Bible Strands
2 Samuel 7:3
And Nathan replied to the king, “Go and do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Nathan addresses King David immediately after David contrasts his cedar palace with the ark’s tent dwelling. The prophet speaks before receiving the corrective divine message recorded in the following verse.
The words — The Hebrew לֵ֣ךְ (lekh) issues a direct command to "go," while בִּֽ/לְבָבְ/ךָ֖ (bi/l.va.ve./Kha) refers literally to the king's internal resolve or "heart." Nathan initially validates David’s plan based on his own assessment rather than revealed will.
The thread — David’s expressed desire to build a temple appears in 1 Chronicles 22:7, 1 Kings 8:17, and 1 Chronicles 28:2. These later passages explicitly state that God declined David’s initiative and designated Solomon as the builder.
Why it lands — The text shows that human religious ambition requires divine authorization to proceed. Readers must align personal convictions with explicit revelation instead of treating initial impressions or circumstances as sufficient guidance.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee.
Cross-references
- 1 Chronicles 22:7 “My son,” said David to Solomon, “it was in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God,
- 1 Kings 8:17 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
- 1 Chronicles 28:2 Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. It was in my heart to build a house as a resting place for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and as a footstool for our God. I had made preparations to build it,
- 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or height, for I have rejected him; the LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.”
- 2 Kings 4:27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she clung to his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.”
- 1 Samuel 10:7 When these signs have come, do as the occasion demands, for God is with you.
- Psalms 20:4 May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
- Psalms 37:4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
- 1 John 2:27 And as for you, the anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But just as His true and genuine anointing teaches you about all things, so remain in Him as you have been taught.