11And it came about, whenDaviddwelt in his house, that Davidsaid to Nathan the prophet, "Behold, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is undercurtains."
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Then Nathansaid to David, "Doall that is in your heart, for God is with you."
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It came about the samenight that the word of Godcame to Nathan, saying,
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"Go and tellDavid My servant, 'Thussays the LORD, "2You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in;
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for I have not dwelt in a housesince the day that I brought up Israel to thisday, 3but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwellingplace to another.
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"In all places where I have walked with allIsrael, have I spoken a word4with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, 'Why have you not built for Me a house of cedar?' "'
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"Now, therefore, thus shall you say to My servantDavid, 'Thussays the LORD of hosts, "I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leaderover My peopleIsrael.
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"I have been with you wherever* you have gone, and have cutoffall your enemies from before you; and I will make you a name like the name of the greatoneswho are in the earth.
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"I will appoint a place for My peopleIsrael, and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and not be movedagain; and the wicked* will not waste them anymore as formerly,
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even from the day that I commandedjudges to be over My peopleIsrael. And I will subdueall your enemies. Moreover, I tell you that the LORD will build a house for you.
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"When your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your descendantsafter you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
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"He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throneforever*.
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"5I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindnessaway from him, 6as I took it from him who was before you.
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"But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdomforever*, and his throne shall be establishedforever*.""'
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According to allthesewords and according to allthisvision, soNathanspoke to David.
David's Prayer in Response
16 Then David the kingwent in and satbefore the LORD and said, "7Who am I, O LORDGod, and what is my house that You have brought me thisfar?
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"This was a smallthing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant'shouse for a greatwhile to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of highdegree, O LORDGod.
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"Whatmore can Davidstill say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant.
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"O LORD, 8for Your servant'ssake, and according to Your own heart, You have wroughtallthisgreatness, to makeknownall these greatthings.
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"O LORD, there is nonelike You, nor is there any Godbesides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
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"And whatonenation in the earth is like Your peopleIsrael, whomGodwent to redeem for Himself as a people, to make You a name by great and terriblethings, in driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt?
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"9For Your peopleIsrael You made Your own peopleforever*, and You, O LORD, became their God.
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"Now, O LORD, let the word that You have spokenconcerning Your servant and concerning his house be establishedforever*, and do as You have spoken.
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"Let Your name be established and magnifiedforever*, saying, 'The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel; and the house of David Your servant is establishedbefore You.'
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"For You, O my God, have revealed* to Your servant that You will build for him a house; therefore* Your servant has found courage to praybefore You.
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"Now, O LORD, You are God, and have promisedthisgoodthing to Your servant.
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"And now it has pleased You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continueforeverbefore You; for You, O LORD, have blessed, and it is blessedforever."