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¹ It happened, when the king lived in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies round about, ² that the king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells within curtains. ³ Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in your heart; for Yahweh is with you.

⁴ It happened the same night, that the word of Yahweh came to Nathan, saying, ⁵ Go and tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh, Shall you build me a house for me to dwell in? ⁶ for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tent. ⁷ In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, spoke I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? ⁸ Now therefore thus shall you tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince 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 I will make you a great name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth. ¹⁰ I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as at the first, ¹¹ and [as] from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause you to rest from all your enemies. Moreover Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make you a house. ¹² When your days are fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³ He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. ¹⁴ I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; ¹⁵ but my lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before you. ¹⁶ Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before you: your throne shall be established forever. ¹⁷ According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.

¹⁸ Then David the king went in, and sat before Yahweh; and he said, Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁹ This was yet a small thing in your eyes, Lord Yahweh; but you have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come; and this [too] after the manner of men, Lord Yahweh! ²⁰ What can David say more to you? for you know your servant, Lord Yahweh. ²¹ For your word's sake, and according to your own heart, have you worked all this greatness, to make your servant know it. ²² Therefore you are great, Yahweh God: for there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²³ What one nation in the earth is like your people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem to himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and awesome things for your land, before your people, whom you redeem to you out of Egypt, [from] the nations and their gods? ²⁴ You did establish to yourself your people Israel to be a people to you forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God. ²⁵ Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken concerning your servant, and concerning his house, confirm you it forever, and do as you have spoken. ²⁶ Let your name be magnified forever, saying, Yahweh of hosts is God over Israel; and the house of your servant David shall be established before you. ²⁷ For you, Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel, have revealed to your servant, saying, I will build you a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to you. ²⁸ Now, O Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truth, and you have promised this good thing to your servant: ²⁹ now therefore let it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you; for you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken it: and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed forever.