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

The Lord's Covenant with David

17 (A)Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.” And Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord: (B)It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, (C)but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all Israel, did I speak a word with 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 from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince 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 I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, 10 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I (D)will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the Lord will build you a house. 11 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 (E)I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, (F)as I took it from him who was before you, 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’” 15 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David's Prayer

16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 17 And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations,[a] O Lord God! 18 And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. 19 (G)For your servant's sake, O Lord, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. 20 There is none like you, O Lord, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 And who is like your people Israel, the one[b] nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and awesome things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? 22 And you made your people Israel to be your people forever, and you, O Lord, became their God. 23 And now, O Lord, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as you have spoken, 24 and your name will be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. 25 For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. 26 And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. 27 Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you, for it is you, O Lord, who have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:17 Or and you look upon me as a man of high rank
  2. 1 Chronicles 17:21 Septuagint, Vulgate other

17 Lorsque David fut établi dans sa maison, il dit à Nathan le prophète: Voici, j'habite dans une maison de cèdre, et l'arche de l'alliance de l'Éternel est sous une tente.

Nathan répondit à David: Fais tout ce que tu as dans le coeur, car Dieu est avec toi.

La nuit suivante, la parole de Dieu fut adressée à Nathan:

Va dire à mon serviteur David: Ainsi parle l'Éternel: Ce ne sera pas toi qui me bâtiras une maison pour que j'en fasse ma demeure.

Car je n'ai point habité dans une maison depuis le jour où j'ai fait monter Israël jusqu'à ce jour; mais j'ai été de tente en tente et de demeure en demeure.

Partout où j'ai marché avec tout Israël, ai-je dit un mot à quelqu'un des juges d'Israël à qui j'avais ordonné de paître mon peuple, ai-je dit: Pourquoi ne me bâtissez-vous pas une maison de cèdre?

Maintenant tu diras à mon serviteur David: Ainsi parle l'Éternel des armées: Je t'ai pris au pâturage, derrière les brebis, pour que tu fusses chef de mon peuple d'Israël;

j'ai été avec toi partout où tu as marché, j'ai exterminé tous tes ennemis devant toi, et j'ai rendu ton nom semblable au nom des grands qui sont sur la terre;

j'ai donné une demeure à mon peuple d'Israël, et je l'ai planté pour qu'il y soit fixé et ne soit plus agité, pour que les méchants ne le détruisent plus comme auparavant

10 et comme à l'époque où j'avais établi des juges sur mon peuple d'Israël. J'ai humilié tous tes ennemis. Et je t'annonce que l'Éternel te bâtira une maison.

11 Quand tes jours seront accomplis et que tu iras auprès de tes pères, j'élèverai ta postérité après toi, l'un de tes fils, et j'affermirai son règne.

12 Ce sera lui qui me bâtira une maison, et j'affermirai pour toujours son trône.

13 Je serai pour lui un père, et il sera pour moi un fils; et je ne lui retirerai point ma grâce, comme je l'ai retirée à celui qui t'a précédé.

14 Je l'établirai pour toujours dans ma maison et dans mon royaume, et son trône sera pour toujours affermi.

15 Nathan rapporta à David toutes ces paroles et toute cette vision.

16 Et le roi David alla se présenter devant l'Éternel, et dit: Qui suis-je, Éternel Dieu, et quelle est ma maison, pour que tu m'aies fait parvenir où je suis?

17 C'est peu de chose à tes yeux, ô Dieu! Tu parles de la maison de ton serviteur pour les temps à venir. Et tu daignes porter les regards sur moi à la manière des hommes, toi qui es élevé, Éternel Dieu!

18 Que pourrait te dire encore David sur la gloire accordée à ton serviteur? Tu connais ton serviteur.

19 O Éternel! c'est à cause de ton serviteur, et selon ton coeur, que tu as fait toutes ces grandes choses, pour les lui révéler.

20 O Éternel! nul n'est semblable à toi et il n'y a point d'autre Dieu que toi, d'après tout ce que nous avons entendu de nos oreilles.

21 Est-il sur la terre une seule nation qui soit comme ton peuple d'Israël, que Dieu est venu racheter pour en former son peuple, pour te faire un nom et pour accomplir des miracles et des prodiges, en chassant des nations devant ton peuple que tu as racheté d'Égypte?

22 Tu as établi ton peuple d'Israël, pour qu'il fût ton peuple à toujours; et toi, Éternel, tu es devenu son Dieu.

23 Maintenant, ô Éternel! que la parole que tu as prononcée sur ton serviteur et sur sa maison subsiste éternellement, et agis selon ta parole!

24 Qu'elle subsiste, afin que ton nom soit à jamais glorifié et que l'on dise: L'Éternel des armées, le Dieu d'Israël, est un Dieu pour Israël! Et que la maison de David, ton serviteur, soit affermie devant toi!

25 Car toi-même, ô mon Dieu, tu as révélé à ton serviteur que tu lui bâtirais une maison. C'est pourquoi ton serviteur a osé prier devant toi.

26 Maintenant, ô Éternel! tu es Dieu, et tu as annoncé cette grâce à ton serviteur.

27 Veuille donc bénir la maison de ton serviteur, afin qu'elle subsiste à toujours devant toi! Car ce que tu bénis, ô Éternel! est béni pour l'éternité.