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(A)David stood before them and addressed them: “My friends, listen to me. I wanted to build a permanent home for the Covenant Box, the footstool of the Lord our God. I have made preparations for building a temple to honor him, but he has forbidden me to do it, because I am a soldier and have shed too much blood. The Lord, the God of Israel, chose me and my descendants to rule Israel forever. He chose the tribe of Judah to provide leadership, and out of Judah he chose my father's family. From all that family it was his pleasure to take me and make me king over all Israel.

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King David rose to his feet and said: “Listen to me, my fellow Israelites, my people. I had it in my heart(A) to build a house as a place of rest(B) for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool(C) of our God, and I made plans to build it.(D) But God said to me,(E) ‘You are not to build a house for my Name,(F) because you are a warrior and have shed blood.’(G)

“Yet the Lord, the God of Israel, chose me(H) from my whole family(I) to be king over Israel forever. He chose Judah(J) as leader, and from the tribe of Judah he chose my family, and from my father’s sons he was pleased to make me king over all Israel.(K)

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