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1 And it came to pass when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him an inheritance on every side free from all his enemies round about him; 2 that the king said to Nathan the prophet, Behold now, I live in a house of cedar, and the ark of the Lord dwells in the midst of a tent. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go and do all that is in your heart, for the Lord is with you. 4 And it came to pass in that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying, 5 Go, and say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord, You shall not build me a house for me to dwell in. 6 For I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt to this day, but I have been walking in a lodge and in a tent, 7 wherever I went with all Israel. Have I ever spoken to any of the tribes of Israel, which I commanded to tend my people Israel, saying, Why have you⌃ not built me a house of Cedar? 8 And now thus shall you say to my servant David, Thus says the Lord Almighty, I took you from the sheep-cote, that you should be a prince over my people, over Israel. 9 And I was with you wherever you went, and I destroyed all your enemies before you, and I made you renowned according to the renown of the great ones on the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant * them, and they shall dwell by themselves, and shall be no more distressed; and the son of iniquity shall no more afflict them, as he has done from the beginning, 11 from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel: and I will give you rest from all your enemies, and the Lord will tell you that you shall build a house to him. 12 And it shall come to pass when your days shall have been fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, that I will raise up your seed after you, even your own issue, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build for me a house to my name, and I will set up his throne even for ever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. And when he happens to transgress, then will I chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men. 15 But my mercy I will not take from him, as I took it from those whom I removed from my presence. 16 And his house shall be made sure, and his kingdom for ever before me, and his throne shall be set up for ever. 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. 18 And king David came in, and sat before the Lord, and said, Who am I, O Lord, my Lord, and what is my house, that you have loved me † hitherto? 19 Whereas I was very little before you, O Lord, my Lord, yet you spoke concerning the house of your servant for a long time to to come. And is this the law of man, O Lord, my Lord? 20 And what shall David yet say to you? and now you know your servant, O Lord, my Lord. 21 And you have wrought for your servant's sake, and according to your heart you have wrought all this greatness, to make it known to your servant, 22 that he may magnify you, O my Lord; for there is no one ‡ like you, and there is no God, but you amongst all of whom we have heard with our ears. 23 And what other nation in the earth is as your people Israel? whereas God was his guide, to redeem for himself a people to make you a name, to do mightily and nobly, so that you should cast out nations and their tabernacles from the presence of your people, whom you did redeem for yourself out of Egypt? 24 And you have prepared for yourself your people Israel to be a people for ever, and you, Lord, are become their God. 25 And now, O my Lord, the Almighty Lord God of Israel, confirm the word for ever which you have spoken concerning your servant and his house: and now as you have said, 26 Let your name be magnified for ever. § 27 Almighty Lord God of Israel, you have uncovered the ear of your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore your servant has found in his heart to pray this prayer to you. 28 And now, O Lord my Lord, you are God; and your words will be true, and you have spoken these good things concerning your servant. 29 And now begin and bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever before you; for you, O Lord, my Lord, have spoken, and the house of your servant shall be blessed with your blessing so as to continue for ever.
* 7:10 Gr. it. † 7:18 Or, so much as this. ‡ 7:22 Gr. as you. § 7:26 Heb. and Alex. add, 'and let the house of your servant David be established before you.'