God’s Covenant with David
וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָשַׁ֥ב דָּוִ֖יד בְּבֵית֑וֹ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜יד אֶל־נָתָ֣ן הַנָּבִ֗יא הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֤י יוֹשֵׁב֙ בְּבֵ֣ית הָֽאֲרָזִ֔ים וַאֲר֥וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָ֖ה תַּ֥חַת יְרִיעֽוֹת׃
After David had settled into his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.”
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר נָתָן֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔יד כֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בִּֽלְבָבְךָ֖ עֲשֵׂ֑ה כִּ֥י הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים עִמָּֽךְ׃ ס
And Nathan replied to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”
וַֽיְהִ֖י בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַה֑וּא וַיְהִי֙ דְּבַר־אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֶל־נָתָ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר׃
But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
לֵ֤ךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֣יד עַבְדִּ֔י כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה לֹ֥א אַתָּ֛ה תִּבְנֶה־לִּ֥י הַבַּ֖יִת לָשָֽׁבֶת׃
“Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build Me a house in which to dwell.
כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙ בְּבַ֔יִת מִן־הַיּ֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶעֱלֵ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וָֽאֶהְיֶ֛ה מֵאֹ֥הֶל אֶל־אֹ֖הֶל וּמִמִּשְׁכָּֽן׃
For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved from tent to tent and dwelling to dwelling.
בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶֽׁר־הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי֮ בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ הֲדָבָ֣ר דִּבַּ֗רְתִּי אֶת־אַחַד֙ שֹׁפְטֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֛יתִי לִרְע֥וֹת אֶת־עַמִּ֖י לֵאמֹ֑ר לָ֛מָּה לֹא־בְנִיתֶ֥ם לִ֖י בֵּ֥ית אֲרָזִֽים׃
In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked any of the leaders I appointed to shepherd My people, ‘Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?’
וְ֠עַתָּה כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֞ר לְעַבְדִּ֣י לְדָוִ֗יד ס כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת אֲנִ֤י לְקַחְתִּ֙יךָ֙ מִן־הַנָּוֶ֔ה מִֽן־אַחֲרֵ֖י הַצֹּ֑אן לִהְי֣וֹת נָגִ֔יד עַ֖ל עַמִּ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
Now then, you are to tell My servant David that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be the ruler over My people Israel.
וָֽאֶהְיֶ֣ה עִמְּךָ֗ בְּכֹל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָלַ֔כְתָּ וָאַכְרִ֥ית אֶת־כָּל־אוֹיְבֶ֖יךָ מִפָּנֶ֑יךָ וְעָשִׂ֤יתִֽי לְךָ֙ שֵׁ֔ם כְּשֵׁ֥ם הַגְּדוֹלִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make for you a name like that of the greatest in the land.
וְשַׂמְתִּ֣י מָ֠קוֹם לְעַמִּ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל וּנְטַעְתִּ֙יהוּ֙ וְשָׁכַ֣ן תַּחְתָּ֔יו וְלֹ֥א יִרְגַּ֖ז ע֑וֹד וְלֹא־יוֹסִ֤יפוּ בְנֵי־עַוְלָה֙ לְבַלֹּת֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָֽה׃
And I will provide a place for My people Israel and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own and be disturbed no more. No longer will the sons of wickedness oppress them as they did at the beginning
וּלְמִיָּמִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוִּ֤יתִי שֹֽׁפְטִים֙ עַל־עַמִּ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וְהִכְנַ֖עְתִּי אֶת־כָּל־אוֹיְבֶ֑יךָ וָאַגִּ֣ד לָ֔ךְ וּבַ֖יִת יִֽבְנֶה־לְּךָ֥ יְהוָֽה׃
and have done since the day I appointed judges over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you.
וְהָיָ֗ה כִּֽי־מָלְא֤וּ יָמֶ֙יךָ֙ לָלֶ֣כֶת עִם־אֲבֹתֶ֔יךָ וַהֲקִֽימוֹתִ֤י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ אַחֲרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִהְיֶ֖ה מִבָּנֶ֑יךָ וַהֲכִינוֹתִ֖י אֶת־מַלְכוּתֽוֹ׃
And when your days are fulfilled and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.
ה֥וּא יִבְנֶה־לִּ֖י בָּ֑יִת וְכֹנַנְתִּ֥י אֶת־כִּסְא֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
He will build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever.
אֲנִי֙ אֶֽהְיֶה־לּ֣וֹ לְאָ֔ב וְה֖וּא יִֽהְיֶה־לִּ֣י לְבֵ֑ן וְחַסְדִּי֙ לֹא־אָסִ֣יר מֵֽעִמּ֔וֹ כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר הֲסִיר֔וֹתִי מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃
I will be his Father, and he will be My son. And I will never remove My loving devotion from him as I removed it from your predecessor.
וְהַֽעֲמַדְתִּ֛יהוּ בְּבֵיתִ֥י וּבְמַלְכוּתִ֖י עַד־הָעוֹלָ֑ם וְכִסְא֕וֹ יִהְיֶ֥ה נָכ֖וֹן עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃
But I will set him over My house and My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.”
