1 AS SOON AS DAVID WAS ESTABLISHED in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, 'Here I live in a house of cedar, while the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD is housed in curtains.' 2Nathan answered David, 'Do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you.' 3But that night the word of God came to Nathan: 4'Go and say to David my servant, "This is the word of the LORD: It is not you who shall build me a house to dwell in. 5Down to this day I have never dwelt in a house since I brought Israel up from Egypt; I lived in a tent and a tabernacle . 6Wherever I journeyed with Israel, did I ever ask any of the judges whom I appointed shepherds of my people why they had not built me a house of cedar?" 7Then say this to my servant David: "This is the word of the LORD of Hosts: I took you from the pastures, and from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel. 8I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have destroyed all the enemies in your path. I will make you as famous as the great ones of the earth. 9I will assign a place for my people Israel; there I will plant them, and they shall dwell in their own land. They shall be disturbed no more, never again shall wicked men wear them down as they did 10from the time when I first appointed judges over Israel my people, and I will subdue all your enemies. But I will make you great and the LORD shall build up your royal house. 11When your life ends and you go to join your forefathers, I will set up one of your family, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom. 12It is he shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for all time. 13I will be his father, and he shall be my son. I will never withdraw my love from him as I withdrew it from your predecessor. 14But I will give him a sure place in my house and kingdom for all time, and his throne shall be established for ever." '
15Nathan recounted to David all that had been said to him and all that had been revealed.
16Then King David went into the presence of the LORD and took his place there and said, 'What am I, LORD God, and what is my family, that thou hast brought me thus far? 17It was a small thing in thy sight, O God, to have planned for thy servant's house in days long past, and now thou lookest upon me as a man already embarked on a high career, O LORD God. 18What more can David say to thee of the honour thou hast done thy servant, well though thou knowest him? 19For the sake of thy servant, LORD, and according to thy purpose, thou hast brought me to all this greatness. 20O LORD, we have never heard of one like thee; there is no god but thee. 21And thy people Israel, to whom can they be compared? Is there any other nation on earth whom God has gone out to redeem from slavery, to make them his people? Thou hast won a name for thyself by great and terrible deeds, driving out nations before thy people whom thou didst redeem from Egypt. 22Thou hast made thy people Israel thy own for ever, and thou, O LORD, hast become their God. 23But now, LORD, let what thou hast promised for thy servant and his house stand fast for all time; make good what thou hast said. Let it stand fast, 24that thy fame may be great for ever, and let men say, "The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God." So shall the house of thy servant David be established before thee. 25Thou, my God, hast shown me thy purpose to build up thy servant's house; therefore I have been able to pray before thee. 26Thou, O LORD, art God, and thou hast made these noble promises to thy servant; 27thou hast been pleased to bless thy servant's house, that it may continue always before thee; thou it is who hast blessed it, and it shall be blessed for ever.'
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