4. Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:
5. for I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel, unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.
6. In all places wherein I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedar?
7. Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be prince over my people Israel:
8. and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a name, like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth.
9. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the first,
10. and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all thine enemies. Moreover I tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house.
11. And it shall come to pass, when thy days be fulfilled that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
12. He shall build me an house, and I will establish his throne for ever.
13. 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 that was before thee:
14. but I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for ever.
15. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
16. Then David the king went in, and sat before the Lord; and he said, Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?
17. And this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; but thou hast spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.