Nathan

1King David was living in his own house. God had given him peace from all his enemies.

And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies;

NoteDavid was the king of Israel, God's people, long ago. "Rest" here means the fighting and wars had stopped.

2David spoke to Nathan, a prophet, someone who told people what God said. "I live in a house made of cedar wood. But the ark of God still sits in a tent."

That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

NoteA prophet was a person who told others what God said. Cedar is a tall tree with sweet-smelling wood. Only rich people had houses made from it. The ark was a special box covered in gold. It held the rules God gave his people. It was kept inside a tent.

3Nathan said to the king, "Go and do what is in your heart. God is with you."

And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee.

4But that night God spoke a message to Nathan. This is what God said.

And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying,

5"Go and tell my servant David what I say. Are you the one to build me a house to live in?

Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

NoteCalling David "my servant" was a kind and honoring name. A servant is someone who works for another person.

6I have never lived in a house. Not since I brought Israel out of Egypt. I have moved from place to place in a tent.

Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

NoteGod's people were once slaves in the land of Egypt. God brought them out and led them to a new land. For many years they moved from place to place. They carried a big worship tent called the tabernacle.

7I traveled everywhere with the people of Israel. I told the tribes of Israel, the big family groups, to care for my people. They were to care for them like a shepherd cares for sheep. Did I ever ask any of those tribes, 'Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'

In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

NoteA shepherd takes care of sheep and keeps them safe. Leaders and kings were often called shepherds of their people.

8So tell my servant David what the LORD of heaven's armies says. I took you from the sheep field. You were following sheep. I made you ruler over my people Israel.

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

Note"The LORD of heaven's armies" is a name for God. It means he leads great armies of angels. David took care of sheep before he was king. The sheep field is where he worked every day.

9I have been with you everywhere you went. I have cut down every enemy in front of you. I will make your name great, like the greatest names on earth.

And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

NoteA great "name" means people everywhere know who you are. They talk about you with honor.

10I will give my people Israel a place of their own. I will plant them there like a tree. They will stay, and no one will move them. Wicked people will not hurt them like before.

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; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

NotePlanting people like a tree is a word picture. A tree stays in one place and grows deep roots.

11That trouble began back when I gave Israel judges to lead them. But I have given you rest from all your enemies. And God tells you this: he will build you a house.

And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

NoteJudges were leaders God gave Israel before there were kings. Here "house" does not mean a building. It means David's family, his children and grandchildren.

12When your life is over, you will die like your fathers before you. Then I will raise up your own son after you. I will make his kingdom strong.

And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

Note"Your fathers" means his father and grandfathers, his family before him. To "sleep" here is a gentle way to say die.

13He will build a house for my name. And I will make his throne last forever.

He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

NoteThis house is the temple, a big building for worshiping God. David's son Solomon built it after David died. A throne is the special chair a king sits on. It stands for his power to rule.

14I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will correct him. I will use the same punishments people use on each other.

I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

NoteLong ago parents used a stick to punish their children. God says he will correct the king the way a father does.

15But I will never stop loving him. I took my love away from Saul, the king before you. I will not do that again.

But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

NoteSaul was the first king of Israel, before David. He stopped obeying God, so God chose David instead.

16Your family and your kingdom will last forever. Your throne will stand forever.

And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

17Nathan told David every word. He told him everything he had seen and heard.

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

1The Lord sent Nathan to David. Nathan came and told him a story. "Two men lived in one town. One was rich. One was poor."

And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

NoteA prophet was a person God gave messages to say out loud. Even a king had to listen to a prophet. Nathan tells David a made up story on purpose. The story helps David see what he himself has done.

2"The rich man had very many sheep and cows."

The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

NoteBack then, rich people did not keep money in a bank. They counted how many sheep and cows they owned.

3"The poor man had nothing but one little girl lamb. He had bought her and raised her. She grew up with him and his children. She ate his food and drank from his cup. She slept in his arms. She was like a daughter to him."

But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

NoteA ewe lamb is a baby girl sheep. One lamb could be almost everything a poor family owned. Sheep also gave wool and milk, not just meat.

4"A traveler came to visit the rich man. The rich man did not want to cook one of his own sheep or cows. So he took the poor man's lamb instead. He cooked it for his visitor."

And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

NoteLong ago people always fed a visitor who came to their door. It was a rule of kindness. The meal often meant cooking one of your animals.

5David became very angry at that man. He said to Nathan, "As surely as the Lord lives, that man should die!"

And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

Note"As the LORD liveth" was a very serious promise. It was like saying, this is as true as God is real.

6"He must pay back four lambs for the one lamb. He did this thing, and he felt no pity at all."

