1The king was living in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him.
2Then the king said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays inside curtains."
3Nathan said to the king, "Go and do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you."
4But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan. It said,
5"Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD says: Will you build me a house for me to live in?"
6"'I have not lived in any house from the day I brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt until this day. I have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle."
7"'In all the places where I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I ever say a word to any of the tribes of Israel, the ones I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, and ask, Why do you not build me a house of cedar?"
8"'Now then, say this to my servant David: This is what the LORD of hosts says: I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel."
9"'I was with you wherever you went. I have cut off all your enemies from in front of you, and I have made your name great, like the name of the great men on the earth."
10"'I will also appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them there, so that they may live in a place of their own and move no more. Wicked men will not trouble them any more, as they did before,"
11"'and as they have done since the time I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. I have given you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also tells you that he will make you a house."
12"'When your days are finished and you sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom."
13"'He shall build a house for my name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom firm for ever."
14"'I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he does wrong, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men."
15"'But my mercy shall not leave him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you."
16"'Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before you. Your throne shall be established for ever.'"
18Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that you have brought me this far?"
19"And even this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD. You have also spoken about your servant's house for a long time to come. And is this the way of man, O Lord GOD?"
20"What more can David say to you? For you, Lord GOD, know your servant."
21"For the sake of your word, and because it was your own heart's desire, you have done all these great things, to make your servant know them."
22"So you are great, O LORD God. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as we have heard with our own ears."
23"And what one nation on the earth is like your people, like Israel? God went to redeem them to be a people for himself, and to make himself a name, and to do great and terrible things for you, for your land, in front of your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, from the nations and their gods."
24"You have made your people Israel firmly your own, to be your people for ever. And you, LORD, have become their God."
25"And now, O LORD God, the word that you have spoken about your servant and about his house, make it firm for ever, and do as you have said."
26"Let your name be made great for ever, and let people say, 'The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And let the house of your servant David be made sure before you."
27"For you, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have shown this to your servant. You said, 'I will build you a house.' That is why your servant has found courage in his heart to pray this prayer to you."
28"And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant."
29"So now let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever before you. For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken it. With your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed for ever."