וַיְהִי כִּי־יָשַׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּבֵיתוֹ וַיהוָה הֵנִיחַ־לוֹ מִסָּבִיב מִכָּל־אֹיְבָיו׃   7:1

2Sam. 7:1   And it was when the king dwelled in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies from all around,

וַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־נָתָן הַנָּבִיא רְאֵה נָא אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵית אֲרָזִים וַאֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים יֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ הַיְרִיעָה׃   7:2

2Sam. 7:2   that the king said to Nathan, the prophet, “See now, I am dwelling in a house of cedars while the ark of God dwells within the curtain.”

וַיֹּאמֶר נָתָן אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבְךָ לֵךְ עֲשֵׂה כִּי יְהוָה עִמָּךְ׃   7:3

2Sam. 7:3   And Nathan said to the king, “All that is in your heart go do, for the Lord is with you.”

וַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהוָה אֶל־נָתָן לֵאמֹר׃   7:4

2Sam. 7:4   But it was in that night that the word of the Lord occurred to Nathan saying,

לֵךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל־עַבְדִּי אֶל־דָּוִד כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה הַאַתָּה תִּבְנֶה־לִּי בַיִת לְשִׁבְתִּי׃   7:5

2Sam. 7:5   “Go and you shall say to My servant, to David, ‘Thus says the Lord:  ‘Should you build a house for Me, for Me to dwell in?’

כִּי לֹא יָשַׁבְתִּי בְּבַיִת לְמִיּוֹם הַעֲלֹתִי אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וָאֶהְיֶה מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּאֹהֶל   7:6  וּבְמִשְׁכָּן׃

2Sam. 7:6   ‘For I have not dwelled in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel from Egypt and until this day, but I have been traversing in a tent and in a Tabernacle.’

בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בְּכָל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲדָבָר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶת־אַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי לִרְעוֹת   7:7  אֶת־עַמִּי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר לָמָּה לֹא־בְנִיתֶם לִי בֵּית אֲרָזִים׃

2Sam. 7:7   ‘In all that I have gone about with all the children of Israel, have I spoken a word to anyone of the tribes of Israel whom I commanded to tend My people, Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built for Me a house of cedars?’”

וְעַתָּה כֹּה־תֹאמַר לְעַבְדִּי לְדָוִד כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֲנִי לְקַחְתִּיךָ מִן־הַנָּוֶה מֵאַחַר הַצֹּאן לִהְיוֹת   7:8 נָגִיד עַל־עַמִּי עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2Sam. 7:8   “Then now, thus you shall say to My servant, to David:  ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:  ‘I took you from the pasture from behind the sheep to be prince over My people, over Israel.’

וָאֶהְיֶה עִמְּךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר הָלַכְתָּ וָאַכְרִתָה אֶת־כָּל־אֹיְבֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ וְעָשִׂתִי לְךָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל כְּשֵׁם הַגְּדֹלִים   7:9 אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ׃

2Sam. 7:9   ‘And I have been with you in all that you have gone about, and have cut off all your enemies from your face, and made a great name for you like the name of the greatest ones who were on the earth.’

וְשַׂמְתִּי מָקוֹם לְעַמִּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְטַעְתִּיו וְשָׁכַן תַּחְתָּיו וְלֹא יִרְגַּז עוֹד וְלֹא־יֹסִיפוּ בְנֵי־עַוְלָה לְעַנּוֹתוֹ   7:10 כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה׃

2Sam. 7:10   ‘And I will appoint a place for My people, for Israel, and I will plant it, that it may inhabit its own place and not tremble anymore, that the children of wickedness would not continue to afflict it as in the beginning,

וּלְמִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי שֹׁפְטִים עַל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַהֲנִיחֹתִי לְךָ מִכָּל־אֹיְבֶיךָ וְהִגִּיד לְךָ יְהוָה כִּי־בַיִת   7:11 יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ יְהוָה׃

2Sam. 7:11   and since the day that I commanded judges over My people, Israel.  And I gave rest to you from all your enemies, so the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make a house for you.’

