(II Sam. 7:) 1. And it came to pass, when the king dwelt in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies round about, 2. that the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. 3. And

Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart, for the Lord is with thee. 4. And it came to pass the same night that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, 5. Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6. for 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.

7. In 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?

8. Now 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: o. and 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.

10. And 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, 11. and 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. 12. When 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.

13. He shall build an house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

14. I 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; 15. but my mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be made sure for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

18. Then 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? 19. And 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!) 20. And what can David say more unto thee? for thou knowest thy servant, O Lord God. 21. For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou wrought all this greatness, to make thy servant know it.

22. Wherefore 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. 23. And 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 redeemest to thee out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

2. And

(I Chron. 17) 1. And it came to pass, when David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord dwelleth under curtains. Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart, for God is with thee. 3. And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4. Go, and tell David my servant, Thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: 5. for I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel

unto this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another.

6. In all places wherein I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedar?

Now 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 Israel: 8. and I have been with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a name, like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth.

9. And 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 waste them any more, as at the first, 10. and as from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and all thine enemies. Moreover

I will subdue tell thee that the Lord will build thee an house.

II. And it shall come to pass, when thy days be fulfilled that thou must go to be with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

12. He shall build me an house, lish his throne for ever.

and I will estab

16 Then 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? 17. And this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; but thou hast spoken

of thy servant's house for a great while to come, (and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O Lord God.) 18. What can David say yet more unto thee concerning the honour which is done to thy servant? for thou knowest thy servant, 19. O Lord. For thy servant's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things.

24. (And thou didst establish to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever ;) and thou, Lord, becamest their God.

25. And 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. 26. And 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. 27. For thou, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee a house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

28. And now, O Lord God, thou art God, and thy words are truth, and thou hast promised this good thing unto thy servant: 29. now 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.

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22. (For thy people Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever:) and thou, Lord, becamest

their God.

23. And now, O Lord, let the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast spoken.

24. And let thy name be established and magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and the house of David thy servant is established before thee. 25. For thou, O my God,

hast revealed to thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray before thee.

26. And now, O Lord,

thou art God,

and hast promised this good thing unto thy servant: 27. and now it hath pleased thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord, hast blessed,

and it is blessed for ever.