And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

NoteGod's law said a stolen sheep must be paid back four times over. David is saying the man broke that law.

7Nathan said to David, "You are that man." Then he said, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says. I made you king over Israel. I kept you safe from Saul."

And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

NoteTo anoint a king, someone poured oil on his head. It showed that God had picked him for the job. Saul was the king before David. Saul hunted David and tried to kill him.

8"I gave you your master's house. I gave you his wives to be your own. I gave you the people of Israel and Judah. If that was not enough, I would have given you much more."

And I gave thee thy master’s house, and thy master’s wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.

NoteDavid's master was King Saul. When a new king took over, he took care of the old king's whole household. Israel and Judah were the two parts of God's people.

9"So why did you push aside what the Lord told you? Why did you do what I say is wrong? You had Uriah the Hittite killed with a sword. You took his wife to be your wife. The army of Ammon killed him for you."

Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

NoteUriah was a brave soldier in David's own army. Hittites were people from another land who lived among the Israelites. Ammon was a country next door that Israel was fighting.

10"So now fighting and killing will never leave your family. You turned away from me. You took Uriah's wife to be your own wife."

Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.

Note"The sword shall never depart" means fighting will keep happening. A sword stood for war and killing.

11"This is what the Lord says. I will bring trouble on you from inside your own family. I will take your wives away while you watch. I will give them to a man close to you. He will sleep with them in the open daylight."

Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.

NoteBack then, taking a king's wives was a way of saying, I am king now. So this trouble would come from someone in David's own family.

12"You did your wrong in secret. I will do this where all Israel can see it."

For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.

13David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Nathan said to David, "The Lord has taken your sin away. You will not die."

And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

NoteTo sin means to do something God says is wrong.

14"But what you did gives the Lord's enemies a reason to say bad things about him. So the baby boy born to you will die."

Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.

Note"Blaspheme" means to say ugly, insulting things about God.

15Then Nathan went home. The Lord made the baby sick. It was the child Uriah's wife had with David. The baby was very sick.

And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

24David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He went to her, and later she had a son. They named him Solomon. The Lord loved the boy.

And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.

NoteThe name Solomon sounds like the word for peace.

25The Lord sent a message through Nathan the prophet. Nathan gave the boy another name, Jedidiah. That name means "loved by the Lord."

And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.

NoteNames in the Bible often had a meaning inside them. God gave this baby a name that showed love.

5Then Adonijah decided he would make himself king. He was David's son, and his mother was Haggith. He got chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run ahead of him.

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, I will be king: and he prepared him chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him.

NoteA chariot is a small cart pulled by horses. Kings and soldiers rode in them. Men running ahead of him showed everyone that he was important.

6His father had never once corrected him or asked, "Why are you doing this?" Adonijah was very handsome. He was born right after his brother Absalom.

And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom.

NoteAbsalom was another son of David. He had also tried to take his father's throne.

7Adonijah talked with Joab, the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest. Both men agreed to help him.

And he conferred with Joab the son of Zeruiah, and with Abiathar the priest: and they following Adonijah helped him.

NoteA priest was a man who led people in worshiping God. Joab was the leader of David's army.

8But some men would not join Adonijah. They were Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, a man who told people what God said. Shimei, Rei, and David's best soldiers also stayed away.

But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men which belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.

NoteA prophet was a person who told others what God said. David's best soldiers were the brave men who had fought beside him for years.

9Adonijah killed sheep, cattle, and fattened calves for a feast. He did this by the stone of Zoheleth, near a spring called En-rogel. He invited all his brothers, the king's sons, and all the king's officials from Judah.

And Adonijah slew sheep and oxen and fat cattle by the stone of Zoheleth, which is by Enrogel, and called all his brethren the king’s sons, and all the men of Judah the king’s servants:

NoteKilling animals like this was a way of giving a gift to God. Then everyone ate the meat together at a big feast. En-rogel was a spring of water just outside the city. Judah was the part of Israel where David's own family came from.

10But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, or Benaiah, or the best soldiers, or his brother Solomon.

But Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah, and the mighty men, and Solomon his brother, he called not.

11So Nathan went to Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. He said, "Have you heard? Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has made himself king. And our lord David does not even know.

Wherefore Nathan spake unto Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, Hast thou not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith doth reign, and David our lord knoweth it not?

NoteBathsheba was one of David's wives. Solomon was her son.

12Please let me tell you what to do. This way you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.

Now therefore come, let me, I pray thee, give thee counsel, that thou mayest save thine own life, and the life of thy son Solomon.

NoteIn those days, a new king often killed anyone else who wanted the throne. That is why she and Solomon were in danger.

13Go in to King David and say to him, 'My lord the king, did you not promise me this? You said Solomon my son would be king after you and would sit on your throne. So why is Adonijah acting as king?'

