1 King David was settled in his palace. Jehovah kept him safe from all his enemies.

2 The king said to the prophet Nathan: »I live in a house built of cedar. Yet the Ark of God is kept in a tent!«

3 Nathan answered: »Do what you have in mind. Jehovah is with you.«

4 That night Jehovah said to Nathan,

5 »Go tell my servant David that I say to him: ‘You are not the one to build a temple for me to live in.

6 »From the time I rescued the people of Israel from Egypt until now, I have never lived in a temple. I have traveled around living in a tent.

7 »In all my traveling with the people of Israel I never asked any of the leaders that I appointed why they had not built me a temple made of cedar.’«

8 »Say this to my servant David: ‘This is what Jehovah of Hosts says: I took you from the pasture where you followed sheep so that you could be the leader of my people Israel.

9 »‘I was with you wherever you went. I destroyed all your enemies in front of you. I will make your name famous like the names of the greatest people on earth.

10 »‘I will make a place for my people Israel and plant them there. They will dwell in their own place and not be troubled anymore. The wicked will not oppress them as they used to do

11 when I let judges rule my people. I have kept your enemies from attacking you. Now I promise that you and your descendants will be kings.

12 »‘I will choose one of your sons to be king when you reach the end of your life and are buried in the tomb of your ancestors. I will make him a strong ruler.

13 »‘I will allow no one to take his long lasting kingdom away from him. He will be the one to build a temple for me.

14 »‘I will be his father. He will be my son. When he does wrong I will correct him just as parents correct children.

15 »‘I will never put an end to my agreement with him. I put an end to my agreement with Saul when he was king before you.

16 »‘I will make sure that one of your descendants will be king for a very long time. Your throne will be established from generation to generation.’«

17 Nathan told David exactly what he heard in the vision.

18 David went into the tent he set up for the ark. Then he sat there and prayed: »Jehovah All-Powerful, my family and I do not deserve what you have already done for us.

19 »Yet this was insignificant in your eyes, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah for you have spoken also of your servant’s house in the distant future. And this is the law for man, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah.

20 »What more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah.

21 »For the sake of your Word and according to your will you have done this great thing. You have made it known to your servant!

22 »For this reason you are great, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah. There is none like you. There is no God besides you according to all that we have heard with our ears.

23 »There is no other nation on earth like Israel. This is the nation you rescued from slavery in Egypt to be your own. You became famous by using great and wonderful miracles to force other nations and their gods out of your land, so your people could live here.

24 »You chose Israel to be your people from generation to generation! You have become their God.

25 »And now, Jehovah God, please do what you have promised.

26 »You will be famous for a very long time! Everyone will say: »Jehovah of Hosts rules Israel. David’s descendants are his chosen kings.

27 »Now therefore, may it please you to bless the house of your servant that it may continue a long time before you. You O Lord Jehovah have spoken. May the house of your servant be blessed from generation to generation.

28 »Lord Jehovah, you are God. You have promised me some very good things, and you can be trusted to do what you promise.

29 »Please bless my descendants and let them be your chosen kings for a very long time. You have already promised, and I am sure that you will bless my family from generation to generation.«