The Ark Brought to Jerusalem^(A)

15 After David had constructed buildings for himself in the City of David, he prepared^(B) a place for the ark of God and pitched^(C) a tent for it.

Ministering Before the Ark^(A)(B)(C)

16 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched^(D) for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God.

God’s Promise to David^(A)

17 After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.^(B)”

² Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind,^(C) do it, for God is with you.”

³ But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

³ David assembled all Israel^(A) in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.

⁴⁶ who enjoyed God’s favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.^[a](A)

²⁴ But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.

⁷ David sent word to Tamar at the palace: “Go to the house of your brother Amnon and prepare some food for him.” ⁸ So Tamar went to the house of her brother Amnon, who was lying down. She took some dough, kneaded it, made the bread in his sight and baked it.

⁹ David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces^[a](A) inward.