1And 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.” 2Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.” 3And 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, “You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; 5for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone 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 with 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, that you should be leader over My people Israel. 8“And 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“And I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be moved no more; neither shall the wicked waste them anymore as formerly, 10even 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“And it shall come about when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your descendants after you, who shall 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“I will be his father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness 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 forever, and his throne shall be established forever.”’” 15According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer in Response

     16Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house that Thou hast brought me this far? 17“And this was a small thing in Thine eyes, O God; but Thou hast spoken of Thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O LORD God. 18“What more can David still say to Thee concerning the honor bestowed on Thy servant? For Thou knowest Thy servant. 19“O LORD, for Thy servant’s sake, and according to Thine own heart, Thou hast wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20“O LORD, there is none like Thee, neither is there any God besides Thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21“And what one nation in the earth is like Thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make Thee a name by great and terrible things, in driving out nations from before Thy people, whom Thou didst redeem out of Egypt? 22“For Thy people Israel Thou didst make Thine own people forever, and Thou, O LORD, didst become their God. 23“And now, O LORD, let the word that Thou hast spoken concerning Thy servant and concerning his house, be established forever, and do as Thou hast spoken. 24“And let Thy 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 Thy servant is established before Thee.’ 25“For Thou, O my God, hast revealed to Thy servant that Thou wilt build for him a house; therefore Thy servant hath found courage to pray before Thee. 26“And now, O LORD, Thou art God, and hast promised this good thing to Thy servant. 27“And now it hath pleased Thee to bless the house of Thy servant, that it may continue forever before Thee; for Thou, O LORD, hast blessed, and it is blessed forever.”