¹ And it happened when the king dwelt in his house, and when the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies,

² the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains.

³ And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you.

⁴ And that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan saying,

⁵ Go and tell My servant David, So says the LORD, Shall you build Me a house for My dwelling?

⁶ For I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the sons out of Egypt until this day, but have walked in a tent, even in a tabernacle.

⁷ In all places in which I have walked with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel, those I commanded to feed My people Israel, saying, Why do you not build Me a house of cedars?

⁸ And now so shall you say to My servant David, So says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.

⁹ And I was with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies out of your sight, and have made you a great name like the name of the great ones in the earth.

¹⁰ And I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them so that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more. Neither shall the sons of wickedness afflict them any more, as before.

¹¹ And even from the time that I commanded judges to be over My people of Israel, so will I cause you to rest from all your enemies. Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house.

¹² And when your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall come out of your bowels. And I will make his kingdom sure.

¹³ He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

¹⁴ I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men.

¹⁵ But My mercy shall not leave him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you.

¹⁶ And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.

¹⁷ According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

¹⁸ Then king David went in and sat before the LORD. And he said, Who am I, O Lord Jehovah? And what is my house, that You have brought me here?

¹⁹ And this was yet a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God. But You have spoken also of Your servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of men, O Lord God?

²⁰ And what can David say more to You? For You, O Lord Jehovah, know Your servant.

²¹ For Your word's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things to make Your servant know.

²² Therefore You are great, O LORD God. For there is none like You, neither is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

²³ And what one nation in the earth is like Your people, like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to Himself, and to make Him a name, and to do for You great things and terrible, for Your land, before Your people, whom You redeemed to You from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

²⁴ For You have confirmed to Yourself Your people Israel to be a people to You forever. And You, LORD, have become their God.

²⁵ And now, O LORD God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant, and concerning his house: establish it forever, and do as You have said.

²⁶ And let Your name be magnified forever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel. And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.

²⁷ For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to Your servant, saying, I will build you a house. Therefore Your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to You.

²⁸ And now, O Lord Jehovah, You are that God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.

²⁹ Therefore, now, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, to be forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken. And with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.