2 Samuel 7 29

2 Samuel 7:29 kjv

Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

2 Samuel 7:29 nkjv

Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever."

2 Samuel 7:29 niv

Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign LORD, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."

2 Samuel 7:29 esv

Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever."

2 Samuel 7:29 nlt

And now, may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you have spoken, and when you grant a blessing to your servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!"

2 Samuel 7 verses

2 Samuel 7 29 Meaning

Second Samuel 7:29 is the concluding statement of King David's prayer of thanksgiving and humble petition, following God's monumental covenant promise (the Davidic Covenant) in 2 Samuel 7:1-17. David reiterates his trust and faith in the Lord God, acknowledging God's promise to bless his dynastic "house" and establish his kingdom "forever." He humbly requests that God's word, already spoken and guaranteed by God's own name, be established and remain perpetually. It encapsulates David's complete reliance on God's divine word as the basis for the secure future of his royal lineage and Israel's spiritual well-being.

2 Samuel 7 29 Context

This verse (2 Sam 7:29) marks the climax of King David's profound prayer in response to the "Davidic Covenant" found in 2 Sam 7:1-17. In this pivotal chapter, David, having brought the ark to Jerusalem, expresses his desire to build a temple for the Lord. However, through the prophet Nathan, God refuses David's offer, instead reversing the intention: God, not David, will build a "house" (dynasty) for David. This "house" will have an "eternal" kingdom, and one of David's descendants will build the temple. God promises an eternal dynasty, an eternal throne, and an eternal kingdom to David, stating His steadfast love (hesed) will never depart from this lineage as it did from Saul's house.

David's prayer, spanning 2 Sam 7:18-29, is a response of overwhelming gratitude and humble awe at God's utterly gratuitous promise. He acknowledges his own unworthiness, God's unparalleled greatness, and the profound implications of this covenant for future generations. His prayer is rooted in deep understanding that God’s promises are guaranteed by His divine nature. Culturally, while other Ancient Near Eastern kings might have hoped for dynastic stability, it was typically secured through human effort, military might, or rituals. Here, David recognizes that the security of his kingdom rests solely on God's divine oath and sovereign power, setting Israel's kingship apart as uniquely divinely established and maintained. There's an indirect polemic against the idea that human actions (like building a temple for God) are prerequisites for divine blessing; instead, God's grace initiates and sustains His promises.

2 Samuel 7 29 Word Analysis

• וְעַתָּה (ve'attah) – "And now" / "Therefore": This connective phrase signifies a turning point or a logical conclusion based on what precedes it. In David's prayer, after marveling at God's promises and character, this "now" transitions to his final plea, based on all God has revealed. It signifies the immediacy and the confidence of his petition.
• הוֹאֶל (ho'el) – "be pleased" / "begin" / "undertake": This verb, related to the root יאל (ya'al), means "to consent," "to be willing," "to show oneself willing." It's not a command but a humble, respectful petition, asking God to "be pleased" to act, acknowledging His sovereignty.
• בָּרֵךְ (barekh) – "to bless": This infinitive construct comes from בָּרַךְ (barakh). In this context, it refers to God bestowing favor, prosperity, and protection. God's blessing is not merely a good wish but an efficacious divine act that brings about what is spoken.
• אֶת־בֵּית (et-beit) – "the house of": "בַּ֫יִת" (bayith) fundamentally means "house" or "household." Here, it explicitly refers to David's dynasty or lineage – his family line that will produce future kings, rather than a physical building. This echoes God's promise that He will build David a "house" (2 Sam 7:11).
• עַבְדְּךָ (avdekha) – "your servant": David consistently refers to himself as God's servant throughout this prayer (2 Sam 7:19, 20, 25, 26, 27). This title underscores his humility, obedience, and recognition of God's supreme authority, contrasting sharply with the earthly power of a king. It reflects a core identity for David, much like Moses or Abraham.
• לְעוֹלָם (le'olam) – "forever" / "eternally": This term signifies perpetuity, for all time, unending. Its use here reinforces the absolute nature of God's covenant with David, promising an everlasting dynasty. This contrasts with human kingships, which are finite and fallible.
• כִּי־אַתָּה יְהוָה אֲדֹנָי (Ki-attah Adonai Yahweh) – "For you, O Lord GOD":
  • כִּי (ki) - "For" / "Because": Introduces the reason or ground for David's request. His plea is rooted in God's identity and word.
  • אַתָּה (attah) - "You": Emphasizes the divine Person who has made the promise – God Himself.
  • יְהוָה אֲדֹנָי (Adonai Yahweh): This is a significant divine title.
    • יְהוָה (Yahweh): The covenant name of God, revealing His personal, self-existent, faithful nature. It signifies His commitment to His promises and His people.
    • אֲדֹנָי (Adonai): "My Lord" or "Sovereign Lord." This is a title of ultimate authority and mastery. When combined, as here (often appearing as Lord GOD in English translations), it denotes the absolute sovereignty of the faithful Covenant God, providing the ultimate guarantee for the promises. David appeals to the very character and name of God.
• דִּבַּרְתָּ (dibbarta) – "have spoken": This highlights the spoken word of God. God's word is not empty rhetoric but creative and performative; when God speaks, it happens. This reinforces the reliability and certainty of the divine promise.
• וּבִבְרִכָתְךָ (u'viv'rakhateka) – "and with your blessing" / "by your blessing": This emphasizes that the continued existence and success of David's house depend entirely on God's own benevolent action. It’s God's blessing that guarantees the "house" endures.
• יִבָּרֵךְ (yibbārēkh) – "be blessed" / "it will be blessed": This passive verb reinforces that the blessing comes from God. The house doesn't bless itself; it receives the blessing. The future tense suggests certainty and fulfillment.

