God's Covenant with David
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1Now when the king lived in his house and the LORD 2 had given him rest from all his surrounding enemies,
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the king said to 3Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell 4in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells 5in a tent."
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And Nathan said to the king, 6"Go, do all that is in your heart, for the LORD is with you."
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But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,
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"Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD: 7Would you build me a house to dwell in?
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I have not lived in a house 8since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about 9in a tent for my dwelling.
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In all places where 10I have moved with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word with 11any of the judgesa of Israel, whom I commanded 12to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'
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Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, 13I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.
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14And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.
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And I will appoint a place for my people Israel 15and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place 16and be disturbed no more. 17And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,
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18from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And 19I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that 20the LORD will make you a house.
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21When your days are fulfilled and 22you lie down with your fathers, 23I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.
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26I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, 27I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men,
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28but my steadfast love will not depart from him, 29as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you.
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30And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.b31 Your throne shall be established forever.'"
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In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.
David's Prayer of Gratitude
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Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, 32"Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?
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And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD. 33You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord GOD!
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And what more can David say to you? 34For you know your servant, O Lord GOD!
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Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.
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35Therefore you are great, O LORD God. 36For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
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37And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name 38and doing for themc great and awesome things by driving outd before your people, whom 39you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods?
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40And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O LORD, became their God.
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And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken.
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And your name will be magnified forever, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is God over Israel,' and the house of your servant David will be established before you.
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For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, 'I will build you a house.' Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.
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And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and 41your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant.
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Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, 42and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever."
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)