1 Chronicles 17

1 Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins.

It happened that after the king had settled in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is staying under a tent.”

2 And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is with thee.

Then Nathan said to David, “Go, do what is in your heart, for God is with you.”

3 Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

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

4 Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in.

“Go and tell David my servant, 'This is what Yahweh says: You will not build me a house in which to live.

5 For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a tabernacle, and in a tent,

For I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought up Israel to this present day. Instead, I have been living in a tent, a tabernacle, in various places.

6 Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the judges of Israel, whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?

In all places I have moved among all Israel, did I ever say anything to any of Israel's leaders whom I appointed to shepherd my people, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”'”

7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel.

“Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what Yahweh of hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, so that you would be ruler over my people Israel.

8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth.

I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I will make you a name, like the name of the great ones who are on the earth.

9 And I have given a place to my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning,

I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them there, so that they may live in their own place and be troubled no more. No longer will wicked people oppress them, as they did before,

10 Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will build thee a house.

as they were doing from the days that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Then I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that I, Yahweh, will build you a house.

11 And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom.

It will come about that when your days are fulfilled for you to go to your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, and for one of your own descendants, I will establish his kingdom.

12 He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever.

He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.

13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee.

I will be a father to him, and he will be my son. I will not take my covenant faithfulness away from him, as I took it from Saul, who ruled before you.

14 But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever.

I will set him over my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.'”

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

Nathan spoke to David and reported to him all these words, and he told him about the entire vision.

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 shouldst give such things to me?

Then David the king went in and sat before Yahweh; he said, “Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my family, that you have brought me to this point?

17 But even this hath seemed little in thy sight, and therefore thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for the time to come: and best made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God.

For this was a small thing in your sight, God. You have spoken of your servant's family for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, Yahweh God.

18 What can David add more, seeing thou hast thus glorified thy servant, and known him?

What more can I, David, say to you? You have honored your servant. You have given your servant special recognition.

19 O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, according to thy own heart, thou hast shewn all this magnificence, and wouldst have all the great things to be known.

Yahweh, for your servant's sake, and to fulfill your own purpose, you have done this great thing to reveal all your great deeds.

20 O Lord there is none like thee: and there is no other God beside thee, of all whom we have heard of with our ears.

Yahweh, there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, just as we have always heard.

21 For what other nation is there upon earth like thy people Israel, whom God went to deliver, and make a people for himself, and by his greatness and terrors cast out nations before their face whom he had delivered out of Egypt?

For what nation on earth is like your people Israel, whom you, God, rescued from Egypt as a people for yourself, to make a name for yourself by great and awesome deeds? You drove out nations from before your people, whom you rescued from Egypt.

22 And thou hast made thy people Israel to be thy own people for ever, and thou, O Lord, art become their God.

You made Israel your own people forever, and you, Yahweh, became their God.

23 Now therefore, O Lord, let the word which thou hast spoken to thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.

So now, Yahweh, may the promise that you made concerning your servant and his family be established forever. Do as you have spoken.

24 And let thy name remain and be magnified for ever: and let it be said: The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, and the house of David his servant remaineth before him.

May your name be established forever and be great, so the people will say, 'Yahweh of hosts is the God of Israel,' while the house of me, David, your servant is established before you.

25 For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, that thou wilt build him a house: and therefore thy servant hath found confidence to pray before thee.

For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house. That is why I, your servant, have found courage to pray to you.

26 And now O Lord, thou art God: and thou hast promised to thy servant such great benefits.

Now, Yahweh, you are God, and have made this good promise to your servant:

27 And thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be always before thee: for seeing thou blessest it, O Lord, it shall be blessed for ever.

Now it has pleased you to bless your servant's house, that it may continue forever before you. You, Yahweh, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever.”