1 Chronicles 17

1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord remaineth under curtains.2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.

3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.s6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:s8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house.

11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

16 And David the king came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?17 And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.18 What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.19 O Lord, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.s20 O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.21 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?22 For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, Lord, becamest their God.23 Therefore now, Lord, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.24 Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.25 For thou, O my God, hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath found in his heart to pray before thee.s26 And now, Lord, thou art God, and hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:27 Now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, O Lord, and it shall be blessed for ever.s

1 Chronicles 17

David’s Wish to Build a House for God—2 Samuel 7:1–29

1 When David was living in his house, he said to the prophet Nathan, “I’m living in a house made of cedar, while the ark of the Lord’s promise is inside a tent.”2 Nathan told David, “Do everything you have in mind, because God is with you.”3 But that same night God spoke his word to Nathan:4 “Say to David, my servant, ‘This is what the Lord says: You must not build this house for me to live in.5 I haven’t lived in a house from the day I brought Israel out of Egypt to this day, but I’ve gone from tent site to tent site, moving the tent of meeting from one location to another.

6 In all the places I’ve moved with all Israel, did I ever ask any of the judges of Israel whom I ordered to be shepherds of my people why they didn’t build me a house of cedar?’
7 “Now this is what you will say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel.8 I was with you wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies in front of you. I will make your name like the names of the greatest people on earth.9 I will make a place for my people Israel and plant them there. They will live in their own place and not be troubled anymore. The wicked will no longer frighten them as they used to do

10 ever since I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. I will crush all your enemies. I even tell you that I, the Lord, will build a house for you.
11 “ ‘When the time comes for you to go and be with your ancestors, I will send one of your descendants. He will be one of your sons. I will establish his kingdom.12 He will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.13 I will be his Father, and he will be my Son. And I will never stop showing him my love as I did to your predecessor.

14 I will place him in my royal house forever, and his throne will be established forever.’ ”
15 Nathan told David all these words and everything he had seen.16 Then King David went into the tent and sat in front of the Lord. “Who am I, Lord God,” he asked, “and why is my house so important that you have brought me this far?

17 And this you consider to be a small act, God. You’ve spoken about the distant future of my house. Lord God, you’ve shown me the generation of the great man.t
18 “What more can I do for you in light of the honor you have given to me and since you know me so well!

19 Lord, you’ve done this great thing for my sake and your own desire. You made this great thing known to me.
20 “Lord, there is no one like you, and there is no other god except you, as we have heard with our own ears.21 Who is like your people Israel? It is the one nation on earth that God came to free in order to make its people his own, to make your name known, and to do great and wonderful things for them. You forced the nations and their gods out of the way of your people, whom you freed from Egypt.

22 You made the people of Israel to be your people forever. And you, Lord, became their God.
23 “Now, Lord, faithfully keep the promise you made to me and my house forever. Do as you promised.24 Your name will endure and be respected forever when people say, ‘The Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God.’ And the house of David, your servant, will be established in your presence.

25 You, my God, have revealed especially to me that you will build me a house. That is why I have found the courage to pray to you.
26 “Almighty Lord, you are God. You promised me this good thing.

27 Now, you were pleased to bless my house so that it may continue in your presence forever. Indeed, you, Lord, have blessed it. It will be blessed forever.”