NETtext - I Chronicles - 17

17:1  When David had settled into his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, "Look, I am living in a palace made from cedar, while the ark of the LORD's covenant is under a tent."

17:2  Nathan said to David, "You should do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you."

17:3  That night God told Nathan the prophet,

17:4  "Go, tell my servant David: 'This is what the LORD says: "You must not build me a house in which to live.

17:5  For I have not lived in a house from the time I brought Israel up from Egypt to the present day. I have lived in a tent that has been in various places.

17:6  Wherever I moved throughout Israel, I did not say to any of the leaders whom I appointed to care for my people Israel, 'Why have you not built me a house made from cedar?'"'

17:7  "So now, say this to my servant David: 'This is what the LORD who commands armies says: "I took you from the pasture and from your work as a shepherd to make you a leader of my people Israel.

17:8  I was with you wherever you went and I defeated all your enemies before you. Now I will make you as famous as the great men of the earth.

17:9  I will establish a place for my people Israel and settle them there; they will live there and not be disturbed anymore. Violent men will not oppress them again, as they did in the beginning

17:10  and during the time when I appointed judges to lead my people Israel. I will subdue all your enemies."'"I declare to you that the LORD will build a dynastic house for you!

17:11  When the time comes for you to die, I will raise up your descendant, one of your own sons, to succeed you, and I will establish his kingdom.

17:12  He will build me a house, and I will make his dynasty permanent.

17:13  I will become his father and he will become my son. I will never withhold my loyal love from him, as I withheld it from the one who ruled before you.

17:14  I will put him in permanent charge of my house and my kingdom; his dynasty will be permanent."'"

17:15  Nathan told David all these words that were revealed to him.

17:16  David went in, sat before the LORD, and said: "Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you should have brought me to this point?

17:17  And you did not stop there, O God! You have also spoken about the future of your servant's family. You have revealed to me what men long to know, O LORD God.

17:18  What more can David say to you? You have honored your servant; you have given your servant special recognition.

17:19  O LORD, for the sake of your servant and according to your will, you have done this great thing in order to reveal your greatness.

17:20  O LORD, there is none like you; there is no God besides you! What we heard is true!

17:21  And who is like your people, Israel, a unique nation in the earth? Their God went to claim a nation for himself! You made a name for yourself by doing great and awesome deeds when you drove out nations before your people whom you had delivered from the Egyptian empire and its gods.

17:22  You made Israel your very own nation for all time. You, O LORD, became their God.

17:23  So now, O LORD, may the promise you made about your servant and his family become a permanent reality! Do as you promised,

17:24  so it may become a reality and you may gain lasting fame, as people say, 'The LORD who commands armies is the God of Israel.' David's dynasty will be established before you,

17:25  for you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a dynasty for him. That is why your servant has had the courage to pray to you.

17:26  Now, O LORD, you are the true God; you have made this good promise to your servant.

17:27  Now you are willing to bless your servant's dynasty so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O LORD, have blessed it and it will be blessed from now on into the future."