1 Chronicles 17:4-14

4‘Go and tell my servant David, “The Lord says this: You are not the right man to build a house for me to live in.

5From the time that I brought the Israelites safely out of Egypt until now, I have never lived in a house. I have lived in a tent as my home as I travelled from place to place.

6I have moved about to many different places with the Israelites. I chose leaders to take care of my people, like shepherds take care of their sheep. But I never said to any of them, ‘You should have built a beautiful house of cedar wood for me.’ ”

7So tell my servant David that the Lord Almighty says this: “I took you from the fields where you were taking care of sheep. I took you from there to become the ruler of my people Israel.

8I have been with you everywhere that you have gone. I destroyed all your enemies that were attacking you. Now I will make you famous. Your name will be as great as the names of the earth's greatest men.

9I have chosen a place where my people Israel will live. I have put them in that place, were they can be safe. They will not be afraid of trouble from any enemy. Wicked people will not hurt them any more. That happened in the past,

10from the time that I chose leaders to rule my people Israel. But now I will cause all your enemies to be weak. I say to you, David: the Lord will give you descendants who will rule as kings after you. That will be the royal house that I build for you.

11When you die, people will bury you in the grave of your ancestors. Then I will choose your descendant, one of your own sons, to become king. I will make his kingdom strong.

12He is the man who will build a house for me. And I will cause his descendants to rule as kings for ever.

13I will be his father and he will be my son. I will never remove my faithful love from him, as I took it away from the king who ruled before you.

14I will cause him to rule my people and my kingdom for ever. Someone from his family will always be king.” ’