TORAH
NEVI'IM
KETUVIM
I - Chapter 17
Translation and Transliteration of
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1When David settled in his palace, David said to the Navi Natan, “Here I am dwelling in a house of cedar, while the Aron Brit Hashem is under tent-cloths.”
אוַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָשַׁב דָּוִיד בְּבֵיתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִיד אֶל־נָתָן הַנָּבִיא הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי יוֹשֵׁב בְּבֵית הָאֲרָזִים וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָה תַּחַת יְרִיעוֹת׃
2Natan said to David, “Do whatever you have in mind, for Hashem is with you.”
בוַיֹּאמֶר נָתָן אֶל־דָּוִיד כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בִּלְבָבְךָ עֲשֵׂה כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים עִמָּךְ׃
3But that same night the word of Hashem came to Natan:
גוַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיְהִי דְּבַר־אֱלֹהִים אֶל־נָתָן לֵאמֹר׃
4“Go and say to My servant David: Thus said Hashem: You are not the one to build a house for Me to dwell in.
דלֵךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֶל־דָּוִיד עַבְדִּי כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה לֹא אַתָּה תִּבְנֶה־לִּי הַבַּיִת לָשָׁבֶת׃
5From the day that I brought out Yisrael to this day, I have not dwelt in a house, but have [gone] from tent to tent and from one Mishkan [to another].
הכִּי לֹא יָשַׁבְתִּי בְּבַיִת מִן־הַיּוֹם אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלֵיתִי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וָאֶהְיֶה מֵאֹהֶל אֶל־אֹהֶל וּמִמִּשְׁכָּן׃
6As I moved about wherever Yisrael went, did I ever reproach any of the judges of Yisrael whom I appointed to care for My people Yisrael: Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?
ובְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־הִתְהַלַּכְתִּי בְּכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲדָבָר דִּבַּרְתִּי אֶת־אַחַד שֹׁפְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי לִרְעוֹת אֶת־עַמִּי לֵאמֹר לָמָּה לֹא־בְנִיתֶם לִי בֵּית אֲרָזִים׃
7“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,
זוְעַתָּה כֹּה־תֹאמַר לְעַבְדִּי לְדָוִיד כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֲנִי לְקַחְתִּיךָ מִן־הַנָּוֶה מִן־אַחֲרֵי הַצֹּאן לִהְיוֹת נָגִיד עַל עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
8and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut down all your enemies before you. Moreover, I will give you renown like that of the greatest men on earth.
חוָאֶהְיֶה עִמְּךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר הָלַכְתָּ וָאַכְרִית אֶת־כָּל־אוֹיְבֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ וְעָשִׂיתִי לְךָ שֵׁם כְּשֵׁם הַגְּדוֹלִים אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ׃
9I 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 wear them down anymore as in the past,
טוְשַׂמְתִּי מָקוֹם לְעַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְטַעְתִּיהוּ וְשָׁכַן תַּחְתָּיו וְלֹא יִרְגַּז עוֹד וְלֹא־יוֹסִיפוּ בְנֵי־עַוְלָה לְבַלֹּתוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה׃
10ever since I appointed judges over My people Yisrael. I will subdue all your enemies. And I declare to you: Hashem will build a house for you.
יוּלְמִיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי שֹׁפְטִים עַל־עַמִּי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהִכְנַעְתִּי אֶת־כָּל־אוֹיְבֶיךָ וָאַגִּד לָךְ וּבַיִת יִבְנֶה־לְּךָ יְהֹוָה׃
11When your days are done and you follow your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingship.
יאוְהָיָה כִּי־מָלְאוּ יָמֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת עִם־אֲבֹתֶיךָ וַהֲקִימוֹתִי אֶת־זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה מִבָּנֶיךָ וַהֲכִינוֹתִי אֶת־מַלְכוּתוֹ׃
12He shall build a house for Me, and I will establish his throne forever.
