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Chapter 7
1 And it came to pass when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,
2 He said to Nathan the prophet: do you see that I dwell in a house of cedar, and the ark of God is lodged within skins?
3 And Nathan said to the king: Go, do all that is in your heart: because the Lord is with you.
4 But it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
5 Go, and say to my servant David: Thus said the Lord: shall you build me a house to dwell in?
6 Whereas I have not dwelt in a house from the day that I brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt even to this day: but have walked in a tabernacle, and in a tent.
7 In all the places that I have gone through with all the children of Israel, did ever I speak a word to any one of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
8 And now thus shall you speak to my servant David: Thus said the Lord of hosts: a I took you out of the pastures from following the sheep to be ruler over my people Israel:
9 And I have been with you wheresoever you have walked, and have slain all your enemies from before your face: and I have made you a great man, like unto the name of the great ones that are on the earth.
10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall dwell therein, and shall be disturbed no more: neither shall the children of iniquity afflict them any more as they did before,
11 From the day that I appointed judges over my people Israel: and I will give you rest from all your enemies. And the Lord foretells to you, that the Lord will make you a house.
12 And when your days shall be fulfilled, and you shall sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your seed after you, which shall proceed out of your bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build a house to my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and if he commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.
15 But my mercy I will not take away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before my face.
16 And your house shall be faithful, and your kingdom for ever before your face, and your throne shall be firm for ever.
17 According to all these words and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak to David.
18 And David went in, and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?
19 But yet this has seemed little in your sight, O Lord God, unless you did also speak of the house of your servant for a long time to come: for this is the law of Adam, O Lord God.
20 And what can David say more unto you? for you know your servant, O Lord God:
21 For your word's sake, and according to your own heart you have done all these great things, so that you would make it known to your servant.
22 Therefore you are magnified, O Lord God, because there is none like to you, neither is there any God besides you, in all the things that we have heard with our ears.
23 And what nation is there upon earth, as your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for them great and terrible things, upon the earth, before the face of your people, whom you redeemed to yourself out of Egypt, from the nations and their gods.
24 For you have confirmed to yourself your people Israel to be an everlasting people: and you, O Lord God, art become their God.
25 And now, O Lord God, raise up for ever the word that you have spoken, concerning your servant and concerning his house: and do as you have spoken,
26 That your name may be magnified for ever, and it may be said: The Lord of hosts is God over Israel. And the house of your servant David shall be established before the Lord.
27 Because you, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed to the ear of your servant, saying: I will build you a house: therefore has your servant found in his heart to pray this prayer to you.
28 And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words shall be true: for you have spoken to your servant these good things.
29 And now begin, and bless the house of your servant, that it may endure for ever before you: because you, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with your blessing let the house of your servant be blessed for ever.