1Nathan, first approving David's purpose to build God an house, 4afterward by the word of the Lord forbiddeth it, but with assurance of favour, 12and a promise of especial blessings in his seed. 18David's prayer and thanksgiving.
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1And it came to pass, 1when the king sat in his house, and 2the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;
2That the king said unto 1Nathan the prophet, See now, I 2dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.
3And Nathan said to the king, 1Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lordis with thee.
4¶ And 1it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,
5Go and tell amy servant David, Thus saith the Lord, 1Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?
6Whereas 1I 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.
7In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with aany of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?
8Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I 1took thee from the sheepcote, afrom following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:
9And I 1was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies aout of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
10Moreover 1I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will 2plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and 3move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
11And as 1since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have 2caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he 3will make thee an house.
12¶ And 1when 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.
13He 1shall build an house for my name, and I will 2stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14I 1will be his father, and he shall be my son. If 2he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
15But 1my mercy shall not depart away from him, 2as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.
16And 1thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: 2thy throne shall be established for ever.
17According 1to all these words, and according to all this 2vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
18¶ Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, 1Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?
19And 1this 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 is2this the amanner of man, O Lord God?
20And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, 1knowest thy servant.
21For 1thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.
22Wherefore 1thou 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.
23And 1what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God 2went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you 3great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?
24For 1thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.
25And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, 1establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.
26And 1let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David 2be established before thee.
27For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast arevealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant 1found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.
28And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and 1thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
29Therefore 1now alet 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 2for ever.