Chronological Plan

¹When the king had settled into his palace and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,

²the king said to the prophet Nathan, “Look, I am living in a cedar house while the ark of God sits inside tent curtains.”

³So Nathan told the king, “Go and do all that is on your mind, for the LORD is with you.”

⁴But that night the word of the LORD came to Nathan:

⁵“Go to my servant David and say, ‘This is what the LORD says: Are you to build me a house to dwell in?

⁶From the time I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have been moving around with a tent as my dwelling.

⁷In all my journeys with all the Israelites, have I ever spoken a word to one of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?’

⁸“So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the LORD of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.

⁹I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a great name for you like that of the greatest on the earth.

¹⁰I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done

¹¹ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. “‘The LORD declares to you: The LORD himself will make a house for you.

¹²When your time comes and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹³He is the one who will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

¹⁴I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and blows from mortals.

¹⁵But my faithful love will never leave him as it did when I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

¹⁶Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’”

¹⁷Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

¹⁸Then King David went in, sat in the LORD’s presence, and said, Who am I, Lord GOD, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?

¹⁹What you have done so far was a little thing to you, Lord GOD, for you have also spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is a revelation for mankind, Lord GOD.

²⁰What more can David say to you? You know your servant, Lord GOD.

²¹Because of your word and according to your will, you have revealed all these great things to your servant.

²²This is why you are great, Lord GOD. There is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms.

²³And who is like your people Israel? God came to one nation on earth in order to redeem a people for himself, to make a name for himself, and to perform for them great and awesome acts, driving out nations and their gods before your people you redeemed for yourself from Egypt.

²⁴You established your people Israel to be your own people forever, and you, LORD, have become their God.

²⁵Now, LORD God, fulfill the promise forever that you have made to your servant and his house. Do as you have promised,

²⁶so that your name will be exalted forever, when it is said, “The LORD of Armies is God over Israel.” The house of your servant David will be established before you

²⁷since you, LORD of Armies, God of Israel, have revealed this to your servant when you said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to you.

²⁸Lord GOD, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.

²⁹Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever.

¹When David had settled into his palace, he said to the prophet Nathan, “Look! I am living in a cedar house while the ark of the LORD’s covenant is under tent curtains.”

²So Nathan told David, “Do all that is on your mind, for God is with you.”

³But that night the word of God came to Nathan:

⁴“Go to David my servant and say, ‘This is what the LORD says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in.

⁵From the time I brought Israel out of Egypt until today I have not dwelt in a house; instead, I have moved from one tent site to another, and from one tabernacle location to another.

⁶In all my journeys throughout Israel, have I ever spoken a word to even one of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, asking: Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar? ’

⁷“So now this is what you are to say to my servant David: ‘This is what the LORD of Armies says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel.

⁸I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. I will make a name for you like that of the greatest on the earth.

⁹I will designate a place for my people Israel and plant them, so that they may live there and not be disturbed again. Evildoers will not continue to oppress them as they have done

¹⁰ever since the day I ordered judges to be over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies. “‘Furthermore, I declare to you that the LORD himself will build a house for you.

¹¹When your time comes to be with your fathers, I will raise up after you your descendant, who is one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

¹²He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.

¹³I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will not remove my faithful love from him as I removed it from the one who was before you.

¹⁴I will appoint him over my house and my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.’”

¹⁵Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.

¹⁶Then King David went in, sat in the LORD’s presence, and said, Who am I, LORD God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far?

¹⁷This was a little thing to you, God, for you have spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. You regard me as a man of distinction, LORD God.

¹⁸What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? You know your servant.

¹⁹LORD, you have done this whole great thing, making known all these great promises for the sake of your servant and according to your will.

²⁰LORD, there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, as all we have heard confirms.

²¹And who is like your people Israel? God, you came to one nation on earth to redeem a people for yourself, to make a name for yourself through great and awesome works by driving out nations before your people you redeemed from Egypt.

²²You made your people Israel your own people forever, and you, LORD, have become their God.

²³Now, LORD, let the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and his house be confirmed forever, and do as you have promised.

²⁴Let your name be confirmed and magnified forever in the saying, “The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, is God over Israel.” May the house of your servant David be established before you.

²⁵Since you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house, your servant has found courage to pray in your presence.

²⁶LORD, you indeed are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.

²⁷So now, you have been pleased to bless your servant’s house that it may continue before you forever. For you, LORD, have blessed it, and it is blessed forever.