1 Chronicles 17

1 Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar: and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins.

Now when David was living in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, See, I am living in a house of cedar-wood, but the ark of the Lord's agreement is under the curtains of a tent.

2 And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is with thee.

And Nathan said to David, Do whatever is in your heart, for God is with you.

3 Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:

But that same night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

4 Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in.

Go and say to David my servant, The Lord says, You are not to make me a house for my living-place:

5 For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a tabernacle, and in a tent,

For from the day when I took Israel up, till this day, I have had no house, but have gone from tent to tent, and from living-place to living-place.

6 Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the judges of Israel, whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?

In all the places where I have gone with all Israel, did I ever say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I made the keepers of my people, Why have you not made for me a house of cedar?

7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel.

So now, say to my servant David, The Lord of armies says, I took you from the fields, from keeping sheep, so that you might be a ruler over my people Israel;

8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth.

And I have been with you wherever you went, cutting off before you all those who were against you; and I will make your name like the name of the greatest ones of the earth.

9 And I have given a place to my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning,

And I will make a resting-place for my people Israel, planting them there, so that they may be in the place which is theirs and never again be moved; and never again will they be made waste by evil men, as they were at first,

10 Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will build thee a house.

From the time when I put judges over my people Israel; and I will overcome all those who are against you; and I will make you great and the head of a line of kings.

11 And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom.

And when the time comes for you to go to your fathers, I will put in your place your seed after you, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong.

12 He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever.

He will be the builder of my house, and I will make the seat of his authority certain for ever.

13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee.

I will be to him a father and he will be to me a son; and I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him who was before you;

14 But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever.

But I will make his place in my house and in my kingdom certain for ever; and the seat of his authority will never be overturned.

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

So Nathan gave David an account of all these words and this vision.

16 And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou shouldst give such things to me?

Then David the king went in and took his seat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have been my guide till now?

17 But even this hath seemed little in thy sight, and therefore thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for the time to come: and best made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God.

And this was only a small thing to you, O God; but your words have even been about the far-off future of your servant's family, looking on me as on one of high position, O Lord God.

18 What can David add more, seeing thou hast thus glorified thy servant, and known him?

What more may David say to you? for you have knowledge of your servant.

19 O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, according to thy own heart, thou hast shewn all this magnificence, and wouldst have all the great things to be known.

O Lord, because of your servant, and from your heart, you have done all these great things and let them be seen.

20 O Lord there is none like thee: and there is no other God beside thee, of all whom we have heard of with our ears.

O Lord, there is no one like you, and no other God but you, as is clear from everything which has come to our ears.

21 For what other nation is there upon earth like thy people Israel, whom God went to deliver, and make a people for himself, and by his greatness and terrors cast out nations before their face whom he had delivered out of Egypt?

And what other nation in the earth, like your people Israel, did a god go out to take for himself, to be his people, making his name great and to be feared, driving out the nations from before your people whom you made free and took out of Egypt?

22 And thou hast made thy people Israel to be thy own people for ever, and thou, O Lord, art become their God.

For your people Israel you made yours for ever; and you, Lord, became their God.

23 Now therefore, O Lord, let the word which thou hast spoken to thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.

And now, Lord, let your words about your servant and about his family be made certain for ever, and do as you have said.

24 And let thy name remain and be magnified for ever: and let it be said: The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, and the house of David his servant remaineth before him.

So let your words be made certain and your name be made great, when men say, The Lord of armies is the God of Israel; and when the family of David your servant is made strong before you.

25 For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, that thou wilt build him a house: and therefore thy servant hath found confidence to pray before thee.

For you, O my God, have let your servant see that you will make him head of a line of kings; and so it has come into your servant's heart to make his prayer to you.

26 And now O Lord, thou art God: and thou hast promised to thy servant such great benefits.

And now, O Lord, you are God, and you have said you will give this good thing to your servant:

27 And thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be always before thee: for seeing thou blessest it, O Lord, it shall be blessed for ever.

And now you have been pleased to give your blessing to the family of your servant, so that it may go on for ever before you; you, O Lord, have given your blessing, and a blessing will be on it for ever.