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17 After David had been living in his palace awhile, he said to Natan the prophet, “Here, I’m living in a cedar-wood palace; but the ark for the covenant of Adonai is kept under a tent!” Natan said to David, “Go, do everything that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

But that same night the word of God came to Natan: “Go, and tell David my servant that this is what Adonai says: ‘You are not to build me a house to live in, because from the day I brought up Isra’el until today, I never lived in a house; rather, I’ve gone from tent to tent and from one tabernacle to another. Everywhere I traveled with all Isra’el, did I ever speak a word to any of the judges of Isra’el, whom I ordered to shepherd my people Isra’el, asking, “Why haven’t you built me a cedar-wood house?”’

“Therefore say to my servant David that this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘I took you from the sheep-yards, from following the sheep, to make you chief over my people Isra’el. I have been with you wherever you went, I have destroyed all your enemies ahead of you; and I am making your reputation like the reputations of the greatest people on earth. I will assign a place to my people Isra’el; I will plant them there, so that they can live in their own place without being disturbed any more. The wicked will no longer devastate them, as they did at the beginning, 10 and as they did from the time I ordered judges to be over my people Isra’el; instead, I will subdue all your enemies.

“‘Moreover, I tell you that Adonai will make you a house. 11 When your days come to an end and you go to be with your ancestors, I will establish one of your descendants to succeed you, one of your own sons; and I will set up his rulership. 12 He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be a father for him, and he will be a son for me; I will not take my grace away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 Rather, I will maintain him in my house and in my kingdom forever; and his throne will be set up forever.’” 15 Natan told David all of these words and described this entire vision.

16 Then David went in, sat before Adonai and said, “Who am I, Adonai, God, and what is my family, that has caused you to bring me this far? 17 Yet in your view, God, even this was but a small thing; so you have said that your servant’s dynasty will continue on into the distant future. You have regarded me, Adonai, God, as a man of high rank. 18 What more can David say to you about the honor you are bestowing on your servant? For you know your servant intimately. 19 Adonai, it is for your servant’s sake and in accordance with your own heart that you have done all this greatness and revealed all these great things. 20 Adonai, there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you — everything we have heard confirms that. 21 Who can be compared with your people Isra’el? What other nation on earth did God set out to redeem and turn into a people for himself? You made yourself a reputation by doing great and terrifying things, as you drove out the nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt. 22 For you made your people Isra’el your people forever; and you, Adonai, became their God. 23 So now, Adonai, let the word that you spoke concerning your servant and his house be confirmed forever; do what you have promised. 24 May your name be confirmed and magnified forever; so that it will be said, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot is the God of Isra’el and the God for Isra’el, and the dynasty of David your servant will be set up in your presence.’ 25 For you, my God, have disclosed to your servant that you will build him a house. This is why your servant has the courage to pray to you. 26 Now, Adonai, you are God; and you have made this wonderful promise to your servant; 27 and now it has pleased you to bless the family of your servant and thereby cause it to continue forever in your presence. For you, Adonai, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

God’s Covenant with David(A)

17 Now (B)it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains.”

Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

But it happened that night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, “Go and tell My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall (C)not build Me a house to dwell in. For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Israel, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I took you (D)from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be [a]ruler over My people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have [b]made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will (E)plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, 10 since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a [c]house. 11 And it shall be, when your days are (F)fulfilled, when you must [d]go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your (G)seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 (H)He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 (I)I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, (J)as I took it from him who was before you. 14 And (K)I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

15 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

16 (L)Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? 17 And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O Lord God. 18 What more can David say to You for the honor of Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19 O Lord, for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20 O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 (M)And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people—to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt? 22 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God.

23 “And now, O Lord, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as You have said. 24 So let it be established, that Your name may be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. 25 For You, O my God, [e]have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house. Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray before You. 26 And now, Lord, [f]You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant. 27 Now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You have blessed it, O Lord, and it shall be blessed forever.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:7 leader
  2. 1 Chronicles 17:8 given you prestige
  3. 1 Chronicles 17:10 Royal dynasty
  4. 1 Chronicles 17:11 Die and join your ancestors
  5. 1 Chronicles 17:25 Lit. have uncovered the ear of
  6. 1 Chronicles 17:26 Or You alone are

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)

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

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

“Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You(D) are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders[a] whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?(E)”’

“Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler(F) over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders(G) over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build(H) a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.(I) 13 I will be his father,(J) and he will be my son.(K) I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne(L) will be established forever.(M)’”

15 Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

David’s Prayer(N)

16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said:

“Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 17 And as if this were not enough in your sight, my God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You, Lord God, have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men.

18 “What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant, 19 Lord. For the sake(O) of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing and made known all these great promises.(P)

20 “There is no one like you, Lord, and there is no God but you,(Q) as we have heard with our own ears. 21 And who is like your people Israel—the one nation on earth whose God went out to redeem(R) a people for himself, and to make a name for yourself, and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22 You made your people Israel your very own forever,(S) and you, Lord, have become their God.

23 “And now, Lord, let the promise(T) you have made concerning your servant and his house be established forever. Do as you promised, 24 so that it will be established and that your name will be great forever. Then people will say, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God over Israel, is Israel’s God!’ And the house of your servant David will be established before you.

25 “You, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. So your servant has found courage to pray to you. 26 You, Lord, are God! You have promised these good things to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight;(U) for you, Lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:6 Traditionally judges; also in verse 10