Yahweh’s promise to David

17 After David began to live in his palace, he said to the prophet Nathan, “It does not seem right that I am here living in a palace made of cedar wood, but Yahweh’s Sacred Chest is kept inside a tent!”

2 Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you are thinking about doing, do it, because God is with/guiding you.”

3 But that night God spoke [MTY] to Nathan. He said,

4 “Go and tell my servant David that this is what I, Yahweh, am saying to him: ‘You are not the one who should build a temple for me to live in. 5 I have not lived in any building, from the day that I brought the people of Israel up out of Egypt until now. Instead, I have lived in a tent, moving from one place to another with the Israelis when they moved to other places [DOU]. 6 Wherever I went with all the Israelis as they traveled, I never [RHQ] said to any of their leaders whom I appointed to lead [MET] them, “Why have you not built me a temple made of cedar wood?”’

7 Therefore, this is what you should say to my servant David: ‘I, the Almighty Commander of the armies of angels, took you from a pasture where you were taking care of sheep, and I appointed you to be the ruler of my Israeli people. 8 I have ◄been with/helped► you wherever you have gone, and I have gotten rid of all your enemies as you advanced. And now I will cause you to become very famous, as well-known as the names of the greatest men who have ever lived on the earth. 9-10 9-10Formerly, during the time that I appointed leaders for my Israeli people, many violent groups oppressed them. But this will not happen any more. I have chosen a place where my Israeli people can live peacefully and no one will disturb them any more. I will give not allow them to be attacked by their enemies. And I will defeat all your enemies.

I declare to you that I, Yahweh, will enable your descendants to rule after you die. 11 When your life ends [EUP], and you die and go to be with your ancestors who have died, I will appoint one of your sons to become king, and I will enable his kingdom to ◄be strong/resist all their enemies►. 12 He is the one who will arrange for a temple to be built for me. And I will enable his descendants to be kings [MTY] of Israel forever. 13 I will be like a father to him, and it will be as though he is a son to me. I stopped loving Saul, the one who was the king before you became king, but I will never stop loving your son. 14 I will cause him to rule over my people [MTY], and his kingdom will endure forever [DOU].’ ”

15 So Nathan reported to David everything that Yahweh had revealed to him.