 1 When the king lived in his house and when the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies, 2 the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of God remains within curtains. 3 Nathan said to the king, Go and do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. 4 That 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 not lived in a house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt until this day. But I have lived+ in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 In all places where I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel? When I commanded to feed my people Israel, did I say, Why do you not build a house of cedar for me? 8 Now say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the sheep cote, from following the sheep, to be a ruler over my people Israel. 9 I was with you wherever you went to cut off all your enemies out of your sight. You have made a great name for yourself like the names of the great ones in the earth. 10 I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they may live in a place of their own and move no more. The children of wickedness will not afflict them any more, like before. 11 Even from the time that I commanded judges to be over my people of Israel, so will I cause you to rest from all your enemies. And the Lord now tells you that He will make a house for you. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you sleep with your fathers, I will set up your descendants after you, and I will make his kingdom sure. 13 He will build a house for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father and he will be my son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the children of men. 15 But my mercy will not leave him as I took it from Saul whom I put away before you. 16 Your house and your kingdom will be made sure forever before you. Your throne will be established forever. 17 So Nathan spoke this to David according to all these words and according to all this vision. 18 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, Who am I, Lord God? What is my house that you have brought me here? 19 This was yet a small thing in your sight, Lord God. But you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of men, O Lord God? 20 What can David say more to you? For you, Lord God, know your servant. 21 For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, you have done all these great things to make your servant know. 22 Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 What one nation in the earth is like your people, like Israel, whom God went to redeem as a people to Himself and to make Him a name and to do for you great and awesome+ things for your land before your people, redeemed to you from Egypt, from the pagan nations and their gods? 24 You have confirmed your people Israel to be a people forever and you Lord have become their God. 25 Now Lord God the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house: establish it forever and do as you have said. 26 Let your name be magnified forever saying, The the Lord of hosts is the God over Israel. And let the house of your servant David be established before you. 27 For you, the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to your servant saying, I will build you a house. Therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you. 28 Now, Lord God, you are that God, and your words are true, and you have promised this goodness to your servant. 29 Therefore, now, let it please you to bless the house of your servant, to be forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken. And with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed forever.
|