17 3 David is forbidden to build an house unto the Lord. 12 Christ is promised under the figure of Solomon. 18 David giveth thanks, 23 and prayeth unto God.

Now (A)afterward when David dwelt in his house, he said to Nathan the Prophet, Behold, I dwell in an house of [a]cedar trees, but the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant remaineth under [b]curtains.

Then Nathan said to David, Do [c]all that is in thine heart: for God is with thee.

And the same [d]night even the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

Go, and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:

For I have dwelt in no house since the day that I brought out the children of Israel unto this day, but I have been from tent to [e]tent, and from habitation to habitation.

Wherefore I have [f]walked with all Israel, spake I one word to any of the Judges of Israel (whom I commanded to feed my people) saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedar trees?

Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote [g]and from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be a prince over my people Israel.

And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have destroyed all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have [h]made thee a name, like the name of the great men that are in the earth.

(Also I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will [i]plant it, that they may dwell in their place, and move no more: neither shall the [j]wicked people [k]vex them anymore, as at the beginning,

10 And since the time that I commanded judges over my people Israel) And I will subdue all thine enemies: therefore I say unto thee, that the Lord will [l]build thee an house.

11 And when thy days shall be fulfilled to go with thy fathers, then will I raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons, and will establish his kingdom.

12 He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne [m]forever.

13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son, and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before [n]thee.

14 But I will establish him in mine 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 spake to David.

16 ¶ And David the king [o]went in and [p]sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me [q]hitherto?

17 Yet thou esteeming this a small thing, O God, hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for a great while, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of [r]high degree, O Lord God.

18 What can David desire more of thee for the honor of thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant.

19 O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, even according to thine [s]heart hast thou done all this great thing to declare all magnificence.

20 Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God besides thee according to all that we have heard with our ears.

21 Moreover what one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whose God went to redeem them to be his people, and to make thyself a Name, and to do great and terrible things by casting out Nations from before thy people, whom thou hast delivered out of Egypt?

22 For thou hast ordained thy people Israel to be thine own people forever, and thou Lord art become their God.

23 Therefore now Lord, let the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, be confirmed forever, and do as thou hast said,

24 And let thy Name be stable and magnified forever, that it may be said, The Lord of hosts, God of Israel, is the God of [t]Israel, and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.

25 For thou, O my God, hast [u]revealed unto the ear of thy servant, that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath [v]been bold to pray before thee.

26 Therefore now Lord (for thou art [w]God, and hast spoken this goodness unto thy servant.)

27 Now therefore it hath pleased thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee forever: for thou, O Lord, hast blessed it, and it shall be blessed forever.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:1 Well built and fair.
  2. 1 Chronicles 17:1 That is, in tents covered with skin.
  3. 1 Chronicles 17:2 As yet God had not revealed to the Prophet what he purposed concerning David: therefore seeing God favored David, he spake what he thought.
  4. 1 Chronicles 17:3 After that Nathan had spoken to David.
  5. 1 Chronicles 17:5 That is, in a tent which removed to and fro.
  6. 1 Chronicles 17:6 Meaning, wheresoever his Ark went, which was a sign of his presence.
  7. 1 Chronicles 17:7 Of a shepherd of sheep I made thee a shepherd of men: so that thou camest not to this dignity through thine own merits, but by my pure grace.
  8. 1 Chronicles 17:8 Or, gotten thee fame.
  9. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Make them sure that they shall not remove.
  10. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Hebrew, sons of iniquity.
  11. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Or, consume.
  12. 1 Chronicles 17:10 Will give thee great posterity.
  13. 1 Chronicles 17:12 That is, unto the coming of Christ: for then these figures should cease.
  14. 1 Chronicles 17:13 Which was Saul.
  15. 1 Chronicles 17:16 He went into the tent where the Ark was, showing what we ought to do when we receive any benefits of the Lord.
  16. 1 Chronicles 17:16 Or, remained.
  17. 1 Chronicles 17:16 Meaning to this kingly estate.
  18. 1 Chronicles 17:17 Thou hast promised a kingdom that shall continue to me and my posterity, and that Christ shall proceed of me.
  19. 1 Chronicles 17:19 Freely and according to the purpose of thy will, without any deserving.
  20. 1 Chronicles 17:24 That is, he showeth himself in deed to be their God, by delivering them from dangers, and preserving them.
  21. 1 Chronicles 17:25 Thou hast declared unto me by Nathan the Prophet.
  22. 1 Chronicles 17:25 Hebrew, hath found.
  23. 1 Chronicles 17:26 And canst not break promise.

Yahweh’s Covenant with David

17 And as David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under tent curtains.” And Nathan said to David, “Whatever is in your heart, do, for God is with you.”

And it happened that same night the word of God came to Nathan, saying, “Go and say to David my servant, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You are not to build a house for me to live in, for I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought out Israel unto this day. I have been from tent to tent and from tabernacle to tabernacle. In every place I have moved about, did I say one word with the judges of Israel I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, ‘Why have you not built for me a house of cedar?’”’ So now, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you went and have cut down your enemies from before you and will make a name for you, like the name of the great ones on the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them,[a] and they[b] shall dwell in their[c] place and be in anguish no longer. And wicked men will no longer wear them down as before, 10 from the day that I commanded judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue your enemies, and I declare to you that Yahweh will build for you a house.[d] 11 And it shall be that when your days are fulfilled to go and sleep with your ancestors,[e] then I will raise up your seed after you, who will be one of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He himself will build for me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I myself will be a father to him, and he himself will be a son to me. And I will not remove my steadfast love from him as I took it away from whoever was before you. 14 And I will establish him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.”’” 15 According to all these words and according to all this revelation, thus did Nathan speak to David.

David’s Prayer

16 Then King David went and sat before Yahweh and said, “Who am I, O Yahweh God, and what is my house that you have brought me thus far? 17 And this was a small matter in your eyes, O God. And you have spoken concerning the house of your servant for a long time and have shown me future generations to come,[f] O Yahweh God. 18 What more[g] can David do to you for honoring your servant? Now you know your servant. 19 O Yahweh, for the sake of your servant and according to your heart you have done all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20 O Yahweh, there is none like you, and there is no God except you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 And who is like your people Israel, the one nation upon earth whom God went to redeem for himself, to establish for you a reputation[h] for great and awesome things, to drive out nations from before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22 And you made your people Israel an everlasting nation for yourself. And you, O Yahweh, became their God. 23 So now, O Yahweh, let the word that you spoke to your servant and to his house be established forever, that you might do what you have spoken. 24 And let your name be established and be magnified forever, saying, ‘Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God, and may the house of David your servant be established before you.’ 25 For you, my God, have informed[i] your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore, your servant has found courage to pray before you. 26 So now, O Yahweh, you yourself are God, and you have spoken to your servant this good thing. 27 And now may you begin to bless the house of your servant to continue forever[j] before you, for you, O Yahweh, have blessed. And it will be blessed forever.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Or “him” (i.e., the nation)
  2. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Or “he”
  3. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Or “his”
  4. 1 Chronicles 17:10 Or “household” (that is, a dynasty)
  5. 1 Chronicles 17:11 Or “fathers”
  6. 1 Chronicles 17:17 Literally “with a turn of humankind ascending”
  7. 1 Chronicles 17:18 Literally “What to add again”
  8. 1 Chronicles 17:21 Or “name”
  9. 1 Chronicles 17:25 Literally “have opened the ear of”
  10. 1 Chronicles 17:27 Literally “to be forever”