1Now when the king was living in his house, and the Lord had given him rest from war on every side;
2The king said to Nathan the prophet, See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God is housed inside the curtains of a tent.
3And Nathan said to the king, Go and do whatever is in your heart; for the Lord is with you.
4Now that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying,
5Go and say to my servant David, The Lord says, Are you to be the builder of a house, a living-place for me?
6For from the day when I took the children of Israel up out of Egypt till this day, I have had no house, but have gone from place to place in a tent.
7In all the places where I went with all the children of Israel, did I ever say to any of the judges of Israel, to whom I gave the care of my people Israel, Why have you not made me a house of cedar?
