1. And it came to be, when Dawiḏ was dwelling in his house, that Dawiḏ said to Nathan the prophet, “See, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of יהוה is under curtains.”
2. And Nathan said to Dawiḏ, “Do all that is in your heart, for Elohim is with you.”
3. And it came to be that night that the word of Elohim came to Nathan, saying,
4. “Go, and you shall say to My servant Dawiḏ, ‘Thus said יהוה, “You do not build Me a house to dwell in.
5. “For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Yisra’ĕl, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one Dwelling Place to another.
6. “Wherever I have moved about with all Yisra’ĕl, have I ever spoken a word to any of the rulers of Yisra’ĕl, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’