1 Chronicles
Chapter 17

1. Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remains under curtains.
2. Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in yours heart; for God is with you.
3. And it came to pass 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 me an house to dwell in:
5. For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
6. Where ever I have walked with all Israel, spoke I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have all of you not built me an house of cedars?
7. Now therefore thus shall you say unto my servant David, Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that you should be ruler over my people Israel:
8. And I have been with you anywhere you have walked, and have cut off all yours enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.
9. Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning,
10. And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all yours enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the LORD will build you an house.
11. And it shall come to pass, when your days be expired that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will raise up your seed after you, which shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
12. He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne for ever.
13. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before you:
14. But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.
15. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
16. And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that you have brought me until now?
17. And yet this was a small thing in yours eyes, O God; for you have also spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.
18. What can David speak more to you for the honour of your servant? for you know your servant.
19. O LORD, for your servant's sake, and according to yours own heart, have you done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.
20. O LORD, there is none like you, neither is there any God beside you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
21. And what one nation in the earth is like your people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make you a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before your people whom you have redeemed out of Egypt?
22. For your people Israel did you make yours own people for ever; and you, LORD, became their God.
23. Therefore now, LORD, let the thing that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as you have said.
24. Let it even be established, that your name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David your servant be established before you.
25. For you, O my God, have told your servant that you will build him an house: therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray before you.
26. And now, LORD, you are God, and have promised this goodness unto your servant:
27. Now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may be before you for ever: for you bless, O LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.