The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Chronicles 17
1 When David was living in his house,
David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold,
I live in a cedar house, but the ark of Yahweh’s covenant is in a tent.”
2 Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in
your heart; for God is with you.”
3 That same night, the word of God came
to Nathan, saying,
4 “Go and tell David my servant, ‘Yahweh
says, “You shall not build me a house to
dwell in;
5 for I have not lived in a house since the
day that I brought up Israel to this day, but
have gone from tent to tent, and from one
tent to another.
6 In all places in which I have walked
with all Israel, did I speak a word with any
ofthe judges ofIsrael, whom I commanded
to be shepherd of my people, saying, ‘Why
have you not built me a house of cedar?’ ” ’
7 “Now therefore, you shall tell my servant David, ‘Yahwehof Armies says, “Itook
you from the sheep pen, from following
the sheep, to be prince over my people
Israel.
8 I have been with you wherever you
have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you. I will make you a
name like the name of the great ones who
are in the earth.
9 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. The children of wickedness will not
waste them any more, as at the first,
10 and from the day that I commanded
judges to be over my people Israel. I will
subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell
you that Yahweh will build you a house.
11 It will happen, when your days are
fulfilled that you must go to be with your
fathers, that I will set up your offspring
after you, who will be of your sons; and I
will establish his kingdom.
12 He will build me a house, and I will
establish his throne forever.
13 I will be his father, and he will be my
son. I will not take my loving kindness
away from him, as I took it from him who
was before you;
14 but I will settle him in my house and
in my kingdom forever. His throne will be
established forever.” ’ ”
15 According to all these words, and according to all this
vision, so Nathan spoke to David.
16 Then David the king went in and sat
before Yahweh; and he said, “Who am I,
Yahweh God, and what is my house, that
you have brought me this far?
17 This was a small thing in your eyes, O
God, but you have spoken of your servant’s
house for a great while to come, and have
respected me according to the standard of
a man of high degree, Yahweh God.
18 What can David say yet more to you
concerning the honor which is done to
your servant? For you know your servant.
19 Yahweh, for your servant’s sake, and
according to your own heart, you have
done all this greatness, to make known all
these great things.
20 Yahweh, there is no one like you, neither is there any God besides you,
according to all that we have heard with our ears.
21 What one nation in the earth is like
your people Israel, whom God went to
redeem to himself for a people, to make
you a name by great and awesome things,
in driving out nations from before your
people whom you redeemed out of Egypt?
22 For you made your people Israel your
own people forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God.
23 Now, Yahweh, let the word that you
have spoken concerning your servant, and
concerning his house, be established forever, and do as you have spoken.
24 Let your name be established and
magnified forever, saying, ‘Yahweh of
Armies is the God of Israel, even a God to
Israel. The house of David your servant is
established before you.’
25 For you, my God, have revealed to
your servant that you will build him a
house. Therefore your servant has found
courage to pray before you.
26 Now, Yahweh, you are God, and have
promised this good thing to your servant.
27 Now it has pleased you to bless the
house of your servant, thatit may continue
forever before you; for you, Yahweh, have
blessed, and it is blessed forever.”