1 David moved into his palace. Then he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look, I am living in a palace made of cedar. But the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord sits in a tent.”
2 Nathan answered David, “Do what you want to do. God is with you.”
3 But that night God spoke his word to Nathan. God said,
4 “Go and tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: David, you are not the person to build a house for me to live in.
5 From the time I brought Israel out of Egypt until now I have not lived in a house. I have moved from one tent site to another. I have gone from one place to another.
6 I have moved with the Israelites to different places. I commanded leaders to take care of my people. I never said to any of those leaders, “Why haven’t you built me a house of cedar?”’