⁴ But in the same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, ⁵ “Go and say to My servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: “^(A)Should you build Me a house for My dwelling? ⁶ For ^(B)I have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; rather, I have been moving about ^(C)in a tent, that is, in a dwelling place. ^7 (D)Wherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, ^(E)whom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’

God’s Covenant with David

⁸ Now then, this is what you shall say to My servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of armies says: “^(F)I Myself took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, ^(G)to be leader over My people Israel. ⁹ And ^(H)I have been with you wherever you have gone, and ^(I)have eliminated all your enemies from you; I will also make a great name for you, like the names of the great men who ^[a]are on the earth. ¹⁰ And I will establish a place for My people Israel, and ^(J)will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, ^(K)nor will ^[b]malicious people oppress them anymore as previously, ¹¹ even ^(L)from the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and ^(M)I will give you rest from all your enemies. The Lord also declares to you that ^(N)the Lord will make a house for you. ^12 (O)When your days are finished and you ^[c](P)lie down with your fathers, ^(Q)I will raise up your ^[d]descendant after you, who will come from ^[e]you, and I will establish his kingdom. ^13 (R)He shall build a house for My name, and ^(S)I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ^14 (T)I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; ^(U)when he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and with strokes of sons of mankind, ¹⁵ but My favor shall not depart from him, ^(V)as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from you. ^16 (W)Your house and your kingdom shall endure before ^[f]Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’” ¹⁷ In accordance with all these words and all of this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.