Go and get thee in unto king David, and say unto him, Didst not thou, my lord, O king, swear unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne? why then doth Adonijah reign?

NoteA throne is the special chair a king sits on. To sit on the throne means to be the king.

14While you are still talking with the king, I will come in too. I will tell him that everything you said is true."

Behold, while thou yet talkest there with the king, I also will come in after thee, and confirm thy words.

15So Bathsheba went in to see the king in his bedroom. The king was very old, and Abishag from Shunem was taking care of him.

And Bathsheba went in unto the king into the chamber: and the king was very old; and Abishag the Shunammite ministered unto the king.

16Bathsheba bowed low to show honor to the king. The king asked her, "What do you want?"

And Bathsheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the king. And the king said, What wouldest thou?

NotePeople bowed low in front of a king to show honor. It was a way of saying, "You are the ruler."

17She said, "My lord, you made a promise to me before the LORD your God. You said that my son Solomon would be king after you. You said he would sit on your throne.

And she said unto him, My lord, thou swarest by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne.

18But now Adonijah is acting as king. And you, my lord the king, do not even know it.

And now, behold, Adonijah reigneth; and now, my lord the king, thou knowest it not:

19He has killed many oxen, fattened calves, and sheep for a feast. He invited all your other sons, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the leader of the army. But he did not invite your servant Solomon.

And he hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the sons of the king, and Abiathar the priest, and Joab the captain of the host: but Solomon thy servant hath he not called.

20My lord the king, everyone in Israel is watching you. They are waiting for you to say who will sit on your throne after you.

And thou, my lord, O king, the eyes of all Israel are upon thee, that thou shouldest tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him.

21If you do not, something bad will happen. When you die and rest with your ancestors, people will treat my son Solomon and me as criminals."

Otherwise it shall come to pass, when my lord the king shall sleep with his fathers, that I and my son Solomon shall be counted offenders.

NoteTo "rest with your ancestors" is a gentle way of saying to die. Ancestors are family members who lived long before you.

22While she was still talking with the king, Nathan the prophet arrived.

And, lo, while she yet talked with the king, Nathan the prophet also came in.

23The king was told, "Nathan the prophet is here." Nathan came in and bowed with his face to the ground.

And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground.

24Nathan said, "My lord the king, did you say that Adonijah would be king after you? Did you say he would sit on your throne?

And Nathan said, My lord, O king, hast thou said, Adonijah shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne?

25Today he went out and killed many oxen, fattened calves, and sheep for a feast. He invited all the king's sons, the army leaders, and Abiathar the priest. Right now they are eating and drinking with him. They are shouting, 'Long live King Adonijah!'

For he is gone down this day, and hath slain oxen and fat cattle and sheep in abundance, and hath called all the king’s sons, and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest; and, behold, they eat and drink before him, and say, God save king Adonijah.

Note"Long live the king!" was what people shouted for a new king. It meant they hoped he would rule for many years.

26But he did not invite me, your servant. He did not invite Zadok the priest, or Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, or your servant Solomon.

But me, even me thy servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and thy servant Solomon, hath he not called.

27Did my lord the king order this? If so, you did not tell your servants who should sit on your throne after you."

Is this thing done by my lord the king, and thou hast not shewed it unto thy servant, who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?

28Then King David said, "Call Bathsheba back in." So she came in and stood before the king.

Then king David answered and said, Call me Bathsheba. And she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king.

29The king made a solemn promise. He said, "The LORD lives, and he has saved me from every trouble.

And the king sware, and said, As the LORD liveth, that hath redeemed my soul out of all distress,

NoteSaying "the LORD lives" was a way of making a very serious promise. It meant, "I promise this as surely as God is alive."

30I promised you before the LORD, the God of Israel, that Solomon your son would be king after me. I said he would sit on my throne in my place. Today I will do exactly that."

Even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying, Assuredly Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my throne in my stead; even so will I certainly do this day.

31Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground to honor the king. She said, "May my lord King David live forever!"

Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

32King David said, "Call Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada." So they came in to the king.

And king David said, Call me Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. And they came before the king.

33The king said to them, "Take my servants with you. Put my son Solomon on my own mule. Then take him down to the spring called Gihon.

The king also said unto them, Take with you the servants of your lord, and cause Solomon my son to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon:

NoteA mule looks like a horse with long ears. Riding the king's own mule showed everyone that the king had chosen him. Gihon was a spring where people of the city got their water.

34There Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet must pour oil on him to make him king over Israel. Then blow the ram's horn and shout, 'Long live King Solomon!'

And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Israel: and blow ye with the trumpet, and say, God save king Solomon.

