1 Chronicles, 17

1. It happened, once David had settled into his palace, that David said to the prophet Nathan, 'Here am I living in a cedar-wood palace, while the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under awnings.'

1. Now when David dwelt in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, "Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent."

2. Nathan said to David, 'Do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you.'

2. And Nathan said to David, "Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you."

3. But that very night the word of God came to Nathan, as follows:

3. But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan,

4. 'Go and tell my servant David, "Yahweh says this: You must not build a temple for me to live in.

4. "Go and tell my servant David, `Thus says the LORD: You shall not build me a house to dwell in.

5. I have never lived in a house from the day when I brought Israel out until today, but have kept travelling from tent to tent and from shelter to shelter.

5. For I have not dwelt in a house since the day I led up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling.

6. In all my travels with all Israel, did I say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I had commanded to shepherd my people: Why do you not build me a cedar-wood temple?

6. In all places where I have moved with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?"'

7. This is what you must say to my servant David: Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel.

7. Now therefore thus shall you say to my servant David, `Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel;

8. I have been with you wherever you went; I have got rid of all your enemies for you. I am going to make your fame like that of the greatest men on earth.

8. and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.

9. I am going to provide a place for my people Israel; I shall plant them there and there they will live and never be disturbed again; nor will they be oppressed by the wicked as they were in former times

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 disturbed no more; and violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly,

10. ever since I instituted judges to govern my people Israel; I shall subdue all your enemies. Yahweh moreover tells you that he will build you a dynasty.

10. from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house.

11. And when your days are over and you have gone to join your ancestors, I shall appoint your heir -- who will be one of your sons -- to succeed you, and I shall make his sovereignty secure.

11. When your days are fulfilled to go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

12. He will build a temple for me and I shall make his throne secure for ever.

12. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne for ever.

13. I shall be his father and he will be my son, and I shall not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor.

13. I will be his father, and he shall be my son; I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you,

14. I shall set him over my temple and kingdom for ever and his throne will be for ever secure." '

14. but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom for ever and his throne shall be established for ever.'"

15. Nathan related all these words and this whole revelation to David.

15. In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

16. King David then went in, sat down in Yahweh's presence and said: 'Who am I, Yahweh God, and what is my lineage, that you have led me as far as this?

16. Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?

17. Yet, to you, O God, this seemed too little, and now you extend your promises for your servant's family into the distant future, making me see as it were a whole succession of men, and it is Yahweh God himself who raises it up.

17. And this was a small thing in thy eyes, O God; thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast shown me future generations, O LORD God!

18. What more can David reply to you for the honour you have given to your servant? You yourself have singled out your servant.

18. And what more can David say to thee for honoring thy servant? For thou knowest thy servant.

19. For your servant, and since you were so inclined, you have had the generosity to reveal all this greatness to come.

19. For thy servant's sake, O LORD, and according to thy own heart, thou hast wrought all this greatness, in making known all these great things.

20. Yahweh, there is no one like you, no God but you alone, as everything that we have heard confirms.

20. There is none like thee, O LORD, and there is no God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

21. Is there another people on earth like your people Israel, whom a god has proceeded to redeem, to make them his people and to make them famous and do for them great and terrible deeds, by driving out nations before your people, whom you redeemed from Egypt?-

21. What other nation on earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for thyself a name for great and terrible things, in driving out nations before thy people whom thou didst redeem from Egypt?

22. for you made your people Israel your own people for ever and you, Yahweh, became their God.

22. And thou didst make thy people Israel to be thy people for ever; and thou, O LORD, didst become their God.

23. 'Now, Yahweh, may the promise which you have made for your servant and as regards his family hold good for ever, and do as you have said.

23. And now, O LORD, let the word which thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast spoken;

24. May it hold good, so your name will be exalted for ever and people will say, "Israel's God is Yahweh Sabaoth; he is God for Israel." Your servant David's dynasty will be secure before you

24. and thy name will be established and magnified for ever, saying, `The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel's God,' and the house of thy servant David will be established before thee.

25. since you, my God, have disclosed to your servant that you are going to build him a dynasty. Hence, your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you.

25. For thou, my God, hast revealed to thy servant that thou wilt build a house for him; therefore thy servant has found courage to pray before thee.

26. Yes, Yahweh, you are God indeed, and you have made this generous promise to your servant.

26. And now, O LORD, thou art God, and thou hast promised this good thing to thy servant;

27. What is more, you have deigned to bless your servant's dynasty, so that it may remain for ever before you; and since you, Yahweh, have blessed it, blessed will it be for ever.'

27. now therefore may it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee; for what thou, O LORD, hast blessed is blessed for ever."