כִּי יִמְלְאוּ יָמֶיךָ וְשָׁכַבְתָּ אֶת־אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִמֵּעֶיךָ וַהֲכִינֹתִי אֶת־   7:12 מַמְלַכְתּוֹ׃

2Sam. 7:12   ‘When your days are fulfilled and you are lying with your fathers, then I will set up your seed after you that has proceeded from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.’

הוּא יִבְנֶה־בַּיִת לִשְׁמִי וְכֹנַנְתִּי אֶת־כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ עַד־עוֹלָם׃   7:13

2Sam. 7:13   ‘He will build a house for My name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.’

At first glance, the word forever at the end of this verse seems like an exaggeration.  Solomon’s throne did not last forever.  In fact, it lasted only a short while after his death.  However, this may be a prophecy that transcends time.  There may be a future day when Solomon’s throne will be reestablished, and then will last forever.

                                                                                                                                           [Return to 1Chr. 17:12]

אֲנִי אֶהְיֶה־לּוֹ לְאָב וְהוּא יִהְיֶה־לִּי לְבֵן אֲשֶׁר בְּהַעֲוֺתוֹ וְהֹכַחְתִּיו בְּשֵׁבֶט אֲנָשִׁים וּבְנִגְעֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם׃   7:14

2Sam. 7:14   ‘I will be as a Father to him and he shall be to Me for a son who, in his committing iniquities, that I shall chasten him with the rod of men and with the wounds of the children of man,

וְחַסְדִּי לֹא־יָסוּר מִמֶּנּוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר הֲסִרֹתִי מֵעִם שָׁאוּל אֲשֶׁר הֲסִרֹתִי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ׃   7:15

2Sam. 7:15   but My mercy shall not depart from him as I withdrew from being with Saul, whom I called back from your presence.’

The last part of this verse can be interpreted to mean that God brought about Saul’s death.

וְנֶאְמַן בֵּיתְךָ וּמַמְלַכְתְּךָ עַד־עוֹלָם לְפָנֶיךָ כִּסְאֲךָ יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן עַד־עוֹלָם׃   7:16

2Sam. 7:16   ‘And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you.  Your throne shall be set fast forever.’”

כְּכֹל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וּכְכֹל הַחִזָּיוֹן הַזֶּה כֵּן דִּבֶּר נָתָן אֶל־דָּוִד׃   7:17

2Sam. 7:17   It was according to all these words and according to this whole vision that Nathan spoke to David.

וַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיֵּשֶׁב לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אָנֹכִי אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וּמִי בֵיתִי כִּי הֲבִיאֹתַנִי עַד־הֲלֹם׃   7:18

2Sam. 7:18   Then king David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, Lord, O Lord, and what is my house that You have brought me as far as this?”

It can be easily, and probably rightly, assumed that the first ten words (English) of this verse mean that David went into the tent and sat before the ark and prayed to the Lord.

וַתִּקְטַן עוֹד זֹאת בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וַתְּדַבֵּר גַּם אֶל־בֵּית־עַבְדְּךָ לְמֵרָחוֹק וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הָאָדָם אֲדֹנָי   7:19 יְהוִה׃

2Sam. 7:19   “But this is yet so small in Your eyes, Lord, O Lord, that You speak also about the house of Your servant being for a long time, that this is the law of mankind, Lord, O Lord.”

וּמַה־יּוֹסִיף דָּוִד עוֹד לְדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ וְאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃   7:20

2Sam. 7:20   “So what more is David able to say to you, as You know your servant, O Master, O Lord?”

David acknowledges that the Lord knows his heart and mind.

בַּעֲבוּר דְּבָרְךָ וּכְלִבְּךָ עָשִׂיתָ אֵת כָּל־הַגְּדוּלָּה הַזֹּאת לְהוֹדִיעַ אֶת־עַבְדֶּךָ׃   7:21

2Sam. 7:21   “Because of Your word and according to Your “heart” You have wrought all this greatness, acknowledging Your servant.”

עַל־כֵּן גָּדַלְתָּ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה כִּי־אֵין כָּמוֹךָ וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתֶךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַעְנוּ בְּאָזְנֵינוּ׃   7:22

2Sam. 7:22   “Therefore You are great, O Lord God, for there is none like You and there is no god except You according to all that we have heard in our ears.”