NotePouring oil on someone's head was how a person was made king. It showed that God had chosen him for the job. A ram's horn was blown like a trumpet to call people together.

35Then come back up here with him. He will sit on my throne and rule in my place. I have chosen him to be the ruler over Israel and Judah."

Then ye shall come up after him, that he may come and sit upon my throne; for he shall be king in my stead: and I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.

NoteJudah was the big southern part of the land. Israel here means the rest of the tribes.

36Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, "Yes, let it be so. May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say the same thing.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king, and said, Amen: the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.

37The LORD has been with you, my lord the king. May he be with Solomon too. May he make Solomon's rule even greater than yours."

As the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so be he with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord king David.

38So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went down to Gihon. The Cherethites and the Pelethites went too. They put Solomon on King David's mule and led him there.

So Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, went down, and caused Solomon to ride upon king David’s mule, and brought him to Gihon.

NoteThe Cherethites and Pelethites were soldiers from another land. They guarded the king and obeyed only him.

39Zadok the priest took the horn full of oil from the holy tent. He poured it on Solomon to make him king. They blew the ram's horn, and all the people shouted, "Long live King Solomon!"

And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

NoteThe holy tent was a special tent where people came to worship God. The oil was kept inside a hollow animal horn, used like a bottle.

40All the people followed him up from the spring. They played flutes and were so happy that the ground seemed to shake with the noise.

And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.

NoteThese pipes were simple flutes made from reeds. People played them at happy times.

41Adonijah and all his guests heard it as they finished eating. When Joab heard the ram's horn, he asked, "Why is the city making all that noise?"

And Adonijah and all the guests that were with him heard it as they had made an end of eating. And when Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, Wherefore is this noise of the city being in an uproar?

42While he was still speaking, Jonathan arrived. He was the son of Abiathar the priest. Adonijah said, "Come in. You are a good man, so you must bring good news."

And while he yet spake, behold, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came; and Adonijah said unto him, Come in; for thou art a valiant man, and bringest good tidings.

43Jonathan answered, "No. Our lord King David has made Solomon king.

And Jonathan answered and said to Adonijah, Verily our lord king David hath made Solomon king.

44The king sent Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada with him. The Cherethites and the Pelethites went too. They put Solomon on the king's own mule.

And the king hath sent with him Zadok the priest, and Nathan the prophet, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites, and the Pelethites, and they have caused him to ride upon the king’s mule:

45Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet poured oil on him at Gihon to make him king. They came back up cheering, and the whole city is ringing with the sound. That is the noise you heard.

And Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet have anointed him king in Gihon: and they are come up from thence rejoicing, so that the city rang again. This is the noise that ye have heard.

46And Solomon is now sitting on the royal throne.

And also Solomon sitteth on the throne of the kingdom.

47The king's servants also came to bless our lord King David. They said, 'May your God make Solomon's name even greater than yours. May he make his throne greater than your throne.' And the king bowed low on his bed to worship.

And moreover the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

NoteDavid was too old and weak to get out of bed. So he bowed where he lay to thank God.

48The king also said, 'Praise the LORD, the God of Israel! Today he has given someone to sit on my throne, and my own eyes have seen it.'"

And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.

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."

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.

NoteWhen you see LORD in big letters, that is God's own special name. Cedar is a strong wood that smells sweet. Only rich people had houses built from it. The ark was a special box covered with gold. Inside it were God's rules, written on stone. It showed the people that God was with them. The ark sat inside a big cloth tent, not a building.

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

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

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

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

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

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

NoteA house for God means a temple. A temple is a large building where people come to worship God.

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, from one place to another.

For 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.

NoteGod's tent was called the tabernacle. It could be taken down and carried to a new place. So it moved wherever the people moved.

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?"

Wheresoever 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?

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.

Now 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:

NoteA sheep pen is a fenced place where sheep sleep safely at night. David took care of sheep before he was king. "The LORD of hosts" means God is the leader of huge armies. It is a name for God that shows how strong he is.

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.

And 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.

NoteMaking someone's name great means making them famous. People far away would know who David was.

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.

Also 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,

NotePlanting people like a tree means giving them a safe home. Trees put their roots down deep and stay put.

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.

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 will build thee an house.

NoteJudges were leaders God gave Israel before there were kings. They helped the people and led them in war. Here a house does not mean a building. It means a family. God promised that David's family would keep on ruling.

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.

And 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.

NoteGoing to rest with your fathers means dying. Fathers means the family who lived long before you.

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

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

NoteThis house is the temple, the building for worshiping God. A throne is the special chair a king sits on. It stands for his power to rule.

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.

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 that was before thee:

NoteThe king before David was Saul. God chose Saul first, then took the kingdom away from him.

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

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

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

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