David wants to build God a house, but God sends Nathan to say that David's son will build it. God promises to build David a house, a dynasty, and that his throne will be established forever.
1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house , and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies ;
2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet , See now, I dwell in an house of cedar , but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains .
3 And Nathan said to the king , Go , do all that is in thine heart ; for the LORD is with thee.
4 And it came to pass that night , that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan , saying ,
5 Go and tell my servant David , Thus saith the LORD , Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in ?
6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt , even to this day , but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle .
7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel , whom I commanded to feed my people Israel , saying , Why build ye not me an house of cedar ?
8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David , Thus saith the LORD of hosts , I took thee from the sheepcote , from following the sheep , to be ruler over my people , over Israel :
9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest , and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight , and have made thee a great name , like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth .
10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel , and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more , as beforetime ,
11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel , and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies . Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house .
12 And when thy days be fulfilled , and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers , I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels , and I will establish his kingdom .
13 He shall build an house for my name , and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever .
14 I will be his father , and he shall be my son . If he commit iniquity , I will chasten him with the rod of men , and with the stripes of the children of men :
15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul , whom I put away before thee.
16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever .
17 According to all these words , and according to all this vision , so did Nathan speak unto David .
18 Then went king David in, and sat before the LORD , and he said , Who am I, O Lord GOD ? and what is my house , that thou hast brought me hitherto ?
19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight , O Lord GOD ; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come . And is this the manner of man , O Lord GOD ?
20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD , knowest thy servant .
21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart , hast thou done all these great things , to make thy servant know them.
22 Wherefore thou art great , O LORD God : for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears .
23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people , even 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 thy land , before thy people , which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt , from the nations and their gods ?
24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever : and thou, LORD , art become their God .
25 And now, O LORD God , the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant , and concerning his house , establish it for ever , and do as thou hast said .
26 And let thy name be magnified for ever , saying , The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel : and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.
27 For thou, O LORD of hosts , God of Israel , hast revealed to thy servant , saying , I will build thee an house : therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
28 And now, O Lord GOD , thou art that God , and thy words be true , and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant :
29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant , that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD , hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever .