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God’s Covenant with David

17 Now when David settled in his house, David said to the prophet Nathan, “I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”(A) Nathan said to David, “Do all that you have in mind, for God is with you.”

But that same night the word of God came to Nathan, saying, “Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the Lord: You shall not build me a house to live in.(B) For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought out Israel to this very day, but I have lived in a tent and a tabernacle.[a](C) Wherever I have moved about among all Israel, did I ever 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?’(D) Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies before you, and I will make for you a name like the name of the great ones of the earth. I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and be disturbed no more, and evildoers shall wear them down no more, as they did formerly, 10 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel, and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the Lord will build you a house.(E) 11 When your days are fulfilled to go to be with your ancestors, 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 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you,(F) 14 but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.”(G) 15 In accordance with all these words and all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

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Footnotes

  1. 17.5 Gk: Heb but I have been from tent to tent and from tabernacle

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)

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

But that night(C) the word of God came to Nathan: “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) 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) 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)

“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) 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. 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 17:5 Lit I was from tent to tent and from tabernacle