1 Chronicles - The Old Testament

¹ It happened, once David had settled into his palace, that David said to the prophet Nathan, 'Here am I living in a cedar-wood palace, while the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under awnings.'

² Nathan said to David, 'Do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you.'

³ But that very night the word of God came to Nathan, as follows:

⁴ 'Go and tell my servant David, "Yahweh says this: You must not build a temple for me to live in.

⁵ I have never lived in a house from the day when I brought Israel out until today, but have kept travelling from tent to tent and from shelter to shelter.

⁶ In all my travels with all Israel, did I say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I had commanded to shepherd my people: Why do you not build me a cedar-wood temple?

⁷ This is what you must say to my servant David: Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel.

⁸ I have been with you wherever you went; I have got rid of all your enemies for you. I am going to make your fame like that of the greatest men on earth.

⁹ I am going to provide a place for my people Israel; I shall plant them there and there they will live and never be disturbed again; nor will they be oppressed by the wicked as they were in former times

¹⁰ ever since I instituted judges to govern my people Israel; I shall subdue all your enemies. Yahweh moreover tells you that he will build you a dynasty.

¹¹ And when your days are over and you have gone to join your ancestors, I shall appoint your heir -- who will be one of your sons -- to succeed you, and I shall make his sovereignty secure.

¹² He will build a temple for me and I shall make his throne secure for ever.

¹³ I shall be his father and he will be my son, and I shall not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor.

¹⁴ I shall set him over my temple and kingdom for ever and his throne will be for ever secure." '

¹⁵ Nathan related all these words and this whole revelation to David.

¹⁶ King David then went in, sat down in Yahweh's presence and said: 'Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my lineage, that you have led me as far as this?

¹⁷ Yet, to you, O God, this seemed too little, and now you extend your promises for your servant's family into the distant future, making me see as it were a whole succession of men, and it is Yahweh God himself who raises it up.

¹⁸ What more can David reply to you for the honour you have given to your servant? You yourself have singled out your servant.

¹⁹ For your servant, and since you were so inclined, you have had the generosity to reveal all this greatness to come.

²⁰ Yahweh, there is no one like you, no God but you alone, as everything that we have heard confirms.

²¹ Is there another people on earth like your people Israel, whom a god has proceeded to redeem, to make them his people and to make them famous and do for them great and terrible deeds, by driving out nations before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?-

²² for you made your people Israel your own people for ever and you, Yahweh, became their God.

²³ 'Now, Yahweh, may the promise which you have made for your servant and as regards his family hold good for ever, and do as you have said.

²⁴ May it hold good, so your name will be exalted for ever and people will say, "Israel's God is Yahweh Sabaoth; he is God for Israel." Your servant David's dynasty will be secure before you

²⁵ since you, my God, have disclosed to your servant that you are going to build him a dynasty. Hence, your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you.

²⁶ Yes, Yahweh, you are God indeed, and you have made this generous promise to your servant.

²⁷ What is more, you have deigned to bless your servant's dynasty, so that it may remain for ever before you; and since you, Yahweh, have blessed it, blessed will it be for ever.'