HU yiv-neh LEE BA-yit v'-kho-nan-TEE et kis-O ad o-LAM
יבהוּא יִבְנֶה־לִּי בָּיִת וְכֹנַנְתִּי אֶת־כִּסְאוֹ עַד־עוֹלָם׃
17:12 He shall build a house for Me
King David wants to build the Holy Temple. However, Hashem tells him that his son, not he, will be the one to build the Beit Hamikdash. As the king who helps conquer the Land of Israel, fights Amalek and solidifies the monarchy, David plays an important part in the process of establishing the Israelites in their land. He is even able to make the preparations for the building of the Temple. However, as a warrior, he is not able to build the actual Beit Hamikdash, which is intended to promote peace and harmony among the Children of Israel as well as all the nations of the world. In contrast to David, his son Shlomo (שלמה) is a man of peace, as reflected in his name which derives from the Hebrew word for ‘peace,’ shalom (שלום). Shlomo, therefore, is God’s choice for the king who will build the Temple. For this same reason, instruments of war and violence were not used in the construction of the Beit Hamikdash, so that peace would be built into its very foundation (I Kings 6:7).
13I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to Me, but I will never withdraw My favor from him as I withdrew it from your predecessor.
יגאֲנִי אֶהְיֶה־לּוֹ לְאָב וְהוּא יִהְיֶה־לִּי לְבֵן וְחַסְדִּי לֹא־אָסִיר מֵעִמּוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר הֲסִירוֹתִי מֵאֲשֶׁר הָיָה לְפָנֶיךָ׃
14I will install him in My house and in My kingship forever, and his throne shall be established forever.”
ידוְהַעֲמַדְתִּיהוּ בְּבֵיתִי וּבְמַלְכוּתִי עַד־הָעוֹלָם וְכִסְאוֹ יִהְיֶה נָכוֹן עַד־עוֹלָם׃
15Natan spoke to David in accordance with all these words and all this prophecy.
טוכְּכֹל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וּכְכֹל הֶחָזוֹן הַזֶּה כֵּן דִּבֶּר נָתָן אֶל־דָּוִיד׃
16Then 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?
טזוַיָּבֹא הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּוִיד וַיֵּשֶׁב לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה וַיֹּאמֶר מִי־אֲנִי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים וּמִי בֵיתִי כִּי הֲבִיאֹתַנִי עַד־הֲלֹם׃
17Yet even this, O Hashem, has seemed too little to You; for You have spoken of Your servant's house for the future. You regard me as a man of distinction, O Hashem.
יזוַתִּקְטַן זֹאת בְּעֵינֶיךָ אֱלֹהִים וַתְּדַבֵּר עַל־בֵּית־עַבְדְּךָ לְמֵרָחוֹק וּרְאִיתַנִי כְּתוֹר הָאָדָם הַמַּעֲלָה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהִים׃
18What more can David add regarding the honoring of Your servant? You know Your servant.
יחמַה־יּוֹסִיף עוֹד דָּוִיד אֵלֶיךָ לְכָבוֹד אֶת־עַבְדֶּךָ וְאַתָּה אֶת־עַבְדְּךָ יָדָעְתָּ׃
19Hashem, for Your servant's sake, and of Your own accord, You have wrought this great thing, and made known all these great things.
יטיְהֹוָה בַּעֲבוּר עַבְדְּךָ וּכְלִבְּךָ עָשִׂיתָ אֵת כָּל־הַגְּדוּלָּה הַזֹּאת לְהֹדִיעַ אֶת־כָּל־הַגְּדֻלּוֹת׃
20Hashem, there is none like You, and there is no other God but You, as we have always heard.
