God’s Promise to David

7:1–17pp—1Ch 17:1–15

7 After the king was settled in his palaceh and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemiesi around him,j 2 he said to Nathank the prophet, “Here I am, living in a housel of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”m

3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,n go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

4 But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are youo the one to build me a house to dwell in?p 6 I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up out of Egypt to this day.q I have been moving from place to place with a tentr as my dwelling.s 7 Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites,t did I ever say to any of their rulers whom I commanded to shepherdu my people Israel, “Why have you not built me a housev of cedar?w” ’

8 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock,x and appointed you rulery over my people Israel.z 9 I have been with you wherever you have gone,a and I have cut off all your enemies from before you.b Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men on earth.c 10 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plantd them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.e Wickedf people will not oppress them anymore,g as they did at the beginning 11 and have done ever since the time I appointed leadersa h over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies.i

“ ‘The Lord declaresj to you that the Lord himself will establishk a housel for you: