1 Chronicles 17:1-15

Christian Standard Bible

The Lord’s Covenant with David

17 When David^(A) had settled into his palace, he said to the prophet Nathan, “Look! I am living in a cedar house while the ark of the Lord’s covenant is under tent curtains.”^(B)

² So Nathan told David, “Do all that is on your mind, for God is with you.”

³ But that night^(C) the word of God came to Nathan: ⁴ “Go to David my servant and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.^{(D) 5} From the time I brought Israel out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have moved from one tent site to another, and from one tabernacle location to another.^{[a](E) 6} In all my journeys throughout Israel, have I ever spoken a word to even one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’ ^(F)

⁷ “So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.^{(G) 8} I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a name for you like that of the greatest on the earth. ⁹ I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them,^(H) so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done ¹⁰ ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“‘Furthermore, I declare to you that the Lord himself will build a house for you. ¹¹ When your time comes to be with your ancestors, I will raise up after you your descendant, who is one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹² He is the one who will build a house for me,^(I) and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³ I will be his father, and he will be my son.^(J) I will not remove my faithful love from him as I removed it from the one who was before you.^{(K) 14} I will appoint him over my house and my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.’”^(L)

¹⁵ Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.