^{1 Ref} Now when David was living in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet, See, I am living in a house of cedar-wood, but the ark of the Lord's agreement is under the curtains of a tent.

^{2 Ref} And Nathan said to David, Do whatever is in your heart, for God is with you.

^{3 Ref} But that same night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

^{4 Ref} Go and say to David my servant, The Lord says, You are not to make me a house for my living-place:

^{5 Ref} For from the day when I took Israel up, till this day, I have had no house, but have gone from tent to tent, and from living-place to living-place.

^{6 Ref} In all the places where I have gone with all Israel, did I ever say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I made the keepers of my people, Why have you not made for me a house of cedar?

^{7 Ref} So now, say to my servant David, The Lord of armies says, I took you from the fields, from keeping sheep, so that you might be a ruler over my people Israel;

^{8 Ref} And I have been with you wherever you went, cutting off before you all those who were against you; and I will make your name like the name of the greatest ones of the earth.

^{9 Ref} And I will make a resting-place for my people Israel, planting them there, so that they may be in the place which is theirs and never again be moved; and never again will they be made waste by evil men, as they were at first,

^{10 Ref} From the time when I put judges over my people Israel; and I will overcome all those who are against you; and I will make you great and the head of a line of kings.

^{11 Ref} And when the time comes for you to go to your fathers, I will put in your place your seed after you, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong.

^{12 Ref} He will be the builder of my house, and I will make the seat of his authority certain for ever.

^{13 Ref} I will be to him a father and he will be to me a son; and I will not take my mercy away from him as I took it from him who was before you;

^{14 Ref} But I will make his place in my house and in my kingdom certain for ever; and the seat of his authority will never be overturned.

^{15 Ref} So Nathan gave David an account of all these words and this vision.