Go: in contrast with the use of this same verb in verse 3, here Nathan is actually told to go to David in order to pass a message on to him.

The formula Thus says the LORD is used hundreds of times in the Old Testament to introduce a solemn message directly from God—especially in the prophets. It is more than a mere introduction to an ordinary quotation. The Hebrew verb form here is the perfect, which is often translated by the English past tense, and in some languages it will be more natural to retain this form. Some other possible models are “These are the words of the LORD” (New English Bible) or “Listen to what the LORD has said.” While this is the first occurrence of the formula in 2 Samuel, it is found in 1 Sam 2.27; 10.18; 15.2.

The force of the question Would you build me a house to dwell in? is not often communicated by a question in other languages. The sentence contains two emphatic pronouns that are important to the meaning. The first, you, focuses attention on David and indicates that, although the plan to build a temple may be acceptable, he should not be the person to do it. Following English writing style, Fox places the pronoun “you” in italic font in order to show the emphatic use of the Hebrew pronoun. But the use of italics is not recommended as a way of conveying meaning in translation, since they are meaningful only to the reader and not to the hearer of Scripture.

There is a play on words in this passage. The word house is used here of the temple that David had envisioned. But in verse 11 the same word refers to the dynasty that God will establish for David’s family. So the idea of the whole passage is something like this: “YOU are not going to build a house [temple] for ME. I am going to build a house [dynasty] for YOU.” So in this verse it will probably be preferable to avoid the question format and to say something like “You are not the person to build a house for me to live in” (New Century Version). Or, if the question can be naturally retained, translators may say “Are you the right person to build a house for me?” And in some languages, when such a question is used, it is appropriate to give the implied answer immediately. In a few cases translators may prefer to change the Yes/No question to a rhetorical one beginning with “Why,” as in Contemporary English Version, “Why should you build a temple for me?”

Since this verse contains a quotation within another quotation, it will be better in some languages to change one of the two to indirect speech. One way of doing this is to follow the previous verse by saying:

• … and told him to go and tell God’s servant David this message from the LORD: “Do you think you are the one to build a temple for me to live in? No….”

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 2. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .