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God Establishes His Covenant with David(A)

17 After David had settled down to live in his palace, he[a] spoke with the prophet Nathan. “Look, here I am living in this[b] cedar palace, but the ark of the Lord’s covenant remains surrounded by curtains!”

“Do everything you have in mind,”[c] Nathan replied to David, “because God is with you.”

But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from God:

“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? 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] 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?’”’

“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.

“‘“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. 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.”’”

15 Using precisely these words, Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 17:1 Lit. David
  2. 1 Chronicles 17:1 Lit. the
  3. 1 Chronicles 17:2 Lit. heart
  4. 1 Chronicles 17:4 Lit. house; and so throughout the chapter
  5. 1 Chronicles 17:5 The Heb. lacks to another
  6. 1 Chronicles 17:7 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and management authority
  7. 1 Chronicles 17:8 Lit. name
  8. 1 Chronicles 17:8 Lit. name
  9. 1 Chronicles 17:8 The Heb. lacks have lived
  10. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Lit. place
  11. 1 Chronicles 17:9 Lit. Children of wickedness
  12. 1 Chronicles 17:10 Lit. judges over
  13. 1 Chronicles 17:10 I.e. a dynasty
  14. 1 Chronicles 17:11 Lit. days
  15. 1 Chronicles 17:11 Lit. seed; MT is sing.
  16. 1 Chronicles 17:11 Or is from