Chapter 17

  It happened, when David lived in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of Yahweh [dwells] under curtains.  

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  Nathan said to David, Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you.  

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  It happened the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,  

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  Go and tell David my servant, Thus says Yahweh, You shall not build me a house to dwell in:  

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  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].  

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  In all places in which I have walked with all Israel, spoke I a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar?  

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  Now therefore thus shall you tell my servant David, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts, I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel:  

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  and I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a name, like the name of the great ones who are in the earth.  

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  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,  

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  and [as] from the day that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover I tell you that Yahweh will build you a house.  

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  It shall happen, when your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who shall be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom.  

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

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  I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him that was before you;  

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  but I will settle him in my house and in my kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.  

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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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  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 thus far?  

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  This was a small thing in your eyes, God; but you have spoken of your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, Yahweh God.  

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  What can David [say] yet more to you concerning the honor which is done to your servant? for you know your servant.  

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  Yahweh, for your servant's sake, and according to your own heart, have you worked all this greatness, to make known all [these] great things.  

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  Yahweh, there is none like you, neither is there any God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.  

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  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 redeem out of Egypt?  

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  For your people Israel did you make your own people forever; and you, Yahweh, became their God.  

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  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.  

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  Let your name be established and magnified forever, saying, Yahweh of Hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and the house of David your servant is established before you.  

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  For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build him a house: therefore has your servant found [in his heart] to pray before you.  

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  Now, Yahweh, you are God, and have promised this good thing to your servant:  

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  and now it has pleased you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever before you: for you, Yahweh, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.  

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