[1] Now when David dwelt in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet,
"Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the
LORD is under a tent." [2] And Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in
your heart, for God is with you." [3] But that same night the word of the
LORD came to Nathan, [4] "Go and tell my servant David, `Thus says the
LORD: You shall not build me a house to dwell in. [5] For I have not dwelt
in a house since the day I led up Israel to this day, but I have gone from
tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. [6] In all places where I have
moved with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel,
whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, "Why have you not built me
a house of cedar?"' [7] Now therefore thus shall you say to my servant
David, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from
following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; [8]
and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your
enemies from before you; and I will make for you a name, like the name of
the great ones of the earth. [9] And I will appoint a place for my people
Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be
disturbed no more; and violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly,
[10] from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I
will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I declare to you that the LORD will
build you a house. [11] When your days are fulfilled to go to be with your
fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons,
and I will establish his kingdom. [12] He shall build a house for me, and I
will establish his throne for ever. [13] I will be his father, and he shall
be my son; I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from
him who was before you, [14] but I will confirm him in my house and in my
kingdom for ever and his throne shall be established for ever.'" [15] In
accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision,
Nathan spoke to David. [16] Then King David went in and sat before the
LORD, and said, "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that thou hast
brought me thus far? [17] And this was a small thing in thy eyes, O God;
thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and
hast shown me future generations, O LORD God! [18] And what more can David
say to thee for honoring thy servant? For thou knowest thy servant. [19]
For thy servant's sake, O LORD, and according to thy own heart, thou hast
wrought all this greatness, in making known all these great things. [20]
There is none like thee, O LORD, and there is no God besides thee,
according to all that we have heard with our ears. [21] What other nation
on earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his
people, making for thyself a name for great and terrible things, in driving
out nations before thy people whom thou didst redeem from Egypt? [22] And
thou didst make thy people Israel to be thy people for ever; and thou, O
LORD, didst become their God. [23] And now, O LORD, let the word which thou
hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established
for ever, and do as thou hast spoken; [24] and thy name will be established
and magnified for ever, saying, `The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, is
Israel's God,' and the house of thy servant David will be established
before thee. [25] For thou, my God, hast revealed to thy servant that thou
wilt build a house for him; therefore thy servant has found courage to pray
before thee. [26] And now, O LORD, thou art God, and thou hast promised
this good thing to thy servant; [27] now therefore may it please thee to
bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee;
for what thou, O LORD, hast blessed is blessed for ever."
