1 Chronicles 17

1 Now when David was living in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, See, I am living in a house of cedar-wood, but the ark of the Lord's agreement is under the curtains of a tent.

Once David had settled into his palace, he spoke to the prophet Nahum. “Look,” he said, “I'm living in a cedar palace while the Ark of the Lord's Agreement is kept in a tent!”

2 And Nathan said to David, Do whatever is in your heart, for God is with you.

“Do what you think you should, for the God is with you,” Nathan replied.

3 But that same night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

But that night God told Nathan,

4 Go and say to David my servant, The Lord says, You are not to make me a house for my living-place:

“Go and talk to my servant David. Tell him, this is what the Lord says, You are not to build a house for me to live in.

5 For from the day when I took Israel up, till this day, I have had no house, but have gone from tent to tent, and from living-place to living-place.

I have not lived in a house from the time I led Israel out of Egypt until now. I have lived in tents, moving from place to place.

6 In all the places where I have gone with all Israel, did I ever say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I made the keepers of my people, Why have you not made for me a house of cedar?

But in all those travels with all of Israel did I ever ask any Israelite leader I'd ordered to take care of my people, ‘Why haven't you built a cedar house for me?’

7 So now, say to my servant David, The Lord of armies says, I took you from the fields, from keeping sheep, so that you might be a ruler over my people Israel;

So then, go and tell my servant David this is what the Lord Almighty says. It was me who took you from the fields, from looking after sheep, to become a leader of my people Israel.

8 And I have been with you wherever you went, cutting off before you all those who were against you; and I will make your name like the name of the greatest ones of the earth.

I have been with you wherever you've gone. I have struck down all your enemies right in front of you, and I will make your reputation as great as the most famous people on earth.

9 And I will make a resting-place for my people Israel, planting them there, so that they may be in the place which is theirs and never again be moved; and never again will they be made waste by evil men, as they were at first,

I will choose a place for my people Israel. I will settle them there and they won't be disturbed anymore. Evil people won't persecute them as they used to,

10 From the time when I put judges over my people Israel; and I will overcome all those who are against you; and I will make you great and the head of a line of kings.

from the time I placed judges in charge of my people. I will defeat all of your enemies. Also I want to make it clear that I the Lord will build a house for you.

11 And when the time comes for you to go to your fathers, I will put in your place your seed after you, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong.

For when you come to the end of your life and join your ancestors in death, I will bring to power one of your descendants, one of your sons, and make sure his kingdom is successful.

12 He will be the builder of my house, and I will make the seat of his authority certain for ever.

He will be the one to build me a house, and I will make sure his kingdom lasts forever.

13 I will be to him a father and he will be to me a son; and I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him who was before you;

I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. I will never take away my kindness and love from him, as I did in the case of the one who ruled before you.

14 But I will make his place in my house and in my kingdom certain for ever; and the seat of his authority will never be overturned.

I will put him in charge of my house and my kingdom forever, and his dynasty will last forever.”

15 So Nathan gave David an account of all these words and this vision.

This is what Nathan explained to David—everything he was told in this divine revelation.

16 Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now?

Then King David went and sat down in the presence of the Lord. He prayed, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is significant about my family, that you have brought me to this place?

17 And this was only a small thing to you, O God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, looking on me as on one of high position, O Lord God.

God, you talk as if this was a small thing in your eyes, and you also have spoken about the future of my house, my family dynasty. You also see me as someone very important, Lord God.

18 What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant.

What more can I, David, say to you for honoring me in this way? You know your servant all too well!

19 O Lord, because of your servant, and from your heart, you have done all these great things and let them be seen.

Lord, you're doing all this for me, your servant, and because it's what you want—doing all these amazing things and letting people know about them.

20 O Lord, there is no one like you, and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears.

Lord, there really is no-one like you; there is no other God, only you. We have never heard about anyone else.

21 And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, making his name great and to be feared, driving out the nations from before your people whom you made free and took out of Egypt?

Who else is as fortunate as your people Israel? Who else on earth did God go and redeem to make his own people? You gained a wonderful reputation for yourself by all the tremendous, amazing things you did in driving out other nations before your people as you redeemed them from Egypt.

22 For your people Israel you made yours for ever; and you, Lord, became their God.

You made your people Israel your own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.

23 And now, Lord, let your words about your servant and about his family be made certain for ever, and do as you have said.

So now, Lord, please ensure that what you have said about me and my house happens, and lasts forever. Please do as you have promised,

24 So let your words be made certain and your name be made great, when men say, The Lord of armies is the God of Israel; and when the family of David your servant is made strong before you.

and may your true nature be recognized and honored forever, with people declaring, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, is Israel's God!’ May the house of your servant David continue to be there in your presence.

25 For you, O my God, have let your servant see that you will make him head of a line of kings; and so it has come into your servant's heart to make his prayer to you.

You, my God, have explained to me, your servant, that you will build me a house. That's why your servant has had the courage to pray to you.

26 And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have said you will give this good thing to your servant:

For you, Lord, are God! You are the one who has promised all these good things to your servant.

27 And now you have been pleased to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you; you, O Lord, have given your blessing, and a blessing will be on it for ever.

So now, please bless your servant's house that it may continue in your presence forever. For when you bless, Lord, it is blessed forever.”