וּמִי כְעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ־אֱלֹהִים לִפְדּוֹת־לוֹ לְעָם וְלָשׂוּם לוֹ שֵׁם וְלַעֲשׂוֹת   7:23

  לָכֶם הַגְּדוּלָּה וְנֹרָאוֹת לְאַרְצֶךָ מִפְּנֵי עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ לְּךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם גּוֹיִם וֵאלֹהָיו׃

2Sam. 7:23   “And who is like Your people, like Israel, a nation alone on the earth, which God came to redeem for Himself to be a people and to make a name for Him, and to accomplish greatness, and terrible things, for Yourself [for them], for Your land, before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, peoples, and its gods?”

There is some strange Hebrew in this verse.  There are two words apparently relating to God that are in the plural form.  I believe one of them may be the scribe’s error; the other begs for an appropriate explanation.  In the first case, the word translated as for Yourself (the first one) may actually be an error that, if corrected, should become for them as provided in the brackets.  The word is the last on the top line, לָכֶם.  Replacing it with לָהֶם seems reasonable and removes one of the problematic plurals relating to the Lord.  It also seems reasonable from the point of view that the second word translated as for Yourself (fourth from the end of the bottom line) is in the normal singular form.

As for the other plural word relating to God, no explanation seems reasonable other than that the scribe made an error.  The word is the eighth in the top line, הָלְכוּ, translated as came; that could have an extra vav at the end, which makes it plural.

A final problem relates to the last word in the verse וֵאלֹהָיו, translated as and its gods.  It seem appropriate to assume the word should be and their gods.  Another scribe error?  Perhaps.

וַתְּכוֹנֵן לְךָ אֶת־עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְךָ לְעָם עַד־עוֹלָם וְאַתָּה יְהוָה הָיִיתָ לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים׃   7:24

2Sam. 7:24   “And You Yourself appointed Your people, Israel, for Yourself to be a people to You forever, and You, O Lord, became for God for them.”

וְעַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהִים הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ עַל־עַבְדְּךָ וְעַל־בֵּיתוֹ הָקֵם עַד־עוֹלָם וַעֲשֵׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ׃   7:25

2Sam. 7:25   “And now, O Master, O Lord, confirm forever the word that You have spoken about Your servant and about his house, and do as You have spoken.”

וְיִגְדַּל שִׁמְךָ עַד־עוֹלָם לֵאמֹר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהִים עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵית עַבְדְּךָ דָוִד יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן לְפָנֶיךָ׃   7:26

2Sam. 7:26   “And let Your name be proudly spoken forever saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel.’  And the house of Your servant shall be established before You.”

כִּי־אַתָּה יְהוָה צְבָאֹות אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל גָּלִיתָה אֶת־אֹזֶן עַבְדְּךָ לֵאמֹר בַּיִת אֶבְנֶה־לָּךְ עַל־כֵּן מָצָא   7:27

 עַבְדְּךָ אֶת־לִבּוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֵלֶיךָ אֶת־הַתְּפִלָּה הַזֹּאת׃

2Sam. 7:27   “For You, the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have opened the ear of Your servant saying, ‘I will build a house for you.’  Therefore Your servant has found his heart to pray to You this prayer.”

וְעַתָּה אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אַתָּה־הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וּדְבָרֶיךָ יִהְיוּ אֱמֶת וַתְּדַבֵּר אֶל־עַבְדְּךָ אֶת־הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת׃   7:28

2Sam. 7:28   “So now, O Master, O Lord, It is You Who is God, and let Your words by which You have promised to Your servant this good thing be established.”

וְעַתָּה הוֹאֵל וּבָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּית עַבְדְּךָ לִהְיוֹת לְעוֹלָם לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי־אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה דִּבַּרְתָּ וּמִבִּרְכָתְךָ יְבֹרַךְ   7:29 בֵּית־עַבְדְּךָ לְעוֹלָם׃

2Sam. 7:29   “So now be pleased and bless the house of Your servant to be forever before You, for You, O Master, O Lord, have spoken.  And by Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”

In one sense this blessing was granted.  The house of David lives forever and is blessed, not only by Jews, but also by a great many people of the world.

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