TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS
II - Chapter 7
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1When the king was settled in his palace and Hashem had granted him safety from all the enemies around him,
אוַיְהִי כִּי־יָשַׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּבֵיתוֹ וַיהֹוָה הֵנִיחַ־לוֹ מִסָּבִיב מִכָּל־אֹיְבָיו׃
2the king said to the Navi Natan: “Here I am dwelling in a house of cedar, while the Aron of Hashem abides in a tent!”
בוַיֹּאמֶר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶל־נָתָן הַנָּבִיא רְאֵה נָא אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵית אֲרָזִים וַאֲרוֹן הָאֱלֹהִים יֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ הַיְרִיעָה׃
3Natan said to the king, “Go and do whatever you have in mind, for Hashem is with you.”
גוַיֹּאמֶר נָתָן אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבְךָ לֵךְ עֲשֵׂה כִּי יְהֹוָה עִמָּךְ׃
4But that same night the word of Hashem came to Natan:
דוַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיְהִי דְּבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־נָתָן לֵאמֹר׃
5“Go and say to My servant David: Thus said Hashem: Are you the one to build a house for Me to dwell in?
הלֵךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל־עַבְדִּי אֶל־דָּוִד כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה הַאַתָּה תִּבְנֶה־לִּי בַיִת לְשִׁבְתִּי׃
6From the day that I brought the people of Yisrael out of Egypt to this day I have not dwelt in a house, but have moved about in Tent and Mishkan.
וכִּי לֹא יָשַׁבְתִּי בְּבַיִת לְמִיּוֹם הַעֲלֹתִי אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וָאֶהְיֶה מִתְהַלֵּךְ בְּאֹהֶל וּבְמִשְׁכָּן׃
7As I moved about wherever the Israelites went, did I ever reproach any of the tribal leaders whom I appointed to care for My people Yisrael: Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?
זבְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בְּכָל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲדָבָר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶת־אַחַד שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי לִרְעוֹת אֶת־עַמִּי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר לָמָּה לֹא־בְנִיתֶם לִי בֵּית אֲרָזִים׃
8“Further, say thus to My servant David: Thus said the lord of Hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler of My people Yisrael,
חוְעַתָּה כֹּה־תֹאמַר לְעַבְדִּי לְדָוִד כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֲנִי לְקַחְתִּיךָ מִן־הַנָּוֶה מֵאַחַר הַצֹּאן לִהְיוֹת נָגִיד עַל־עַמִּי עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
9and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut down all your enemies before you. Moreover, I will give you great renown like that of the greatest men on earth.
טוָאֶהְיֶה עִמְּךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר הָלַכְתָּ וָאַכְרִתָה אֶת־כָּל־אֹיְבֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ וְעָשִׂתִי לְךָ שֵׁם גָּדוֹל כְּשֵׁם הַגְּדֹלִים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ׃
10I will establish a home for My people Yisrael and will plant them firm, so that they shall dwell secure and shall tremble no more. Evil men shall not oppress them any more as in the past,
יוְשַׂמְתִּי מָקוֹם לְעַמִּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְטַעְתִּיו וְשָׁכַן תַּחְתָּיו וְלֹא יִרְגַּז עוֹד וְלֹא־יֹסִיפוּ בְנֵי־עַוְלָה לְעַנּוֹתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה׃
11ever since I appointed chieftains over My people Yisrael. I will give you safety from all your enemies. “Hashem declares to you that He, Hashem, will establish a house for you.
יאוּלְמִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי שֹׁפְטִים עַל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וַהֲנִיחֹתִי לְךָ מִכָּל־אֹיְבֶיךָ וְהִגִּיד לְךָ יְהֹוָה כִּי־בַיִת יַעֲשֶׂה־לְּךָ יְהֹוָה׃
12When your days are done and you lie with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own issue, and I will establish his kingship.
יבכִּי יִמְלְאוּ יָמֶיךָ וְשָׁכַבְתָּ אֶת־אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַהֲקִימֹתִי אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִמֵּעֶיךָ וַהֲכִינֹתִי אֶת־מַמְלַכְתּוֹ׃
13He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish his royal throne forever.
HU yiv-neh BA-yit lish-MEE v'-kho-nan-TEE et ki-SAY mam-lakh-TO ad o-LAM
יגהוּא יִבְנֶה־בַּיִת לִשְׁמִי וְכֹנַנְתִּי אֶת־כִּסֵּא מַמְלַכְתּוֹ עַד־עוֹלָם׃
7:13 He shall build a house for My name
Archaeological excavation in the City of David, Jerusalem.
King David wants to build the Beit Hamikdash for Hashem. However, Hashem tells him that his son, not he, will build it. As the king who helps conquer the Land of Israel, fights Amalek and solidifies the monarchy, King David plays an important part in the process of establishing the Israelites in their land. He is even able to make preparations for the building of the Beit Hamikdash. However, as a warrior, he cannot be the one to build the Holy Temple, which is intended to promote peace and harmony among Israel and all the nations of the world. Additionally, as the service in the Beit Hamikdash brings people closer to God and helps atone for their sins and prolongs life, it cannot be built by a warrior, who shortens the lives of others. Therefore, David’s role ends after defeating Amalek, and his son Shlomo, a man of peace, becomes God’s choice to build of the world’s holiest site, the Beit Hamikdash in Yerushalayim.
