Chapter 17

God’s Covenant with David

1 aAnd it came about, when David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under curtains.”

2 Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

3 It came about the same night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

4 “Go and tell David My servant, ‘Thus says the Lord, “aYou shall not build a house for Me to dwell in;

5 for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, abut I have 1gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another.

6 “In all places where I have walked with all Israel, have I spoken a word awith any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built for Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’

7 “Now, therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel.

8 “I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and 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, so that they may dwell in their own place and not be moved again; and the 1wicked will not waste them anymore as formerly,

10 even from the day 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 a house for you.

11 “When your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your 1descendants after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

12 “He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.

13 “aI will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, bas I took it from him who was before you.

14 “But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”

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

David’s Prayer in Response

16 Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord and said, “aWho am I, O Lord God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far?

17 “This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O Lord God.

18 “What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant.

19 “O Lord, afor Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things.

20 “O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

21 “And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make You a name by great and terrible things, in driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt?

22 “aFor Your people Israel You made Your own people forever, and You, O Lord, became their God.

23 “Now, O 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, even a God to Israel; and the house of David Your servant is established before You.’

25 “For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You.

26 “Now, O Lord, You are God, and have 1promised this good thing to Your servant.

27 “And now it has pleased You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may 1continue forever before You; for You, O Lord, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”