# 1 Chronicles 17 (New King James Version) God's Covenant with David ##### Chapter 17 ###### 1 Now it came to pass, when David was dwelling in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord _is_ under tent curtains." ###### 2 Then Nathan said to David, "Do all that _is_ in your heart, for God _is_ with you." ###### 3 But it happened that night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, ###### 4 "Go and tell My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord: "You shall not build Me a house to dwell in. ###### 5 For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Israel, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from _one_ tabernacle _to another._ ###### 6 Wherever I have moved about with all Israel, have I ever spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, 'Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?' " ' ###### 7 Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, 'Thus says the Lord of hosts: "I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. ###### 8 And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who _are_ on the earth. ###### 9 Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, ###### 10 since the time that I commanded judges _to be_ over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house. ###### 11 And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go _to be_ with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. ###### 12 He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. ###### 13 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took _it_ from _him_ who was before you. ###### 14 And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever." ' " ###### 15 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David. ###### 16 Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: "Who _am_ I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far? ###### 17 And _yet_ this was a small thing in Your sight, O God; and You have _also_ spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the rank of a man of high degree, O Lord God. ###### 18 What more can David _say_ to You for the honor of Your servant? For You know Your servant. ###### 19 O Lord, for Your servant's sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. ###### 20 O Lord, _there is_ none like You, nor _is there any_ God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ###### 21 And who _is_ like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself _as_ a people--to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt? ###### 22 For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God. ###### 23 "And now, O Lord, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, _let it_ be established forever, and do as You have said. ###### 24 So let it be established, that Your name may be magnified forever, saying, 'The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, _is_ Israel's God.' And let the house of Your servant David be established before You. ###### 25 For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build him a house. Therefore Your servant has found it _in his heart_ to pray before You. ###### 26 And now, Lord, You are God, and have promised this goodness to Your servant. ###### 27 Now You have been pleased to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You have blessed it, O Lord, and _it shall be_ blessed forever."