1. Now when David was living in his house, he said to the prophet Nathan: "Behold, I live in a house of cedar. But the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under tent skins."
2. And Nathan said to David: "Do all that is in your heart. For God is with you."
3. And yet, that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:
4. "Go, and speak to my servant David: Thus says the Lord: You shall not build a house for me as a dwelling place.
5. For I have not stayed in a house from the time when I led out Israel, even to this day. Instead, I have been continually changing places, in a tabernacle and tent,
6. dwelling with all of Israel. When did I ever speak to any one at all, among the judges of Israel whom I placed in charge so that they might pasture my people, saying: 'Why have you not built a house of cedar for me?'
7. And so, now you shall say this to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you when you were following the flock in the pastures, so that you would be the leader of my people Israel.