Chronological

7 Afterward, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies, all around,

² the king said to Nathan the Prophet, “Behold, now I dwell in a house of cedar trees, and the Ark of God remains within the curtains.”

³ Then Nathan said to the king, “Go and do all that is in your heart. For the LORD is with you.”

⁴ And that same night, the Word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying,

⁵ “Go and tell my servant, David, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Shall you build Me a house for My dwelling?

⁶ ‘For I have dwelt in no house since the time that I brought the children of Israel out of Egypt until this day but have moved about in a Tent and Tabernacle.

⁷ ‘In every place I have moved about with all the children of Israel, have I ever spoken one word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I Commanded to feed My people Israel, saying, “Why did you not build Me a house of cedar trees?”’

⁸ “Now, therefore, so say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of Hosts: “I took you from the sheepfolds, following the sheep, so that you might be ruler over My people, over Israel.

⁹ “And I was with you wherever you have walked and have destroyed all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name, like the names of the great men who are on the Earth.

¹⁰ “Also, I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant it, so that they may dwell in a place of their own and no longer move. Nor shall wicked people trouble them anymore as before,

¹¹ “and since the time that I set judges over My people of Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Also, the LORD tells you that He will make you a house.

¹² “And when your days are fulfilled, you shall sleep with your fathers. And I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your body, and will establish his kingdom.

¹³ “He shall build a House for My Name. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

¹⁴ “I will be his father, and he shall be my son. And if he sins, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the plagues of the children of men.

¹⁵ “But my mercy shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul, whom I have put away before you.

¹⁶ “And your house shall be established before you, and your kingdom, forever. Your throne shall be established forever.”’”

¹⁷ According to all these words and according to all this vision, Nathan spoke thus to David.

¹⁸ 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 here?

¹⁹ “And yet, this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD. Therefore, You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. And this is the manner of man, O Lord GOD.

²⁰ “And what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant.

²¹ “For Your Word’s sake, and according to Your own Heart, have You done all these great things, to make them known to Your servant.

²² “Therefore, You are great, O Lord GOD! For there is none like You. Nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²³ “And what one people on the Earth is like Your people, like Israel, whose God went and redeemed them to Himself, so that they might be His people, and that He might make a Name for Himself and do great and mighty things for Yourself and for Your land, O LORD. You have redeemed Your people to Yourself out of Egypt, the nations, and their gods!

²⁴ “For You have ordained Your people Israel to Yourself, to be Your people forever! And You, LORD, have become their God.

²⁵ “Now, therefore, O Lord GOD, confirm forever the Word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, and do as You have said.

²⁶ “And let Your Name be magnified forever by those who shall say, ‘The LORD of Hosts is the God over Israel,’ and let the House of Your servant David be established before You.

²⁷ “For You, O LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a House.’ Therefore, Your servant has been bold to pray this prayer to You.

²⁸ “Therefore, now, O Lord GOD (You are God and Your Words are true and You have told this goodness to Your servant),

²⁹ “therefore, now let it please You to bless the House of Your servant, so that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it. And let the House of Your servant be blessed forever with Your blessing.”

17 Now afterward, when David dwelt in his house, he said to Nathan the Prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar trees. But the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant remains under curtains.”

² Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you.”

³ And the same night, the Word of God came to Nathan, saying,

⁴ “Go and tell David, My servant, ‘Thus says the LORD: “You shall not build Me a house to dwell in.

⁵ “For I have dwelt in no house since the day that I brought out the children of Israel until this day. But I have been from tent to tent, and from habitation to habitation.

⁶ “Therefore, I have walked with all Israel. Have I spoken one word to any of the judges of Israel (whom I Commanded to feed My people) saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar trees?’”’

⁷ “Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of Hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, so that you would be a prince over My people Israel.

⁸ “And I have been with you wherever you have walked and have destroyed all your enemies out of your sight and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the Earth.

⁹ “Also, I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant it, so that they may dwell in their place and no longer move. Nor shall the wicked people trouble them anymore, as at the beginning

¹⁰ “and since the time that I Commanded judges over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Therefore, I say to you that the LORD will build you a House.

¹¹ “And when your days shall be fulfilled, to go with your fathers, then I will raise up your seed after you, who shall be of your sons, and will establish his kingdom.

¹² “He shall build Me a House. And I will establish his throne 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 who was before you.

¹⁴ “But 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 Nathan spoke to David.

¹⁶ And David the king 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 this far?

¹⁷ “Yet You, esteeming this a small thing, O God, have also spoken concerning the house of your servant for a great while, and have regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.

¹⁸ “What more can David desire of You for the honor of Your servant? For You know Your servant.

¹⁹ “O LORD, for Your servant’s sake You have done all this great thing, according to Your Heart, to declare all magnificence.

²⁰ “LORD, there is none like You! Nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears!

²¹ “Moreover what one nation on the Earth is like Your people Israel, whose God went to redeem them to be His people, and to make Yourself a Name, and to do great and fearful things by casting out Nations from before Your people, whom You have delivered out of Egypt?

²² “For You have ordained Your people Israel to be Your own people forever. And You, LORD, have become their God.

²³ “Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that You have spoken concerning Your servant, and concerning his house, be confirmed forever. And do as You have said,

²⁴ “and let Your Name be stable and magnified forever, so that it may be said, ‘The LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, is the God of Israel,’ and let the House of David, Your servant, be established before You.

²⁵ “For You, O my God, have revealed to the ear of Your servant that You will build him a House. Therefore, Your servant has been bold to pray before You.

²⁶ “Therefore now, LORD — for You are God, and have spoken this goodness to Your servant —

²⁷ “now, therefore, it has pleased You to bless the House of Your servant, so that it may be before You forever. For You, O LORD, have blessed it. And it shall be blessed forever.”