17
1 When
David was living
in his house,
David said to
Nathan the prophet,
“Behold, I live
in a cedar house,
but the ark of
the LORD’s
covenant is in
a tent.”
2 Nathan said
to David, “Do
all that is
in your heart;
for God is with
you.”
3 That
same night, the
word of God came
to Nathan, saying,
4 “Go
and tell David my
servant, ‘The LORD
says, “You shall
not build me
a house to
dwell in;
5 for
I have not
lived in a
house since the
day that I
brought up Israel
to this day,
but have gone
from tent to tent,
and from one tent
to another.
6 In
all places in
which I have
walked with all
Israel, did I
speak a word
with any of
the judges of
Israel, whom I
commanded to be
shepherd of my
people, saying, ‘Why
have you not
built me a
house of cedar?’ ” ’
7 “Now
therefore, you
shall tell my
servant David, ‘The
LORD of Armies
says, “I took
you from the
sheep pen, from following
the sheep, to
be prince over
my people Israel.
8 I
have been with
you wherever you
have gone, and
have cut off
all your enemies
from before you.
I will make
you a name
like the name
of the great
ones who are
in the earth.
9 I
will appoint a
place for my
people Israel, and
will plant them,
that they may
dwell in their
own place, and
be moved no
more. The children
of wickedness will
not waste them
any more, as
at the first,
10 and
from the day
that I commanded
judges to be
over my people
Israel. I will
subdue all
your enemies. Moreover I
tell you that
the LORD will
build you a
house.
11 It
will happen, when
your days are
fulfilled that you
must go to
be with
your fathers, that
I will set
up your offspring
after you, who
will be of
your sons; and
I will establish
his kingdom.
12 He
will build me
a house, and
I will establish
his throne forever.
13 I
will be his
father, and he
will be my
son. I will
not take my loving
kindness away from
him, as I
took it from
him who was
before you;
14 but
I will settle
him in my
house and in
my kingdom forever.
His throne will
be established
forever.” ’ ”
15 According
to all these
words, and according
to all this
vision, so Nathan
spoke to David.
16 Then
David the king
went in and
sat before the
LORD; and he said,
“Who am I,
LORD God, and
what is my
house, that you
have brought me
this far?
17 This
was a small
thing in your
eyes, O God,
but you have
spoken of your
servant’s house
for a great
while to come,
and have respected
me according to
the standard of a
man of high
degree, LORD God.
18 What
can David say
yet more to
you concerning the
honor which is
done to your
servant? For you
know your servant.
19 LORD,
for your servant’s
sake, and according
to your own heart,
you have done
all this greatness,
to make known
all these great
things.
20 LORD,
there is no
one like you,
neither is there
any God besides
you, according to
all that we
have heard with
our ears.
21 What
one nation in
the earth is like
your people Israel,
whom God went
to redeem to
himself for a
people, to make
you a name
by great and
awesome things, in
driving out
nations from
before your people
whom you redeemed
out of Egypt?
22 For
you made your
people Israel your
own people forever;
and you, LORD,
became their God.
23 Now,
LORD, let the
word that you
have spoken
concerning your
servant, and
concerning his
house, be
established forever,
and do as
you have spoken.
24 Let your
name be
established and
magnified forever, saying, ‘The
LORD of Armies
is the God
of Israel, even
a God to
Israel. The house
of David your
servant is
established before
you.’
25 For
you, my God, have
revealed to your
servant that you
will build him
a house. Therefore
your servant has
found courage to
pray before you.
26 Now,
LORD, you are
God, and have
promised this good
thing to your
servant.
27 Now
it has pleased
you to bless
the house of
your servant, that
it may continue
forever before you;
for you, LORD,
have blessed, and
it is blessed
forever.”