Chapter 17

  Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar : and the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under skins.  

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  And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is with thee.  

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  Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:  

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  Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou shalt not build me a house to dwell in.  

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  For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a tabernacle, and in a tent,  

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  Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the judges of Israel, whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?  

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  Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel.  

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  And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth.  

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  And I have given a place to my people Israel: they shall be planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning,  

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  Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will build thee a house.  

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  And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I will establish his kingdom.  

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  He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever.  

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  I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee.  

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  But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be most firm for ever.  

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  According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.  

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  And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou shouldst give such things to me?  

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  But even this hath seemed little in thy sight, and therefore thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for the time to come: and best made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God.  

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  What can David add more, seeing thou hast thus glorified thy servant, and known him?  

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  O Lord, for thy servant's sake, according to thy own heart, thou hast shewn all this magnificence, and wouldst have all the great things to be known.  

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  O Lord there is none like thee: and there is no other God beside thee, of all whom we have heard of with our ears.  

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  For what other nation is there upon earth like thy people Israel, whom God went to deliver, and make a people for himself, and by his greatness and terrors cast out nations before their face whom he had delivered out of Egypt?  

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  And thou hast made thy people Israel to be thy own people for ever, and thou, O Lord, art become their God.  

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  Now therefore, O Lord, let the word which thou hast spoken to thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.  

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  And let thy name remain and be magnified for ever: and let it be said: The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, and the house of David his servant remaineth before him.  

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  For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy servant, that thou wilt build him a house: and therefore thy servant hath found confidence to pray before thee.  

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  And now O Lord, thou art God: and thou hast promised to thy servant such great benefits.  

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  And thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be always before thee: for seeing thou blessest it, O Lord, it shall be blessed for ever.  

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