2 Samuel 7:1-7 ▼

1 After the king had settled down in his palace and the LORD had given him respite from all of his surrounding enemies,

2 he told the prophet Nathan, |Look now, I'm living in a cedar palace, but the Ark of God resides behind a tent curtain.|

3 Nathan replied to the king, |Go do everything you have in mind, because the LORD is with you.|

4 But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from the LORD:

5 |Go tell my servant David, 'This is what the LORD says: |'|Are you going to build a house for me to inhabit?

6 After all, I haven't lived in a house since the day I brought up the Israelis from Egypt until now. Instead, I've moved around in a tent that served as my dwelling place.

7 Wherever I moved among the Israelis, did I ever ask even one tribal leader of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, 'Why haven't you built me a cedar house?'