1 Chronicles 17

1 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!”

And it came to pass as David lived 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.

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

And Nathan said to David, Do all that is in your heart; for God [is] with you.

3 But that night God told Nathan,

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

4 “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.

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

5 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.

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

6 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?’

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 you have not built me a house of cedar?

7 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.

And now thus shall you say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord Almighty, I took you from the sheepfold, from following the flocks, to be a ruler over my people Israel:

8 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.

and I was with you in all places whither you went, and I destroyed all your enemies from before you, and I made for you a name according to the name of the great ones that are upon the earth.

9 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,

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,

10 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.

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

11 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.

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

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

He shall build me a house, and I will set up his throne for ever.

13 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.

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 you.

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

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

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

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

16 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?

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

17 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.

And these things were little in your sight, O God: you have also spoken concerning the house of your servant for a long time to come, and you have looked upon me as a man looks upon his fellow, and have exalted me, O Lord God.

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

What shall David do more towards you to glorify [you]? and you know your servant.

19 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.

And you have wrought all this greatness according to your heart.

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

O Lord, there is none like you, and there is no God beside you, according to all things which we have heard with our ears.

21 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.

Neither is there another nation upon the earth [such] as your 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 your people, whom you redeemed out of Egypt.

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

And you have appointed your people Israel as a people to yourself for ever; and you, Lord, did become a God to them.

23 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,

And now, Lord, let the word which you spoke to your servant, and concerning his house, be confirmed for ever, and do you as you have spoken.

24 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.

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

25 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.

For you, O Lord my God, have revealed to the ear of your servant that you will build him a house; therefore your servant has found a willingness to pray before you.

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

And now, Lord, you yourself are God, and you have spoken these good things concerning your servant.

27 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.”

And now you have begun to bless the house of your servant, so that it should continue for ever before you: for you, Lord, have blessed [it], and do you bless [it] for ever.