⁴ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^(A)It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in.

² Then King David rose to his feet and said: “Hear me, my brothers and my people. ^(A)I had it in my heart to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord and for the ^(B)footstool of our God, and I made preparations for building. ³ But God said to me, ^(C)‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood.’

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches and ^(A)wisdom and knowledge of God! ^(B)How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

⁸ But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas ^(A)it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. ⁹ Nevertheless, it is not you who shall build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’

⁷ David said to Solomon, “My son, ^(A)I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the Lord my God. ⁸ But the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ^(B)‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth.

^19 (A)Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’

⁴ But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, ⁵ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: ^(A)Would you build me a house to dwell in?