Preparing to Move the Ark

15 David now built several buildings for himself in the City of David. He also prepared a place for the Ark of God and set up a special tent for it.

16 They brought the Ark of God and placed it inside the special tent David had prepared for it. And they presented burnt offerings and peace offerings to God.

The Lord’s Covenant Promise to David

17 When David was settled in his palace, he summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace,^[a] but the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant is out there under a tent!”

² Nathan replied to David, “Do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you.”

³ But that same night God said to Nathan,

³ Then David summoned all Israel to Jerusalem to bring the Ark of the Lord to the place he had prepared for it.

⁴⁶ “David found favor with God and asked for the privilege of building a permanent Temple for the God of Jacob.^[a]

²⁴ But the king gave this order: “Absalom may go to his own house, but he must never come into my presence.” So Absalom did not see the king.

⁷ So David agreed and sent Tamar to Amnon’s house to prepare some food for him.

⁸ When Tamar arrived at Amnon’s house, she went to the place where he was lying down so he could watch her mix some dough. Then she baked his favorite dish for him.

⁹ So David made the fortress his home, and he called it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting terraces^[a] and working inward.