1. When the king lived in his house, and Yahweh had given him rest from all his enemies all around,
2. the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but God’s ark dwells within curtains.”
3. Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart; for Yahweh is with you.”
4. That same night, Yahweh’s word came to Nathan, saying,
5. “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Yahweh says, “Should you build me a house for me to dwell in?
6. For I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought the children of Israel up out of Egypt, even to this day, but have moved around in a tent and in a tabernacle.
7. In all places in which I have walked with all the children of Israel, did I say a word to any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’”’
8. Now therefore tell my servant David this, ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people, over Israel.