2 Samuel

2 Samuel 7:4–8

⁴But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, ⁵“Go and tell My servant David that this is what the LORD says: Are you the one to build for Me a house to dwell in? ⁶For I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt until this day, but I have moved about with a tent as My dwelling. ⁷In all My journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever asked any of the leaders^a I appointed to shepherd My people Israel, ‘Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?’

⁸Now 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.

Footnotes

a 7:7 Or tribes

Read all of 2 Samuel 7

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 7:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But that	הַה֑וּא	ha·hū	Article; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
night	בַּלַּ֣יְלָה	bal·lay·lāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity
the word	דְּבַר־	də·ḇar-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1697 speech, word
of the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
came	וַיְהִ֖י	way·hî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Nathan	נָתָ֖ן	nā·ṯān	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H5416 Nathan
saying	לֵאמֹֽר׃	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say

2 Samuel 7:5

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Go	לֵ֤ךְ	lêḵ	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
and tell	וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֙	wə·’ā·mar·tā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
My servant	עַבְדִּ֣י	‘aḇ·dî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5650 slave, servant
David	דָּוִ֔ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
that this is what	כֹּ֖ה	kōh	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
the LORD	יְהוָ֑ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
says	אָמַ֣ר	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Are you the one	הַאַתָּ֛ה	ha·’at·tāh	Article; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
to build	תִּבְנֶה־	tiḇ·neh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1129 build
for Me	לִּ֥י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
a house	בַ֖יִת	ḇa·yiṯ	Noun - masculine singular	H1004 house
to dwell in	לְשִׁבְתִּֽי׃	lə·šiḇ·tî	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell

2 Samuel 7:6

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I have not	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
dwelt	יָשַׁ֙בְתִּי֙	yā·šaḇ·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H3427 sit, remain, dwell
in a house	בְּבַ֔יִת	bə·ḇa·yiṯ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H1004 house
from the day	לְ֠מִיּוֹם	lə·mî·yō·wm	Preposition-l, Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
I brought	הַעֲלֹתִ֞י	ha·‘ă·lō·ṯî	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
the Israelites	בְּנֵ֤י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
out of Egypt	מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם	mim·miṣ·ra·yim	Preposition-m; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
until	וְעַ֖ד	wə·‘aḏ	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5704 as far as, even to, up to, until, while
this	הַזֶּ֑ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
day	הַיּ֣וֹם	hay·yō·wm	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
but I have	וָאֶֽהְיֶה֙	wā·’eh·yeh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
moved about	מִתְהַלֵּ֔ךְ	miṯ·hal·lêḵ	Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
with a tent	בְּאֹ֖הֶל	bə·’ō·hel	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H168 tent
as My dwelling	וּבְמִשְׁכָּֽן׃	ū·ḇə·miš·kān	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H4908 dwelling-place, 'tabernacle'

2 Samuel 7:7

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
In all	בְּכֹ֥ל	bə·ḵōl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
My journeys	הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי֮	hiṯ·hal·laḵ·tî	Verb - Hitpael - Perfect - first person common singular	H1980 go, come, walk
with all	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the Israelites	בְּנֵ֣י	bə·nê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H1121 son
have I ever asked	דִּבַּ֗רְתִּי	dib·bar·tî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular	H1696 speak
any	אַחַד֙	’a·ḥaḏ	Number - masculine singular construct	H259 one
leaders	שִׁבְטֵ֣י	šiḇ·ṭê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H7626 rod, staff, club, sceptre
I appointed	צִוִּ֗יתִי	ṣiw·wî·ṯî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular	H6680 lay charge (upon), give charge (to), charge, command, order
to shepherd	לִרְע֛וֹת	lir·‘ō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7462 pasture, tend, graze
My people	עַמִּ֥י	‘am·mî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel
Why	לָ֛מָּה	lām·māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
haven’t	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
you built	בְנִיתֶ֥ם	ḇə·nî·ṯem	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural	H1129 build
Me	לִ֖י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
a house	בֵּ֥ית	bêṯ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1004 house
of cedar	אֲרָזִֽים׃	’ă·rā·zîm	Noun - masculine plural	H730 cedar

2 Samuel 7:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now	וְ֠עַתָּה	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
then	כֹּֽה־	kōh-	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
you are to tell	תֹאמַ֞ר	ṯō·mar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
My servant	לְעַבְדִּ֣י	lə·‘aḇ·dî	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5650 slave, servant
David	לְדָוִ֗ד	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
that this is what	כֹּ֤ה	kōh	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
the LORD	יְהוָ֣ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
of Hosts	צְבָא֔וֹת	ṣə·ḇā·’ō·wṯ	Noun - common plural	H6635 army, war, warfare
says	אָמַר֙	’ā·mar	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I	אֲנִ֤י	’ă·nî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
took you	לְקַחְתִּ֙יךָ֙	lə·qaḥ·tî·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H3947 take
from	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the pasture	הַנָּוֶ֔ה	han·nā·weh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5116 abode of shepherd, or flocks
from following	מֵאַחַ֖ר	mê·’a·ḥar	Preposition-m	H310 behind
the flock	הַצֹּ֑אן	haṣ·ṣōn	Article; Noun - common singular	H6629 small cattle, sheep and goats, flock, flocks
to be	לִֽהְי֣וֹת	lih·yō·wṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
the ruler	נָגִ֔יד	nā·ḡîḏ	Noun - masculine singular	H5057 leader
over	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
My people	עַמִּ֖י	‘am·mî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H5971 people
Israel	יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃	yiś·rā·’êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3478 Israel