Chronicles I 17

1 And it came to pass as David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord [is] under [curtains] of skins.

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 all that is in thy heart; for God [is] with thee.

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

3 And it came to pass in that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, [saying],

But that night God told Nathan,

4 Go and say to David my servant, Thus said the Lord, Thou shalt not build me a house for me to dwell in it.

“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 I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought up Israel until this day, but I have been in a tabernacle and a tent,

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 places through which I have gone with all Israel: did I ever speak to [any] one tribe of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, [Why is it] that ye have not built 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 And now thus shalt thou say to my servant David, Thus saith the Lord Almighty, I took thee from the sheepfold, from following the flocks, to 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 was with thee in all places whither thou wentest, and I destroyed all thine enemies from before thee, and I made for thee a name according to the name of the great ones that are upon 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 appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant him, and he shall dwell by himself, and shall no longer be anxious; and the son of iniquity shall no longer afflict him, as at the beginning,

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 and from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel. Also I have humbled all thine enemies, and I will increase thee, and the Lord will build thee a house.

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 it shall come to pass when thy days shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

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 shall build me a house, and I will set up his throne 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 shall be to me a son: and my mercy will I not withdraw from him, as I withdrew [it] from them that were before thee.

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 And I will establish him in my house and in his kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be set up for ever.

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

15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so spoke Nathan to David.

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

16 And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what [is] my house, that thou hast loved me for ever?

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 these things were little in thy sight, O God: thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for a long time to come, and thou hast looked upon me as a man looks upon his fellow, and hast exalted me, 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 shall David do more toward thee to glorify [thee]? and thou knowest thy servant.

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

19 And thou hast wrought all this greatness according to thine heart.

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 none like thee, and there is no God beside thee, according to all things which we have heard with 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 Neither is there another nation upon the earth [such] as thy people Israel, whereas God led him in the way, to redeem a people for himself, to make for himself a great and glorious name, to cast out nations from before thy people, whom thou redeemedst 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 And thou hast appointed thy people Israel as a people to thyself for ever; and thou, Lord, didst become a God to them.

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

23 And now, Lord, let the word which thou spokest to thy servant, and concerning his house, be confirmed for ever, and do thou as thou hast spoken.

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 And let thy name [be] established and magnified for ever, [men] saying, Lord, Lord, Almighty God of Israel: and [let] the house of thy servant David [be] established before thee.

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 thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant that thou wilt build him a house; therefore thy servant has found a willingness to pray before thee.

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, Lord, thou thyself art God, and thou hast spoken these good things concerning thy servant.

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

27 And now thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, so that it should continue for ever before thee: for thou, Lord, hast blessed [it], and do thou bless [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.”