Self-interpreting Bible

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1 Chronicles 17

1Nathan, first approving David's purpose to build God an house, 3afterward by the word of the Lord forbiddeth it, but with assurance of favour, 11and a promise of especial blessings in his seed. 16David's prayer and thanksgiving.


1 NOW ait came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell bin an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains.

2 Then Nathan said unto David, cDo all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee.

3 ¶And dit came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying,

4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, eThou shalt not build me an house to dwell in:

5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but 1have gone from tent fto tent, and from one *tabernacle to another.

6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges gof Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars?

7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, hI took thee from the *sheepcote, even 2from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel:

8 And I ihave been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth.

9 Also jI will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them kany more, as at the beginning,

10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD lwill build thee an house.

11 ¶And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must mgo to be with thy fathers, that nI will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

12 He shall obuild me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.

13 I pwill 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 that was before thee:

14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore.

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

    16 ¶And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, rWho am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me *hitherto?

    17 And yet sthis was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast tregarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.

    18 What can David speak more to thee for the honour of thy servant? for uthou knowest thy servant.

    19 O LORD, for vthy servant's sake, and waccording to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these 3great things.

    20 O LORD, there is xnone like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

    21 And ywhat one nation in the earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his own people, to make thee a name of greatness and terribleness, by driving out nations from before thy people, whom thou hast redeemed out of Egypt?

    22 For thy zpeople Israel didst thou make thine own people for ever; and thou, LORD, becamest their God.

    23 Therefore now, LORD, alet the thing that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant and concerning his house be established for ever, and do as thou hast said.

    24 Let it even be established, bthat thy name may be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel: and let the house of David thy servant be established before thee.

    25 For thou, O my God, 4hast told thy servant that thou wilt build him an house: therefore thy servant hath cfound in his heart to pray before thee.

    26 And now, LORD, thou art God, and dhast promised this goodness unto thy servant:

    27 Now therefore 5let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may be before thee for ever: for thou blessest, eO LORD, and it shall be blessed for ever.