כְּכֹל֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּכְכֹ֖ל הֶחָז֣וֹן הַזֶּ֑ה כֵּ֛ן דִּבֶּ֥ר נָתָ֖ן אֶל־דָּוִֽיד׃ פ
So Nathan relayed to David all the words of this entire revelation.
David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving
וַיָּבֹא֙ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּוִ֔יד וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיֹּ֗אמֶר מִֽי־אֲנִ֞י יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ וּמִ֣י בֵיתִ֔י כִּ֥י הֲבִיאֹתַ֖נִי עַד־הֲלֹֽם׃
Then King David went in, sat before the LORD, and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
וַתִּקְטַ֨ן זֹ֤את בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וַתְּדַבֵּ֥ר עַל־בֵּֽית־עַבְדְּךָ֖ לְמֵרָח֑וֹק וּרְאִיתַ֗נִי כְּת֧וֹר הָאָדָ֛ם הַֽמַּעֲלָ֖ה יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהִֽים׃
And as if this was a small thing in Your eyes, O God, You have spoken about the future of the house of Your servant and have regarded me as a man of great distinction, O LORD God.
מַה־יּוֹסִ֨יף ע֥וֹד דָּוִ֛יד אֵלֶ֖יךָ לְכָב֣וֹד אֶת־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶֽת־עַבְדְּךָ֥ יָדָֽעְתָּ׃
What more can David say to You for honoring Your servant? For You know Your servant,
יְהוָ֕ה בַּעֲב֤וּר עַבְדְּךָ֙ וּֽכְלִבְּךָ֔ עָשִׂ֕יתָ אֵ֥ת כָּל־הַגְּדוּלָּ֖ה הַזֹּ֑את לְהֹדִ֖יעַ אֶת־כָּל־הַגְּדֻלּֽוֹת׃
O LORD. For the sake of Your servant and according to Your own heart, You have accomplished this great thing and made known all these great promises.
יְהוָה֙ אֵ֣ין כָּמ֔וֹךָ וְאֵ֥ין אֱלֹהִ֖ים זוּלָתֶ֑ךָ בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַ֖עְנוּ בְּאָזְנֵֽינוּ׃
O LORD, there is none like You, and there is no God but You, according to everything we have heard with our own ears.
וּמִי֙ כְּעַמְּךָ֣ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל גּ֥וֹי אֶחָ֖ד בָּאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁר֩ הָלַ֨ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֜ים לִפְדּ֧וֹת ל֣וֹ עָ֗ם לָשׂ֤וּם לְךָ֙ שֵׁ֚ם גְּדֻלּ֣וֹת וְנֹרָא֔וֹת לְגָרֵ֗שׁ מִפְּנֵ֧י עַמְּךָ֛ אֲשֶׁר־פָּדִ֥יתָ מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם גּוֹיִֽם׃
And who is like Your people Israel—the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem as a people for Himself? You made a name for Yourself through great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed from Egypt.
וַ֠תִּתֵּן אֶת־עַמְּךָ֨ יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל׀ לְךָ֛ לְעָ֖ם עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם וְאַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה הָיִ֥יתָ לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃
For You have made Your people Israel Your very own forever, and You, O LORD, have become their God.
וְעַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבַּ֤רְתָּ עַֽל־עַבְדְּךָ֙ וְעַל־בֵּית֔וֹ יֵאָמֵ֖ן עַד־עוֹלָ֑ם וַעֲשֵׂ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּֽרְתָּ׃
And now, O LORD, let the word You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house be established forever. Do as You have promised,
וְ֠יֵֽאָמֵן וְיִגְדַּ֨ל שִׁמְךָ֤ עַד־עוֹלָם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבֵית־דָּוִ֥יד עַבְדְּךָ֖ נָכ֥וֹן לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃
so that Your name will be established and magnified forever when it is said, ‘The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, is God over Israel.’ And may the house of Your servant David be established before You.
כִּ֣י׀ אַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֗י גָּלִ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־אֹ֣זֶן עַבְדְּךָ֔ לִבְנ֥וֹת ל֖וֹ בָּ֑יִת עַל־כֵּן֙ מָצָ֣א עַבְדְּךָ֔ לְהִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃
For You, my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him. Therefore Your servant has found the courage to pray before You.
וְעַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה אַתָּה־ה֖וּא הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים וַתְּדַבֵּר֙ עַֽל־עַבְדְּךָ֔ הַטּוֹבָ֖ה הַזֹּֽאת׃
And now, O LORD, You are God! And You have promised this goodness to Your servant.
וְעַתָּ֗ה הוֹאַ֙לְתָּ֙ לְבָרֵךְ֙ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית עַבְדְּךָ֔ לִהְי֥וֹת לְעוֹלָ֖ם לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ בֵּרַ֔כְתָּ וּמְבֹרָ֖ךְ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ פ
So now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O LORD, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”