Words-group/Phrase Analysis:

• "be pleased to bless the house of your servant": This phrase captures the humility of David's request. He does not demand, but reverently petitions the sovereign God, acknowledging that any blessing is a gracious act of divine will. The "house of your servant" directly references the dynastic promise God has just given him.
• "that it may continue forever before you": This is the core of David's petition and the reiteration of the promised eternality. The phrase "before you" (לְפָנֶיךָ - lefaneikha) implies God's constant presence, supervision, and commitment to maintaining the line. It signifies a divine endorsement and presence within the perpetual dynasty.
• "For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever": This concluding statement provides the bedrock for David's confidence. The "for" (כִּי - ki) is crucial: the basis of his plea is not his merit but God's word and character. God has spoken – a past and completed action – making the future fulfillment certain. The dual divine name (Adonai Yahweh) underscores God's absolute sovereignty and covenant faithfulness. The final repetition of "be blessed forever" (יִבָּרֵךְ לְעוֹלָם - yibbārēkh le'olam) serves as a powerful affirmation, trusting that what God initiates with His blessing, He will eternally maintain. It expresses a prayer for the actualization of a promise that is already decreed.

2 Samuel 7 29 Bonus section

The structure of David's prayer (from thanksgiving to petition, concluding in this verse) is a profound theological and devotional model. David starts by acknowledging his unworthiness and God's incomparable greatness, recounts God's promises, and only then, resting completely on God's declared word and identity, makes his final request. This shows a deep theological understanding: true prayer is not about informing God or swaying His will, but about aligning human desire with divine purpose, humbly trusting in His revealed character and word. This passage has profoundly influenced subsequent Old Testament prophecy and New Testament understanding of Christ’s identity, demonstrating the enduring nature of God’s covenant word. It implicitly teaches that what God blesses, truly is blessed, not through human effort or merit, but through His sovereign will.

2 Samuel 7 29 Commentary

2 Samuel 7:29 serves as the climax of David's awe-struck response to the unconditional and eternal covenant God established with him. It distills David’s theology of divine sovereignty and word-faithfulness into a profound prayer. David grasps that God's word (דִּבַּרְתָּ - dibbarta) is not merely communicative but inherently performative; what God declares, He executes. The phrase "For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken" encapsulates the foundation of all biblical hope: God’s character guarantees His promises. The unique double divine title "Lord GOD" (אֲדֹנָי יְהוָה - Adonai Yahweh) underscores God's absolute power and His faithful commitment to His covenant.

David is not asking God to make a new promise, but to actualize and establish the one He has already given ("and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever"). This is a prayer for the manifestation of what God has already decreed. David's humility ("your servant") before the great God is striking. His desire for his "house" (dynasty) to "continue forever before you" aligns with God’s eternal kingdom plan, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the Son of David. This verse teaches us that confident prayer is rooted in God's promises, trusting His nature as the one who speaks and brings it to pass. It is a model of praying God's will back to Him, assured of His faithfulness.