14I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to Me. When he does wrong, I will chastise him with the rod of men and the affliction of mortals;
ידאֲנִי אֶהְיֶה־לּוֹ לְאָב וְהוּא יִהְיֶה־לִּי לְבֵן אֲשֶׁר בְּהַעֲוׂתוֹ וְהֹכַחְתִּיו בְּשֵׁבֶט אֲנָשִׁים וּבְנִגְעֵי בְּנֵי אָדָם׃
15but I will never withdraw My favor from him as I withdrew it from Shaul, whom I removed to make room for you.
טווְחַסְדִּי לֹא־יָסוּר מִמֶּנּוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר הֲסִרֹתִי מֵעִם שָׁאוּל אֲשֶׁר הֲסִרֹתִי מִלְּפָנֶיךָ׃
16Your house and your kingship shall ever be secure before you; your throne shall be established forever.”
טזוְנֶאְמַן בֵּיתְךָ וּמַמְלַכְתְּךָ עַד־עוֹלָם לְפָנֶיךָ כִּסְאֲךָ יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן עַד־עוֹלָם׃
17Natan spoke to David in accordance with all these words and all this prophecy.
יזכְּכֹל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וּכְכֹל הַחִזָּיוֹן הַזֶּה כֵּן דִּבֶּר נָתָן אֶל־דָּוִד׃
18Then King David came and sat before Hashem, and he said, “What am I, O Hashem, and what is my family, that You have brought me thus far?
יחוַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִד וַיֵּשֶׁב לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמֶר מִי אָנֹכִי אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וּמִי בֵיתִי כִּי הֲבִיאֹתַנִי עַד־הֲלֹם׃
19Yet even this, O Hashem, has seemed too little to You; for You have spoken of Your servant's house also for the future. May that be the law for the people, O Hashem.
יטוַתִּקְטַן עוֹד זֹאת בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה וַתְּדַבֵּר גַּם אֶל־בֵּית־עַבְדְּךָ לְמֵרָחוֹק וְזֹאת תּוֹרַת הָאָדָם אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃
20What more can David say to You? You know Your servant, O Hashem.
כוּמַה־יּוֹסִיף דָּוִד עוֹד לְדַבֵּר אֵלֶיךָ וְאַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה׃
21For Your word's sake and of Your own accord You have wrought this great thing, and made it known to Your servant.
כאבַּעֲבוּר דְּבָרְךָ וּכְלִבְּךָ עָשִׂיתָ אֵת כָּל־הַגְּדוּלָּה הַזֹּאת לְהוֹדִיעַ אֶת־עַבְדֶּךָ׃
22You are great indeed, O Hashem! There is none like You and there is no other God but You, as we have always heard.
כבעַל־כֵּן גָּדַלְתָּ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה כִּי־אֵין כָּמוֹךָ וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתֶךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַעְנוּ בְּאָזְנֵינוּ׃
23And who is like Your people Yisrael, a unique nation on earth, whom Hashem went and redeemed as His people, winning renown for Himself and doing great and marvelous deeds for them [and] for Your land—[driving out] nations and their gods before Your people, whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt.
כגוּמִי כְעַמְּךָ כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הָלְכוּ־אֱלֹהִים לִפְדּוֹת־לוֹ לְעָם וְלָשׂוּם לוֹ שֵׁם וְלַעֲשׂוֹת לָכֶם הַגְּדוּלָּה וְנֹרָאוֹת לְאַרְצֶךָ מִפְּנֵי עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר פָּדִיתָ לְּךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם גּוֹיִם וֵאלֹהָיו׃
24You have established Your people Yisrael as Your very own people forever; and You, Hashem, have become their God.
כדוַתְּכוֹנֵן לְךָ אֶת־עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְךָ לְעָם עַד־עוֹלָם וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה הָיִיתָ לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים׃
25“And now, O Hashem, fulfill Your promise to Your servant and his house forever; and do as You have promised.
כהוְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ עַל־עַבְדְּךָ וְעַל־בֵּיתוֹ הָקֵם עַד־עוֹלָם וַעֲשֵׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ׃
26And may Your name be glorified forever, in that men will say, ‘the lord of Hosts is God over Yisrael'; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You.
כווְיִגְדַּל שִׁמְךָ עַד־עוֹלָם לֵאמֹר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהִים עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵית עַבְדְּךָ דָוִד יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן לְפָנֶיךָ׃
27Because You, lord of Hosts, the God of Yisrael, have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him, Your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to You.
כזכִּי־אַתָּה יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל גָּלִיתָה אֶת־אֹזֶן עַבְדְּךָ לֵאמֹר בַּיִת אֶבְנֶה־לָּךְ עַל־כֵּן מָצָא עַבְדְּךָ אֶת־לִבּוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל אֵלֶיךָ אֶת־הַתְּפִלָּה הַזֹּאת׃
28And now, O Hashem, You are Hashem and Your words will surely come true, and You have made this gracious promise to Your servant.
כחוְעַתָּה אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה אַתָּה־הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וּדְבָרֶיךָ יִהְיוּ אֱמֶת וַתְּדַבֵּר אֶל־עַבְדְּךָ אֶת־הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת׃
29Be pleased, therefore, to bless Your servant's house, that it abide before You forever; for You, O Hashem, have spoken. May Your servant's house be blessed forever by Your blessing.”
כטוְעַתָּה הוֹאֵל וּבָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּית עַבְדְּךָ לִהְיוֹת לְעוֹלָם לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי־אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה דִּבַּרְתָּ וּמִבִּרְכָתְךָ יְבֹרַךְ בֵּית־עַבְדְּךָ לְעוֹלָם׃
