Yahweh’s Covenant with David

17 And as David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I live in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under tent curtains.” 2 And Nathan said to David, “Whatever is in your heart, do, for God is with you.”

3 And it happened that same night the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 “Go and say to David my servant, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You are not to build a house for me to live in, 5 for I have not lived in a house from the day that I brought out Israel unto this day. I have been from tent to tent and from tabernacle to tabernacle. 6 In every place I have moved about, did I say one word with the judges of Israel I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, ‘Why have you not built for me a house of cedar?’ ” ’ 7 So now, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over my people Israel, 8 and I have been with you wherever you went and have cut down your enemies from before you and will make a name for you, like the name of the great ones on the earth. 9 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them,[fn] and they[fn] shall dwell in their[fn] place and be in anguish no longer. And wicked men will no longer wear them down as before, 10 from the day that I commanded judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue your enemies, and I declare to you that Yahweh will build for you a house.[fn] 11 And it shall be that when your days are fulfilled to go and sleep with your ancestors,[fn] then I will raise up your seed after you, who will be one of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He himself will build for me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I myself will be a father to him, and he himself will be a son to me. And I will not remove my steadfast love from him as I took it away from whoever was before you. 14 And I will establish him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will be established forever.” ’ ” 15 According to all these words and according to all this revelation, thus did Nathan speak to David.