1. After David had taken up residence in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, “See, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tentcloth.”
2. Nathan replied to David, “Whatever is in your heart, go and do, for God is with you.”
3. But that same night the word of God came to Nathan:
4. Go and tell David my servant, Thus says the Lord: It is not you who are to build the house for me to dwell in.
5. For I have never dwelt in a house, from the day I brought Israel up, even to this day, but I have been lodging in tent or tabernacle.
6. As long as I have wandered about with all Israel, did I ever say a word to any of the judges of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
7. Now then, speak thus to my servant David, Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to become ruler over my people Israel.
8. I was with you wherever you went, and I cut down all your enemies before you. I will make your name like that of the greatest on the earth.
9. I will assign a place for my people Israel and I will plant them in it to dwell there; they will never again be disturbed, nor shall the wicked ever again oppress them, as they did at the beginning,
10. and during all the time when I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the Lord will build you a house:
11. when your days have been completed and you must join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you who will be one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.
12. He it is who shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.
13. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me, and I will not withdraw my favor from him as I withdrew it from the one who was before you;
14. but I will maintain him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be firmly established forever.
15. In accordance with all these words and this whole vision Nathan spoke to David.