Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about,

the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, that I live in a house covered with panels of cedar, while the ark dwells in a tent, in the midst of curtains.”

And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart, for the speech of the LORD is in your aid.”

But that same night a prophetic word from before the LORD was with Nathan, saying,

“Go and say to my servant, to David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Would you build me a house to make my Presence dwell in it?

Because I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up the sons of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have made my Presence dwell in tents and between curtains.

In every place where I have wandered with all the sons of Israel did I speak a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to care for my people Israel, saying: Why have you not built a house before Me covered with panels of cedar?’

Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant, to David, ‘Thus says the LORD Sebaoth: I took you from the sheepfold, from after the sheep, that you should be king over my people, over Israel.

And my speech has been in your aid in whatever place you went. I have cut off all your enemies before you. And I have made you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.

And I appointed a fixed place for my people, for Israel, and I established them that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more, that sons of evil shall not continue to afflict them as formerly,

from the time that I commanded leaders over my people Israel, and I have given you rest from all your enemies. And the LORD declares to you that the LORD will establish you a kingdom,

for, when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your son after you, whom you will beget and I will establish his kingdom.

He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

I will be for him as a father, and before Me he shall be a son, whom, if he grows corrupt, I will chasten with the punishment of men and with the correction of the sons of men.

My goodness will not pass from him, as I removed it from Saul, whom I removed from before you.

And your house and your kingdom shall be lasting for ever before you. The throne of your kingdom shall be fixed for ever.’”

In accordance with all these words and in accordance with all this prophecy Nathan spoke with David.

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, “I am not sufficient, O LORD God, and what is my house that Thou hast brought me thus far?

And yet this was a small thing before Thee, O LORD God. Thou hast spoken also of thy servant’s house with regard to the world to come, and this is proper for the sons of men, O LORD God.

And what more can David say to Thee? For Thou hast fulfilled the prayer of thy servant, O Lord God.

Because of thy speech and according to thy pleasure Thou hast done all these great things, to make thy servant know it.

Therefore Thou art great, O LORD; for there is none like Thee, and there is no God besides Thee, according to all that we have heard them say before us.

And who is like thy people Israel, one choice people on earth, whom those who were sent from before the LORD went to save [to become] a people for Him, and to make for Him a name, and to do for you great and strong things, until they came to the land of the House of thy Presence, which Thou hast given to them from before thy people, which Thou hast saved for Thyself from Egypt,

And Thou didst establish for Thyself thy people Israel to be a people before Thyself for ever; and Thou, O LORD, didst become their God.

And now, O LORD God, confirm for ever the word which Thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house, and do as Thou hast spoken.

And thy name will be magnified for ever, saying, ‘The LORD Sebaoth is God over Israel’; and the house of thy servant David will be established before Thee.

For thou, O LORD Sebaoth, the God of Israel, hast told thy servant, saying, ‘I will establish you a kingdom’; therefore it was in thy servant’s heart to pray this prayer before Thee.

And now, O LORD God, Thou art God, and thy words are true; and Thou hast spoken all this goodness to thy servant.

And now, be willing to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be for ever before Thee. For Thou, O LORD God, hast spoken, with thy blessing shall the houses of thy servants the righteous ones be blessed in eternity.”