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¹ And it happened, when the king lived in his house, and Jehovah had given him rest from all his enemies all around,² The king said to Nathan the prophet, See, now, I am living in a house of cedar, and the ark of God dwells within tent curtains.³ And Nathan said to the king, All that is in your heart, go, do. For Jehovah shall be with you.

⁴ And it happened in that night, the Word of Jehovah was to Nathan, saying,⁵ Go, and you shall say to My servant, to David, So says Jehovah, Will you build a house for Me, for My dwelling?⁶ For I have not dwelt in a house even from the day of My bringing the sons of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day; but I have been moving about in a tent, even in a tabernacle.⁷ In all places in which I have gone with all Israel's sons, have I spoken a word with one of the tribes of Israel, those I commanded to shepherd My people Israel, saying, Why have you not built for me a house of cedars?⁸ And now, so you shall say to My servant, to David, So says Jehovah of Hosts, I have taken you from the resting place, from following the flock, to be ruler over My people, over Israel.⁹ And I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you and have made you a great name, like the name of the great men who are on the earth.¹⁰ And I will designate a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and not be made to tremble any more. Nor shall the sons of evil afflict them again, as at the first,¹¹ even from the day I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. And Jehovah declares to you that Jehovah will make you a house.¹² When your days are fulfilled, and you lie with your fathers, then I shall raise up your seed after you, who shall come out from your bowels, and I shall establish his kingdom.¹³ He shall build a house for My Name, and I shall establish the throne of his kingdom forever.¹⁴ I shall be a father to him, and he shall be a son to Me. When he sins, then I will chasten him with a rod of men, and with strokes of the sons of men.¹⁵ But My mercy shall not be taken from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.¹⁶ And your house shall be established, and your kingdom before you forever. Your throne shall be established forever.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 Jehovah, and said: Who am I, O Lord Jehovah, and what is my house, that you have brought me here?¹⁹ And this was yet but little in Your eyes, O Lord Jehovah. But You have spoken also of Your servant's house for a time afar off. And is this the law of men, O Lord Jehovah?²⁰ And what more can David say to You? And You know Your servant, O Lord Jehovah.²¹ Because of Your Word, and according to Your heart, You have done all this greatness to make Your servant know.²² For this reason, O Jehovah God, You are great; for there is none like You; and there is no God except You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.²³ And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation in the earth that God went out to redeem to be a people for Himself, and to make Himself a name, and to do for You great and fearful things for Your land, before Your people which Youredeemed to Yourself from Egypt, from nations and their gods?²⁴ Yea, You have established Your people Israel to Yourself, to You for a people forever. And You, O Jehovah have become their God.²⁵ And now, O Jehovah God, establish the Word which You have spoken concerning Your servant, and concerning his house, forever. And do as You have spoken.²⁶ And Your name shall be great forever, saying, Jehovah of Hosts is God over Israel, and the house of Your servant David is established before You.²⁷ For You, O Jehovah of Hosts, the God of Israel, You have uncovered the ear of Your servant, saying, I will build a house for you. On account of this Your servant has found his heart to pray to You this prayer.²⁸ And now, O Lord Jehovah, You are God, and Your Words are truth, and You speak this goodness to Your servant.²⁹ And now, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, to be forever before You. For You, O Lord Jehovah, have spoken, and with Your blessing shall the house of Your servant be blessed forever.