HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 648
2 S A MU EL 7
9 David was now afraid of the Lord, and he
asked, “How can I ever bring the Ark of the
Lord back into my care?” 10 So David decided
not to move the Ark of the Lord into the City of
David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obededom of Gath. 11 The Ark of the Lord remained
there in Obed-edom’s house for three months,
and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and his entire
household.
12 Then King David was told, “The Lord has
blessed Obed-edom’s household and everything he has because of the Ark of God.” So David went there and brought the Ark of God from
the house of Obed-edom to the City of David
with a great celebration. 13 After the men who
were carrying the Ark of the Lord had gone six
steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened
calf. 14 And David danced before the Lord with
all his might, wearing a priestly garment.* 15 So
David and all the people of Israel brought up
the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the
blowing of rams’ horns.
Michal’s Contempt for David
16 But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City
of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked
down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she
was filled with contempt for him.
17 They brought the Ark of the Lord and set
it in its place inside the special tent David had
prepared for it. And David sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. 18 When
he had finished his sacrifices, David blessed
the people in the name of the Lord of Heaven’s
Armies. 19 Then he gave to every Israelite man
and woman in the crowd a loaf of bread, a cake
of dates,* and a cake of raisins. Then all the
people returned to their homes.
20 When David returned home to bless his
own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came
out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How
distinguished the king of Israel looked today,
shamelessly exposing himself to the servant
girls like any vulgar person might do!”
21 David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing
before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the
leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I
celebrate before the Lord. 22 Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even
to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those
servant girls you mentioned will indeed think
I am distinguished!” 23 So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her
entire life.
The LORD’s Covenant Promise to David
When King David was settled in his palace
and the Lord had given him rest from all
the surrounding enemies, 2 the king summoned
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Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am
living in a beautiful cedar palace,* but the Ark
of God is out there in a tent!”
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and
do whatever you have in mind, for the Lord is
with you.”
4 But that same night the Lord said to Nathan,
5 “Go
and tell my servant David, ‘This is
what the Lord has declared: Are you the
one to build a house for me to live in? 6 I
have never lived in a house, from the day
I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until
this very day. I have always moved from
one place to another with a tent and a
Tabernacle as my dwelling. 7 Yet no matter
where I have gone with the Israelites,
I have never once complained to Israel’s
tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people
Israel. I have never asked them, “Why
haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar
house?”’
8 “Now go and say to my servant David,
‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
has declared: I took you from tending sheep
in the pasture and selected you to be the
leader of my people Israel. 9 I have been
with you wherever you have gone, and I
have destroyed all your enemies before
your eyes. Now I will make your name as
famous as anyone who has ever lived on the
earth! 10 And I will provide a homeland for
my people Israel, planting them in a secure
place where they will never be disturbed.
Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve
done in the past, 11 starting from the time
I appointed judges to rule my people
Israel. And I will give you rest from all your
enemies.
“‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that
he will make a house for you—a dynasty of
kings! 12 For when you die and are buried with
your ancestors, I will raise up one of your
descendants, your own offspring, and I will
make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who
will build a house—a temple—for my name.
And I will secure his royal throne forever.
14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If
he sins, I will correct and discipline him with
the rod, like any father would do. 15 But my
favor will not be taken from him as I took it
from Saul, whom I removed from your sight.
16 Your house and your kingdom will continue
before me* for all time, and your throne will
be secure forever.’”
17 So
Nathan went back to David and told him
everything the Lord had said in this vision.
6:14 Hebrew a linen ephod. 6:19 Or a portion of meat.
The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain. 7:2 Hebrew a
house of cedar. 7:16 As in Greek version and some Hebrew
manuscripts; Masoretic Text reads before you.