David Plans to Build a Temple

7 When King David lived in his house (palace) and the Lord had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies, ² the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.” ³ And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do everything that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴ But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, ⁵ “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Should you be the one to build Me a house in which to dwell? ⁶ For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought the sons (descendants) of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle. ⁷ Wherever I have gone with all the Israelites, did I speak a word to any from the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, asking, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’

God’s Covenant with David

⁸ So now, say this to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. ⁹ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a great name, like that of the great men of the earth. ¹⁰ I will appoint a place for My people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in a place of their own and not be disturbed again. The ^[a]wicked will not afflict them again, as formerly, ¹¹ even from the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that He will make a house (royal dynasty) for you. ¹² When your days are fulfilled and you lie down [in death] with your fathers (ancestors), I will raise up your descendant after you, who shall be born to you, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He [is the one who] shall build a house for My ^[b]Name and My Presence, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. When he commits iniquity (wrongdoing), I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the strokes of the sons of man. ¹⁵ But My lovingkindness and mercy will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. ¹⁶ Your house (royal dynasty) and your kingdom will endure forever before Me; your throne will be established forever.”’” ¹⁷ Nathan spoke to David in accordance with all these words and all of this vision.

David’s Prayer

¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat [in prayer] before the Lord, and said, “Who am I, O Lord ^[c]God, and what is my house (family), that You have brought me this far? ¹⁹ Yet this was very insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of Your servant’s house (royal dynasty) in the distant future. And this is the law and custom of man, O Lord God. ²⁰ What more can David say to You? For You know (acknowledge, choose) Your servant, O Lord God. ²¹ Because of Your word (promise), and in accordance with Your own heart, You have done all these great and astounding things to let Your servant know (understand). ²² Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²³ What one nation on earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people and to make a name for Himself, and to do great and awesome things for Yourself and for Your land, before Your people whom You have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods? ²⁴ You established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your people forever, and You, O Lord, have become their God. ²⁵ Now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word [of the covenant] that You have spoken in regard to Your servant and his house (royal dynasty); and do just as You have spoken, ²⁶ so that Your Name may be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts (armies) is God over Israel;’ and may the house (royal dynasty) of Your servant David be established ^[d]before You. ²⁷ For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have ^[e]revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house (royal dynasty).’ For that reason Your servant has found ^[f]courage to pray this prayer to You. ²⁸ And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant. ²⁹ Therefore now, may it please You to bless the house (royal dynasty) of Your servant, so that it may continue forever before You; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”

God’s Covenant with David

17 As David sat in his house (palace), he said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I live in a house of cedars, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains.” ² Then Nathan said to David, “^[a]Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

³ But it came about that same night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, ⁴ “Go and tell David My servant, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; ⁵ for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought Israel up [from Egypt] until this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another. ⁶ Wherever I have walked with all Israel, did I say a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built for Me a house of cedar?’”’ ⁷ Now, therefore, this is what you shall say to My servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel. ⁸ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make your name like the name of the great ones of the earth. ⁹ I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be moved again [nor tremble with fear]; and the ^[b]wicked will not waste (persecute) them anymore, as formerly, ¹⁰ since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will humble and subdue all your enemies.

“Furthermore, I tell you that the Lord will build you a house (a blessed posterity). ¹¹ And it shall come to pass that when your days are completed and you must go to be with your fathers [in death], I will raise up one of your descendants after you, one of your own sons; and I will establish his kingdom. ¹² He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.^{(A) 13} I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My steadfast love and mercy away from him, as I took it from him (King Saul) who was before you.^{(B) 14} But I will settle ^[c]him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forevermore.”’”^{(C) 15} According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer in Response

¹⁶ Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house and family 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 regarded me according to the standard and estate of a man of high degree (prominence), O Lord God. ¹⁸ What more can David say to You for the honor granted to Your servant? For You know Your servant. ¹⁹ O Lord, for Your servant’s sake, and in accordance with Your own heart, You have accomplished all this greatness, to make known all these great things. ²⁰ O Lord, there is no one like You, nor is there any God except You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²¹ And what one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make a name for Yourself by great and awesome and terrible things, by driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt? ²² You made Your people Israel Your own people forever, and You, Lord, became their God.

²³ “Therefore now, O Lord, let the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house endure forever, and do as You have said. ²⁴ Let Your name [and the character that it denotes] endure and be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, yes, a God to Israel; and the house of Your servant David is established before You.’ ²⁵ For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house (descendants); therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You. ²⁶ And now, O Lord, You are God, and you have spoken and promised this good thing to Your servant. ²⁷ Therefore may it please You to bless the house (descendants) of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for what You bless, O Lord, is blessed forever.”