Now it came to pass, asDavidsatin his house, that DavidsaidtoNathanthe prophet, Lo, Idwellin a houseof cedars, but the arkof the covenantof the LORD remaineth undercurtains. Then NathansaiduntoDavid, Doallthat is in thine heart; forGod is withthee. And it came to passthe samenight, that the wordof GodcametoNathan, saying, Goand tellDavidmy servant, Thussaiththe LORD, Thoushalt notbuildme a houseto dwell in: ForI have notdweltin a housesincethe daythatI brought upIsraeluntothisday; but have gonefrom tenttotent, and from one tabernacle to another . WheresoeverI have walkedwith allIsrael, spokeI a wordtoanyof the judgesof Israel, whomI commandedto feedmy people, saying, Whyhave ye notbuiltme a houseof cedars? Nowtherefore thusshalt thou sayunto my servantDavid, Thussaiththe LORDof hosts, Itookthee fromthe sheepcote, even fromfollowingthe sheep, that thou shouldest berulerovermy peopleIsrael: And I have beenwiththee whithersoeverthou hast walked, and have cut offallthine enemiesfrom beforethee, and have madethee a namelike the nameof the great menthat are in the earth. Also I will ordaina placefor my peopleIsrael, and will plantthem, and they shall dwellin their place, and shall be movednomore; neithershall the childrenof wickednesswastethem any more, asat the beginning, And since the timethatI commandedjudges to be overmy peopleIsrael. Moreover I will subdueallthine enemies. Furthermore I tellthee that the LORDwill buildthee a house. And it shall come to pass, whenthy daysbe expiredthat thou must go to be withthy fathers, that I will raise upthy seedafterthee, whichshall beof thy sons; and I will establishhis kingdom. Heshall buildme a house, and I will establishhis throneforever. Iwill behis father, and heshall bemy son: and I will nottake my mercy awayfromhim, asI took it from him thatwasbeforethee: But I will settlehim in mine houseand in my kingdomforever: and his throneshall beestablishedforevermore. According to allthesewords, and according to allthisvision, sodid NathanspeakuntoDavid. And Davidthe kingcameand satbeforethe LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORDGod, and what is mine house, thatthou hast broughtme hitherto? And yet thiswas a small thingin thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spokenofthy servant's housefor a great while to come, and hast regardedme according to the estateof a manof high degree, O LORDGod. Whatcan David speak moretothee for the honorof thy servant? for thouknowestthy servant. O LORD, for thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou doneallthisgreatness, in making knownall these great things. O LORD, there is nonelike thee, neither is there any Godbesidethee, according to allthatwe have heardwith our ears. And whatonenationin the earth is like thy peopleIsrael, whomGodwentto redeem to be his own people, to makethee a nameof greatnessand terribleness, by driving outnationsfrom beforethy people, whomthou hast redeemedout of Egypt? For thy peopleIsraeldidst thou makethine own peopleforever; and thou, LORD, becamesttheir God. Therefore now, LORD, let the thingthatthou hast spokenconcerningthy servantand concerninghis housebe establishedforever, and doasthou hast said. Let it even be established, that thy namemay be magnifiedforever, saying, The LORDof hosts is the Godof Israel, even a Godto Israel: and let the houseof Davidthy servant be establishedbeforethee. Forthou, O my God, hast toldthy servantthat thou wilt buildhim a house: thereforethy servanthath found in his heart to praybeforethee. And now, LORD, thouart God, and hast promisedthisgoodnessuntothy servant: Nowtherefore let it pleasethee to blessthe houseof thy servant, that it may bebeforethee forever: forthoublessest, O LORD, and it shall be blessedforever.