2 Samuel 7:4–11

⁴But that night the Lord said to Nathan, ⁵“Go and tell my servant David that I say to him, ‘You are not the one to build a temple for me to live in. ⁶From the time I rescued the people of Israel from Egypt until now, I have never lived in a temple; I have travelled round living in a tent. ⁷In all my travelling with the people of Israel I never asked any of the leaders^o that I appointed why they had not built me a temple made of cedar.’

⁸“So tell my servant David that I, the Lord Almighty, say to him, ‘I took you from looking after sheep in the fields and made you the ruler of my people Israel. ⁹I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have defeated all your enemies as you advanced. I will make you as famous as the greatest leaders in the world. ^10–11I have chosen a place for my people Israel and have settled them there, where they will live without being oppressed any more. Ever since they entered this land, they have been attacked by violent people, but this will not happen again. I promise to keep you safe from all your enemies and to give you descendants.