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Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent curtains."
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Then Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you."
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But it happened that night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
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"Go and tell My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord: "You shall not build Me a house to dwell in.
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For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Israel, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
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Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?' " '
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Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel.
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And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth.
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Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously,
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since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house.
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And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
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He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever.
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I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you.
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And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever." ' "
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According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
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Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: "Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?
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And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O Lord God.
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What more can David say to You for the honor of Your servant? For You know Your servant.
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O Lord, for Your servant's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.
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O Lord, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
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And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people--to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt?
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For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God.
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"And now, O Lord, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, let it be established forever, and do as You have said.