1 And it came to pass as David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under curtains of skins. 2 And Nathan said to David, Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you. 3 And it came to pass in that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 4 Go and say to David my servant, Thus said the Lord, You shall not build me a house for me to dwell in it. 5 For I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought up Israel until this day, but I have been in a tabernacle and a tent, 6 in all places through which I have gone with all Israel: did I ever speak to any one tribe of Israel whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why is it that you° have not built me a house of cedar? 7 And now thus shall you say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord Almighty, I took you from the sheepfold, from following the flocks, to be a ruler over my people Israel: 8 and I was with you in all places whither you went, and I destroyed all your enemies from before you, and I made for you a name according to the name of the great ones that are upon the earth. 9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant him, and he shall dwell by himself, and shall no longer be anxious; and the son of iniquity shall no longer afflict him, as at the beginning, 10 and from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel. Also I have humbled all your enemies, and I will increase you, and the Lord will build you a house. 11 And it shall come to pass when your days shall be fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, that I will raise up your seed after you, which shall be of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build me a house, and I will set up his throne for ever. 13 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and my mercy will I not withdraw from him, as I withdrew it from them that were before you. 14 And I will establish him in my house and in his kingdom for ever; and his throne shall be set up for ever. 15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so spoke Nathan to David. 16 And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that you have loved me for ever? 17 And these things were little in your sight, O God: you have also spoken concerning the house of your servant for a long time to come, and you have looked upon me as a man looks upon his fellow, and have exalted me, O Lord God. 18 What shall David do more toward you to glorify you? and you know your servant. 19 And you have wrought all this greatness according to your heart. 20 O Lord, there is none like you, and there is no God beside you, according to all things which we have heard with our ears. 21 Neither is there another nation upon the earth such as your people Israel, whereas God led him in the way, to redeem a people for himself, to make for himself a great and glorious name, to cast out nations from before your people, whom you redeemed out of Egypt. 22 And you have appointed your people Israel as a people to yourself for ever; and you, Lord, did become a God to them. 23 And now, Lord, let the word which you spoke to your servant, and concerning his house, be confirmed for ever, and do you as you have spoken. 24 And let your name be established and magnified for ever, men saying, Lord, Lord, Almighty God of Israel: and let the house of your servant David be established before you. 25 For you, O Lord my God, have revealed to the ear of your servant that you will build him a house; therefore your servant has found a willingness to pray before you. 26 And now, Lord, you yourself are God, and you have spoken these good things concerning your servant. 27 And now you have begun to bless the house of your servant, so that it should continue for ever before you: for you, Lord, have blessed it, and do you bless it for ever.