כיְהֹוָה אֵין כָּמוֹךָ וְאֵין אֱלֹהִים זוּלָתֶךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר־שָׁמַעְנוּ בְּאָזְנֵינוּ׃
21And who is like Your people Yisrael, a unique nation on earth, whom Hashem went and redeemed as His people, winning renown for Yourself for great and marvelous deeds, driving out nations before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt.
u-MEE k'-a-m'-KHA yis-ra-AYL GOY e-KHAD ba-A-retz a-SHER ha-LAKH ha-e-lo-HEEM lif-DOT LO AM la-SUM l'-KHA shaym g'-du-LOT v'-no-ra-OT l'-ga-RAYSH mi-p'-NAY a-m'-KHA a-sher pa-DEE-ta mi-mitz-RA-yim go-YIM
כאוּמִי כְּעַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל גּוֹי אֶחָד בָּאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הָלַךְ הָאֱלֹהִים לִפְדּוֹת לוֹ עָם לָשׂוּם לְךָ שֵׁם גְּדֻלּוֹת וְנֹרָאוֹת לְגָרֵשׁ מִפְּנֵי עַמְּךָ אֲשֶׁר־פָּדִיתָ מִמִּצְרַיִם גּוֹיִם׃
17:21 And who is like Your people Yisrael
Prime Minister Golda Meir (1898-1978)
In this verse, Israel is referred to not only as a “people” but as a “singular nation on earth.” Throughout history, the unique character of the Jewish people has been variously described, by friend and foe alike, as a people, a nation, a religion and even a race. It is hard to pin down the exact nature of the Jewish people, but it certainly seems to contain elements of both nationality and spirituality that deeply connect Jews with one another. During the first bloody week of the Yom Kippur War, a soldier stationed on the Golan Heights asked Prime Minister Golda Meir about the many casualties Israel had suffered, “I know we will win, but is all our sacrifice worthwhile?” The Prime Minister replied, “If our sacrifices are for ourselves, then no. But if for the sake of the whole Jewish people, then I believe with all my heart that any price is worthwhile.” Her message was that the State of Israel would serve as a safe haven not only for Israelis, but for the entire People of Israel all over the world. Indeed, “who is like Your people Yisrael”?
22You have established Your people Yisrael as Your very own people forever; and You, Hashem, have become their God.
כבוַתִּתֵּן אֶת־עַמְּךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְךָ לְעָם עַד־עוֹלָם וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה הָיִיתָ לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים׃
23“And now, Hashem, let Your promise concerning Your servant and his house be fulfilled forever; and do as You have promised.
כגוְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ עַל־עַבְדְּךָ וְעַל־בֵּיתוֹ יֵאָמֵן עַד־עוֹלָם וַעֲשֵׂה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְתָּ׃
24Let it be fulfilled that Your name be glorified forever, in that men will say, ‘the lord of Hosts, God of Yisrael, is Yisrael's God'; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You.
כדוְיֵאָמֵן וְיִגְדַּל שִׁמְךָ עַד־עוֹלָם לֵאמֹר יְהֹוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֱלֹהִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵית־דָּוִיד עַבְדְּךָ נָכוֹן לְפָנֶיךָ׃
25Because You, my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build a house for him, Your servant has ventured to pray to You.
כהכִּי אַתָּה אֱלֹהַי גָּלִיתָ אֶת־אֹזֶן עַבְדְּךָ לִבְנוֹת לוֹ בָּיִת עַל־כֵּן מָצָא עַבְדְּךָ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ׃
26And now, Hashem, You are Hashem and You have made this gracious promise to Your servant.
כווְעַתָּה יְהֹוָה אַתָּה־הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים וַתְּדַבֵּר עַל־עַבְדְּךָ הַטּוֹבָה הַזֹּאת׃
27Now, it has pleased You to bless Your servant's house, that it abide before You forever; for You, Hashem, have blessed and are blessed forever.”
כזוְעַתָּה הוֹאַלְתָּ לְבָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּית עַבְדְּךָ לִהְיוֹת לְעוֹלָם לְפָנֶיךָ כִּי־אַתָּה יְהֹוָה בֵּרַכְתָּ וּמְבֹרָךְ לְעוֹלָם׃