12. “‘When the time comes for you to lie down in death with your ancestors, I will send one of your descendants, ⌊one⌋ who will come from you. I will establish his kingdom.
13. He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14. I will be his Father, and he will be my Son. If he sins, I will punish him with a rod and with blows inflicted by people.
15. But I will never stop showing him my love as I did to Saul, whom I took out of your way.
16. Your royal house will remain in my presence forever. Your throne will be established forever.’ ”
17. Nathan told David all these words and everything he had seen.
18. King David went into the tent and sat in front of the Lord. “Who am I, Almighty Lord,” he asked, “and why is my house so important that you have brought me this far?
19. And even this you consider to be a small act, Almighty Lord. You’ve also spoken about the distant future of my house. Almighty Lord, this is the teaching about the man.
20. “What more can I, David, say to you, Almighty Lord, since you know me so well!
21. You’ve done this great thing because of your promise and your own desire. You made it known to me.
22. “That is why you are great, Lord God. There is no one like you, and there is no other god except you, as we have heard with our own ears.
23. Who is like your people Israel? It is the one nation on earth that God came to free in order to make its people his own, to make his name known, and to do great and wonderful things for them. You forced nations and their gods out of the way of your people, whom you freed from Egypt to be your own.