2tn Or “rest.”

3tn The translation understands the disjunctive clause in v. 1b as circumstantial-causal.

4tc Several medieval Hebrew mss and the Syriac Peshitta lack this word.

5tn Heb “all that is in your heart.”

6tn Heb “the word of the Lord was [i.e., came] to Nathan.”

7tn Heb “in a tent and in a dwelling.” The expression is a hendiadys, using two terms to express one idea.

8tn Heb “Did I speak a word?” In the Hebrew text the statement is phrased as a rhetorical question.

9tn Heb “tribes” (so KJV, NASB, NCV), but the parallel passage in 1 Chr 17:6 has “judges.”

10tn Heb “whom I commanded to shepherd” (so NIV, NRSV).

11tn Heb “and from after the sheep.”

12tn Heb “cut off.”

13tn Heb “and I will make for you a great name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.”

14tn Heb “plant.”

15tn Heb “shaken.”

16tn Heb “the sons of violence.”

17tn Or “rest.”

18tn In the Hebrew text the verb is apparently perfect with vav consecutive, which would normally suggest a future sense (“he will declare”; so the LXX, ἀπαγγελεῖ [apangelei]). But the context seems instead to call for a present or past nuance (“he declares” or “he has declared”). The synoptic passage in 1 Chr 17:10 has וָאַגִּד (va’aggid, “and I declared”). The construction used in 2 Sam 7:11 highlights this important statement.

19tn Heb “the Lord.”

20tn Heb “house,” but used here in a metaphorical sense, referring to a royal dynasty. Here the Lord’s use of the word plays off the literal sense that David had in mind as he contemplated building a temple for the Lord. To reflect this in the English translation the adjective “dynastic” has been supplied.

21tn Heb, “when your days are full and you lie down with your ancestors.”

22tn Heb “your seed after you who comes out from your insides.”

23tn Heb “and I will establish the throne of his kingdom permanently.”

24tc Heb “before you.” A few medieval Hebrew mss read instead “before me,” which makes better sense contextually. (See also the LXX and the Syriac Peshitta.) The MT reading is probably the result of dittography (note the כ [kaf] at the beginning of the next form), with the extra כ then being interpreted as a pronominal suffix.

25tn Heb “throne.”

26tn Heb “according to all these words and according to all this revelation, so Nathan said to David.”

27tn Heb “house.”

28tn Heb “and this was small in your eyes, O Lord God, so you spoke concerning the house of your servant for a distance.”

29tn Heb “and this [is] the law of man”; KJV “is this the manner of man, O Lord God?”; NAB “this too you have shown to man”; NRSV “May this be instruction for the people, O Lord God!” This part of the verse is very enigmatic; no completely satisfying solution has yet been suggested. The present translation tries to make sense of the MT by understanding the phrase as a question that underscores the uniqueness of God’s dealings with David as described here. The parallel passage in 1 Chr 17:17 reads differently (see the note there).

30tn Heb “and you know your servant.” The verb here refers to recognizing another in a special way and giving them special treatment (see 1 Chr 17:18). Some English versions take this to refer to the Lord’s knowledge of David himself: CEV “you know my thoughts”; NLT “know what I am really like.”

31tn Heb “for the sake of your word and according to your heart.”

32tn Heb “to make known, your servant.”

33tn Heb “in all which we heard with our ears.” The phrase translated “in all” בְּכֹל (b˙khol) should probably be emended to “according to all” כְּכֹל (k˙khol).

34tn Heb “a nation, one.”

35tn Heb “whose God” or “because God.” In the Hebrew text this clause is subordinated to what precedes. The clauses are separated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

36tn The verb is plural in Hebrew, agreeing grammatically with the divine name, which is a plural of degree.

37tn Heb “redeem.”

38tn Heb “and to do for you [plural form] the great [thing] and awesome [things] for your land.”

39tn Heb “from Egypt, nations and their gods.” The LXX has “nations and tents,” which reflects a mistaken metathesis of letters in אֶלֹהָיו (e’lohav, “its gods”) and אֹהָלָיו (’ohalav, “its tents”).

40tn Heb “and you established for yourself your people Israel for yourself for a people permanently.”

41tn Heb “and now, O Lord God, the word which you spoke concerning your servant and concerning his house, establish permanently.”

42tn Heb “as you have spoken.”

43tn Heb “and your name might be great permanently.” Following the imperative in v. 23b, the prefixed verbal form with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result.

44tn Heb “saying.” The words “as people” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.

45tn Heb “the house.” See the note on “dynastic house” in the following verse.

46tn Heb “have uncovered the ear of.”

47tn Heb “a house.” This maintains the wordplay from v. 11 (see the note on the word “house” there) and is continued in v. 29.

48tn Heb “has found his heart.”

49tn Heb “the God.” The article indicates uniqueness here.

50tn The translation understands the prefixed verb form as a jussive, indicating David’s wish/prayer. Another option is to take the form as an imperfect and translate “your words are true.”

51tn Heb “and you have spoken to your servant this good thing.”

52tn Heb “house” (again later in this verse). See the note on “dynastic house” in v. 27.

53tn Or “permanently”; cf. NLT “it is an eternal blessing.”