in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies all around,
2 The king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is housed inside the curtains of a tent.
2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but God’s ark dwells within curtains.”
3 And Nathan said to the king, Go and do whatever is in your heart; for the Lord is with you.
3 Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for Yahweh is with you.”
4 Now that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,
4 That same night, Yahweh’s word came to Nathan, saying,
5 Go and say to my servant David, The Lord says, Are you to be the builder of a house, a living-place for me?
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Yahweh says, “Should you build me a house for me to dwell in?
6 For from the day when I took the children of Israel up out of Egypt till this day, I have had no house, but have gone from place to place in a tent.
6 For I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt, even to this day, but have moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7 In all the places where I went with all the children of Israel, did I ever say to any of the judges of Israel, to whom I gave the care of my people Israel, Why have you not made me a house of cedar?
7 In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I say a word to anyone from the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’”’
8 Then say these words to my servant David, The Lord of armies says, I took you from the fields, from keeping the sheep, so that you might be a ruler over my people, over my people Israel:
8 Now therefore tell my servant David this: ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people, over Israel.
9 And I have been with you wherever you went, cutting off before you all those who were against you; and I will make your name great, like the name of the greatest ones of the earth.
9 I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth.
10 And I will make a resting-place for my people Israel, planting them there, so that they may be living in the place which is theirs, and never again be moved; and never again will they be troubled by evil men as they were at the first,
10 I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be moved no more. The children of wickedness will not afflict them any more, as at the first,
11 From the time when I put judges over my people Israel; and I will give you peace from all who are against you. And the Lord says to you that he will make you the head of a line of kings.
11 and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house.
12 And when the time comes for you to go to rest with your fathers, I will put in your place your seed after you, the offspring of your body, and I will make his kingdom strong.
12 When your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your offspring after you, who will proceed out of your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He will be the builder of a house for my name, and I will make the seat of his authority certain for ever.
13 He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 I will be to him a father and he will be to me a son: if he does wrong, I will give him punishment with the rod of men and with the blows of the children of men;
14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men;
15 But my mercy will not be taken away from him, as I took it from him who was before you.
15 but my loving kindness will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.
16 And your family and your kingdom will keep their place before me for ever: the seat of your authority will never be overturned.
16 Your house and your kingdom will be made sure forever before you. Your throne will be established forever.”’”
17 So Nathan gave David an account of all these words and this vision.
17 Nathan spoke to David all these words, and according to all this vision.
18 Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now?
18 Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh; and he said, “Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?
19 And this was only a small thing to you, O Lord God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, O Lord God!
19 This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord Yahweh, but you have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come; and this among men, Lord Yahweh!
20 What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant, O Lord God.
20 What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, Lord Yahweh.
21 Because of your word and from your heart, you have done all this great work, and let your servant see it.
21 For your word’s sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it.
22 Truly you are great, O Lord God: there is no one like you and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears.
22 Therefore you are great, Yahweh God. For there is no one like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
23 And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, and to make a name for himself, and to do great and strange things for them, driving out a nation and its gods from before his people?
23 What one nation on the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make himself a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeemed to yourself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
24 But you took and made strong for yourself your people Israel, to be your people for ever; and you, Lord, became their God.
24 You established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God.
25 And now, O Lord God, may the word which you have said about your servant and about his family, be made certain for ever, and may you do as you have said!
25 “Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm it forever, and do as you have spoken.
26 And let your name be made great for ever, and let men say, The Lord of armies is God over Israel: and let the family of David your servant be made strong before you!
26 Let your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘Yahweh of Armies is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David will be established before you.’
27 For you, O Lord of armies, the God of Israel, have clearly said to your servant, I will make you the head of a family of kings: and so it has come into your servant's heart to make this prayer to you.
27 For you, Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.
28 And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true and you have said you will give your servant this good thing;
28 “Now, O Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.
29 So may it be your pleasure to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you: (for you, O Lord God, have said it,) and may your blessing be on your servant's family line for ever!
29 Now therefore, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken it. Let the house of your servant be blessed forever with your blessing.”
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
David
The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.
Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6
Nathan
The prophet to whom David confided his wish to build a house for the ark, who carried the LORD's promise of an enduring house to David, rebuked him with the parable of the ewe…
Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 7:2; 2 Samuel 7:4; 2 Samuel 12:1
Cross references (29)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Proverbs 16:7; Luke 1:74–75; 1 Kings 5:4; 2 Chronicles 14:6; Daniel 4:29–30
- 2 2 Samuel 5:11; 1 Chronicles 16:1; 2 Samuel 12:1; Acts 7:46; Haggai 1:4
- 3 1 Chronicles 22:7; 1 Kings 8:17–18; 1 Chronicles 28:2; 2 Kings 4:27; Psalm 37:4
- 4 1 Chronicles 17:3; Numbers 12:6; Amos 3:7
- 5 1 Kings 5:3–4; 1 Chronicles 22:7–8; 1 Chronicles 23:3–32; 1 Kings 8:16–19; 1 Chronicles 17:4
- 6 1 Kings 8:16; Joshua 18:1; Exodus 40:18–19; Exodus 40:34–38; Deuteronomy 23:14
- 7 1 Chronicles 17:6; 2 Samuel 5:2; Leviticus 26:11–12; John 21:15–17; Psalm 78:71–72
- 8 Psalm 78:70–71; 1 Samuel 16:11–12; 2 Samuel 6:21; 1 Chronicles 17:7; 2 Samuel 12:7
- 9 2 Samuel 5:10; 1 Chronicles 17:8; 2 Samuel 8:6; 1 Samuel 18:14; Psalm 18:37–42
- 10 Amos 9:15; 1 Chronicles 17:9; Jeremiah 24:6; Isaiah 60:18; Ezekiel 37:25–27
- 11 2 Samuel 7:27; 1 Samuel 12:9–11; Judges 2:14–16; 2 Samuel 7:1; Psalm 89:3–4
- 12 Acts 2:30; 1 Kings 2:1; 1 Kings 8:20; Psalm 132:11–12; Acts 13:36
- 13 Luke 1:31–33; 1 Kings 8:19; 1 Kings 5:5; 2 Samuel 7:16; Psalm 89:4
- 14 Hebrews 1:5; Revelation 3:19; 1 Chronicles 28:6; 1 Chronicles 17:13; Deuteronomy 8:5
- 15 1 Samuel 15:23; 1 Samuel 15:28; Psalm 89:28; Isaiah 9:7; 1 Kings 11:13
- 16 Luke 1:32–33; Psalm 89:36–37; 2 Samuel 7:13; Isaiah 9:7; Daniel 2:44
- 17 1 Chronicles 17:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Acts 20:20; Acts 20:27
- 18 Psalm 8:4; 1 Chronicles 17:16; 1 Samuel 18:18; Genesis 32:10; Exodus 3:11
- 19 Isaiah 55:8–9; 1 Chronicles 17:17; Psalm 36:7; 2 Samuel 7:11–16; 2 Samuel 12:8
- 20 1 Samuel 16:7; John 21:17; Psalm 139:1; Revelation 2:23; Hebrews 4:13
- 21 Psalm 138:2; Psalm 115:1; Ephesians 3:11; Luke 12:32; Ephesians 1:9
- 22 Psalm 86:10; Exodus 15:11; Psalm 86:8; 1 Chronicles 16:25; Micah 7:18
- 23 Deuteronomy 9:26; Deuteronomy 10:21; Psalm 147:20; Nehemiah 1:10; Deuteronomy 15:15
- 24 Deuteronomy 26:18; 1 Peter 2:10; Psalm 48:14; Jeremiah 31:33; Isaiah 12:2
- 25 Psalm 119:49; Ezekiel 36:37; Genesis 32:12; Jeremiah 11:4–5
- 26 1 Chronicles 17:23–24; Psalm 72:18–19; Matthew 6:9; John 12:28; 1 Chronicles 29:10–13
- 27 1 Chronicles 17:25–26; Psalm 10:17; Ruth 4:4; 1 Samuel 9:15; Psalm 40:6
- 28 John 17:17; Numbers 23:19; Exodus 34:6; Titus 1:2
- 29 Numbers 6:24–26; 1 Chronicles 17:27; Psalm 115:12–15; 2 Samuel 22:51
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And his house shall be faithful, and his kingdom even for evermore before me, and his throne shall be set up even for evermore." He who thinks this grand promise was fulfilled in Solomon greatly errs; for he attends to the saying, "He shall build me an house," but he does not attend to the saying, "His house shall be …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
For there, that is, in the Book of Samuel, he says, "And if he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men; but my mercy will I not take away from him," meaning by stripes the strokes of correction.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
Therefore David understanding this, says in the second Book of Kings, in the passage from which we digressed to this psalm, "Thou hast spoken also for Thy servant's house for a great while to come." Therefore also a little after he says, "Now begin, and bless the house of Thy servant for evermore," etc., because the son was then about …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)