1 Chronicles 17 David Wants to Build the Temple, but God Does Not Allow It

 1 Chronicles 17

David Wants to Build the Temple, but God Does Not Allow It

1 Now it happened, while David was living in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, "Behold, I live in a house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under curtains."

2 Then Nathan said to David, "Do whatever is in your heart, for God is with you."

3 But it happened that night that the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,

4 Go and tell my servant David, 'Thus says the Lord: You shall not build me a house to dwell in,

5 For I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up Israel until this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one tabernacle to another.

6 6 Wherever I have walked with all Israel, have I spoken a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, ‘Why do you not build me a house of cedar?’

7 Now therefore thus shall you say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people Israel.

8 And I have been with you everywhere you went, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you, and I have made you a name like the name of the great men who are in the earth.

9 And I have appointed a place for my people Israel, and I have planted them, that they may dwell in their own place, and they shall no more be removed from one place to another; neither shall the children of wickedness weaken them any more, as at the first.

10 And since the days that I appointed judges over my people Israel, but I have subdued all your enemies. I have also made known to you that the Lord would build you a house.

11 And it shall come to pass, when your days are fulfilled that you should go to your fathers, that I will raise up your seed after you, which shall be of your sons, and I will establish his kingdom.

12 He shall build the house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.

13 I will be his father, and he shall be my son; and I will not take away my kindness from him, as I took it from those who were before you.

14 But I will establish him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.

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