⁴ “Go tell David, my servant, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘“You won’t be building a house^[d] for me to inhabit, will you? ⁵ After all, I haven’t lived in a house from the day I brought out Israel until today. Instead, I’ve lived from tent to tent and from one place to another.^{[e] 6} Wherever I’ve moved within all of Israel, did I ever ask even one judge of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people, ‘Why haven’t you built me a cedar house?’”’

⁷ “Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David:

‘This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “I took you from the pasture myself—from tending sheep—to become Commander-in-Chief^[f] over my people Israel.

⁸ “‘“Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make your reputation^[g] great, like the reputation^[h] of the great ones who have lived on^[i] earth. ⁹ I will establish a homeland^[j] for my people Israel, planting them in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people^[k] will not oppress them as happened in the past, ¹⁰ during the time I had commanded judges to administer^[l] my people Israel. I’ll also grant you deliverance from all your enemies.

“‘“I’m also announcing to you that the Lord also will himself build a house^[m] for you. ¹¹ It will come about that when your life^[n] is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring^[o] after you, who is related to one of^[p] your sons, and I will fortify his kingdom. ¹² He will build a temple dedicated to me, and I will make his throne last forever. ¹³ I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me. I will never remove my gracious love from him as I did from the one who preceded you. ¹⁴ I will confirm him in my Temple and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will remain secure forever.”’”