1   It happened, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under curtains." 2   Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you." 3   It happened the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4   "Go and tell David my servant, 'Thus says the LORD, "You shall not build me a house to dwell in; 5   for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but have gone about from tent to tent, and from tabernacle [to tabernacle]. 6   In all places in which I have walked with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'"' 7   "Now therefore, you shall tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, "I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 8   I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth. 9   I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the first, 10   and from the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that the LORD will build you a house. 11   And it will come about when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will raise up your descendant after you, who shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12   He will build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13   I will be his father, and he shall be my son. I will not take my loving kindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before you; 14   but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever. His throne shall be established forever."'" 15   According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. 16   Then king David went in and sat before the LORD and said, "Who am I, LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 17   This was a small thing in your eyes, God, but you have spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and you have let me look upon the generation of humankind to come, LORD God. 18   What can David say yet more to you concerning the honor which is done to your servant? For you know your servant, LORD. 19   For your servant's sake, and according to your own heart, you have worked all this greatness, to make known to your servant all these great things. 20   LORD, there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21   And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went out to redeem to be a people for himself, to make a name for yourself by great and awesome deeds, by driving out from before your people, whom you redeemed out of Egypt, a nation and its gods? 22   And you made your people Israel for yourself to be your people forever; and you, LORD, became their God. 23   Now, LORD, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, be established forever, and do as you have spoken. 24   Let your name be established and magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel,' and the house of David your servant is established before you. 25   For you have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house. Therefore your servant has found courage to pray before you. 26   Now, LORD, you are God, and have promised this good thing to your servant. 27   Now it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, LORD, have blessed, and it is blessed forever."

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