David Plans a Temple

1And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. 3And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.

God's Covenant with David

(1 Chronicles 17:1-15)

4And it came to pass the same night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 5Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6for I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7In all places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel, spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedar?

8Now 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, over Israel: 9and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a great name, like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth. 10And 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 afflict them any more, as at the first, 11and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will cause thee to rest from all thine enemies. Moreover the LORD telleth thee that the LORD will make thee an house. 12When thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14I will be his father, and he shall be my son: if he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men; 15but my mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16And thine house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

David's Prayer of Thanksgiving

(1 Chronicles 17:16-27)

18Then 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? 19And this was yet a small thing in thine eyes, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come; and this too after the manner of men, O Lord GOD! 20And what can David say more unto thee? for thou knowest thy servant, O Lord GOD. 21For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it. 22Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 23And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem unto himself for a people, and to make him a name, and to do great things for you, and terrible things for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods? 24And thou didst establish to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God. 25And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, confirm thou it for ever, and do as thou hast spoken. 26And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is God over Israel: and the house of thy servant David shall be established before thee. 27For thou, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. 28And now, O Lord GOD, thou art God, and thy words are truth, and thou hast promised this good thing unto thy servant: 29now therefore let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.