1 Chronicles 17:1–17

The Lord’s Covenant with David

17When David ^bhad settled into his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look! I am living in a cedar house while the ark of the Lord’s covenant is under tent curtains.” ^c

²So Nathan told David, “Do all that is on your heart, for God is with you.”

³But that night ^dthe word of God came to Nathan: ⁴“Go to David My servant and say, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build Me a house to dwell in. ^e5From the time I brought Israel out of Egypt until today I have not lived in a house; instead, I have moved from tent to tent and from tabernacle to tabernacle. ^f6In all My travels throughout Israel, have I ever spoken a word to even one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, asking: Why haven’t you built Me a house of cedar?’ ^g

⁷“Now this is what you will say to My servant David: ‘This is what the Lord of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture and from following the sheep to be ruler over My people Israel. ^h8I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a name for you like that of the greatest in the land. ⁹I will establish a place for My people Israel and plant them, ⁱso that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they formerly have ¹⁰ever since the day I ordered judges to be over My people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.

“ ‘Furthermore, I declare to you that the Lord Himself will build a house for you. ¹¹When your time comes to be with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who is one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹²He will build a house for Me, ^jand I will establish his throne forever. ¹³I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to Me. ^kI will not take away My faithful love from him as I took it from the one who was before you. ^l14I will appoint him over My house and My kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.’ ” ^m

¹⁵Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

¹⁶Then ⁿKing David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,

Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? ¹⁷This was a little thing to You, ^oGod, for You have spoken about Your servant’s house in the distant future. You regard me as a man of distinction, ^pLord God.