God's Promise to David
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After the king was settled in his palace and the LORD had given him
rest from all his enemies around him,
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he said to Nathan the prophet, "Here I am, living in a palace of cedar,
while the ark of God remains in a tent."
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Nathan replied to the king, "Whatever you have in mind,
go ahead and do it, for the LORD is with you."
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That night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying:
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"Go and tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD says:
Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?
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I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought the Israelites up
out of Egypt to this day. I have been moving from place to place
with a tent as my dwelling.
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Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of
their rulers whom commanded to shepherd my people Israel,
"Why have you not built me to house of cedar?" '
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"Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD Almighty says:
I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler
over my people Israel.
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I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off
all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great,
like the names of the greatest men of the earth.
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And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them
so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed.
Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning
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and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel.
I will also give you rest from all your enemies. " 'The LORD declares to you
that the LORD himself will establish a house for you:
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When your days are over and you rest with your fathers,
I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from
your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
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He is the one who will build a house for my Name,
and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
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I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong,
I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men.
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But my love will never be taken away from him,
as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
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Y.' "our house and your kingdom will endure forever before me;
your throne will be established forver
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Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.
David's Prayer
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Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said:
"Who am I,O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family,
that you have brought me this far?
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And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD,
you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant.
Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Soverign LORD?
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"What more can David say to you?
For you know your servant, O Sovereign LORD.
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For the sake of your word and according to your will,
you have done this great thing and made it known to your servant.
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"How great you are, O Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you,
and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.
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And who is like your people Israel - the one nation on earth that God went out
to redeem as a people for himself, and to make a name for himself,
and to perform great and awesome wonders by driving out nations and
their god from before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?
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You have established your people Israel as your very own foever,
and you, O LORD, have become their God.
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"And now, LORD God, keep forever the promise you have made concerning
your servant and his house. Do as you promised,
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.so that your name will great forever. Then men will say, 'The LORD Almighty
is God over Israel!' And the house of your servant David will be established
before you
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"O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to your servant,
saying, 'I will build a house for you.' So your servant has found courage
to offer you this prayer.
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O Sovereign LORD, you are God! Your words are trustworthy,
and you have promised these good things to your servant.
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Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue
forever in your sight; for you, O Sovereign LORD, have spoken,
and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever."
