1 Chronicles
Chapter 17
1 One day, while David was at home, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I live in a house made of cedar wood, but God’s covenant chest is still under a tent.”
2 Then Nathan told David, “Do all that you want to do; because God is with you.”
3 That night, God spoke to Nathan and said,
4 Go and tell David my servant, God says, You must not build a house for me to live in.
5 Since the day I led Israel up to this day, I have not lived in a house; instead, I moved from one tent to another and from one shelter to another.
6 Everywhere I have gone with all Israel, did I ask any of the leaders of Israel, whom I told to take care of my people, ‘Why haven’t you built me a cedar house?’
7 So now, tell my servant David this: God says, “I chose you from the pasture and from tending sheep to be the leader of my people Israel.”
8 I have always been with you wherever you have gone, and I have defeated all your enemies for you. I have given you a reputation as great as any of the famous people on the earth.
9 I will choose a place for my people Israel and make them settle there. They will live there and not be uprooted again; the children of wickedness will not harm them anymore like before.
10 Ever since I told judges to lead my people Israel, I will also defeat all your enemies. Also, I tell you that God will build you a house.
11 When your time ends and you join your ancestors, I will bring up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and make his kingdom strong.
12 He will build a house for me, and I will make his throne last forever.
13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will not remove my mercy from him as I did with the one before you.
14 I will establish him in my house and kingdom forever; his throne will be secure forever.
15 Nathan told David everything just as he had seen and heard.
16 King David came and sat before God and said, “Who am I, God, and what is my house, that you have brought me this far?”
17 Even this was a small thing to you, God; you have also talked about your servant’s family for a long time ahead, and you have treated me like someone with high status, O God.
18 What more can David say to you about the honor of your servant? You know your servant well.
19 God, for your servant’s benefit and following your own will, you have done all these great things and revealed them.
20 God, no one is like you, and there is no other God except you, just as we have heard.
21 What other nation on earth is like your people, Israel, whom God saved to be his own, to make himself a great and feared name by removing other nations from before your people whom he rescued from Egypt?
22 You made Israel your people forever, and you, God, became their God.
23 So now, God, let what you have said about your servant and his family be true forever, and do as you have promised.
24 Let it be firm, so your name can be honored forever, as people say, “God commanded the armies is the God of Israel and is a God to Israel.” And let David’s family, your servant’s house, stand strong in your presence.
25 You, my God, have told your servant that you will build a house for him: so your servant felt moved to pray to you.
26 And now, God, you are God, and have promised this kindness to your servant.
27 So now, please bless your servant’s house so it will always be before you. Because when you bless, God, it is blessed forever.