^aNow it came about, when the king lived in his house, and the LORD had given him rest on every side from all his enemies, 2 that the king said to ^aNathan the prophet, “See now, I live in ^ba house of cedar, but the ark of God ^cremains within the tent.” 3 Nathan said to the king, “^aGo, do all that is in your mind, for the LORD is with you.”

4 But in the same night, the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, 5 “Go and say to My servant David, ‘This is what the LORD says: “^aShould you build Me a house for My dwelling? 6 For ^aI have not dwelt in a house since the day I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt, even to this day; rather, I have been moving about ^bin a tent, that is, in a dwelling place. 7 ^aWherever I have gone with all the sons of Israel, did I speak a word with one of the tribes of Israel, ^bwhom I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’”’

8 Now then, this is what you shall say to My servant David: ‘This is what the LORD of armies says: “^aI Myself took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, ^bto be leader over My people Israel. 9 And ^aI have been with you wherever you have gone, and ^bhave eliminated all your enemies from you; I will also make a great name for you, like the names of the great men who ¹are on the earth. 10 And I will establish a place for My people Israel, and ^awill plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again, ^bnor will ¹malicious people oppress them anymore as previously, 11 even ^afrom the day that I appointed judges over My people Israel; and ^bI will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also declares to you that ^cthe LORD will make a house for you. 12 ^aWhen your days are finished and you ^1blie down with your fathers, ^cI will raise up your ²descendant after you, who will come from ³you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 ^aHe shall build a house for My name, and ^bI will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 ^aI will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; ^bwhen he does wrong, I will discipline him with a rod of men and with strokes of sons of mankind, 15 but My favor shall not depart from him, ^aas I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from you. 16 ^aYour house and your kingdom shall endure before ¹Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’” 17 In accordance with all these words and all of this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

18 Then David the king came in and sat before the LORD, and he said, “^aWho am I, Lord ¹GOD, and who are the members of my household, that You have brought me this far? 19 And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, Lord GOD, ^afor You have spoken also of the house of Your servant regarding the distant future. And ^bthis is the ¹custom of mankind, Lord GOD. 20 Again what more can David say to You? For ^aYou know Your servant, Lord GOD! 21 ^aFor the sake of Your word, and according to Your heart, You have done all this greatness, to let Your servant know. 22 For this reason ^aYou are great, Lord GOD; for ^bthere is no one like You, and there is no God except You, ^caccording to all that we have heard with our ears. 23 And ^awhat one nation on the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, and to make a name for Himself, and ^bto do a great thing for You and awesome things for Your land, ¹because of ^cYour people whom ^dYou have redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, from other nations and their gods? 24 For ^aYou have established for Yourself Your people Israel as Your own people forever, and ^bYou, LORD, have become their God. 25 Now then, LORD God, the word that You have spoken about Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do just as You have spoken, 26 ^aso that Your name may be great forever, by saying, ‘The LORD of armies is God over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 For You, LORD of armies, God of Israel, have ¹given a revelation to Your servant, saying, ‘^aI will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found ²courage to pray this prayer to You. 28 Now then, Lord GOD, You are God, and ^aYour words are truth; and You have ¹promised this good thing to Your servant. 29 And now, may ¹it please You to bless the house of Your servant, so that it may continue forever before You. For You, Lord GOD, have spoken; and ^2awith Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”