1 Chronicles

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

1David was living in his fine house made of cedar wood. He spoke to Nathan, a prophet, someone who told people what God said. David said, "I live in a cedar house. But the ark of the LORD still sits under a tent."

NoteThe ark was a special golden chest. It showed that God was with his people. It was kept inside a tent, not a building.

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

2Nathan said to David, "Do whatever you have in mind. God is with you."

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

3But that same night, God spoke his word to Nathan.

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

4God said, "Go and tell my servant David what I say. You are not the one to build me a house to live in.

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

5I have not lived in a house since I brought Israel up out of Egypt. All this time I have moved from tent to tent.

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

6I walked with all Israel wherever they went. I chose leaders to care for my people like a shepherd cares for sheep. I never once asked any of them, "Why have you not built me a cedar house?"

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

7So tell my servant David this. The LORD of hosts says: I took you from the sheep pen. You were out following the sheep. I made you the ruler over my people Israel.

Note"LORD of hosts" means the LORD who leads huge armies. It is a name that shows how powerful God is.

8And I have 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.

8I have been with you everywhere you have gone. I have cut down all your enemies in front of you. I will make your name great, like the greatest men on earth.

9Also I 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 any more, as at the beginning,

9I will also pick out a place for my people Israel. I will plant them there like a tree. They will live in their own place and not be moved again. Wicked people will not wear them down as before.

10And 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 will build thee an house.

10That trouble began long ago and lasted through the days of the judges, the leaders I gave my people. Now I will defeat all your enemies. And I tell you this: the LORD will build you a house.

NoteHere "house" does not mean a building. It means a family that goes on and on. God will give David sons and grandsons who rule as kings.

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

11When your life is over, you will go to rest with your fathers. Then I will raise up one of your own sons to follow you. I will make his kingdom strong.

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

12He is the one who will build a house for me. I will make his throne strong forever.

13I 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 that was before thee:

13I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my kind love away from him. I did take it away from the king who came before you.

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

14I will place him over my house and my kingdom forever. His throne will stand strong for all time."

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

15Nathan told David every word of what he had seen and heard.

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

16Then King David went in and sat down in front of the LORD. He said, "Who am I, LORD God? What is my family? Why have you brought me this far?"

17And yet this 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 regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.

17And even that was a small thing to you, God. You have also spoken about my family far into the future. You have treated me like a man of great honor, LORD God.

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

18What more can David say to you for honoring me like this? You already know your servant well.

19O LORD, for thy servant’s sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all this greatness, in making known all these great things.

19LORD, you have done all this for my sake, because you wanted to. You have shown everyone these great things about yourself.

20O LORD, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

20LORD, there is no one like you. There is no God but you. We have heard it with our own ears.

21And what 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?

21No other nation on earth is like your people Israel. You went out and set them free to be your very own. You made your name great and awesome. You drove out whole nations ahead of your people, whom you saved from Egypt.

NoteThe old word "terribleness" does not mean bad or awful. It means so great that people are filled with wonder.

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

22You made Israel your own people forever. And you, LORD, became their God.

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

23So now, LORD, keep the promise you made about me and my family. Let it stand forever. Do just what you said.

24Let it even be established, that 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.

24Let it stand, so your name will be honored forever. Then people will say, "The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel." And let David's family stand strong before you.

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

25My God, you told me that you would build me a house. That is why I found the courage to pray to you like this.

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

26And now, LORD, you are God. You have promised this good thing to me.

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

27So please be pleased to bless my family. Let it stand before you forever. When you bless, LORD, it is blessed forever.