1 When King David was settled in his palace and the lord had given him rest from all the surrounding enemies,
2 the king summoned Nathan the prophet. “Look,” David said, “I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”
3 Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the lord is with you.”
4 But that same night the lord said to Nathan,
5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the lord has declared: Are you the one to build a house for me to live in?
6 I have never lived in a house, from the day I brought the Israelites out of Egypt until this very day. I have always moved from one place to another with a tent and a Tabernacle as my dwelling.
7 Yet no matter where I have gone with the Israelites, I have never once complained to Israel’s tribal leaders, the shepherds of my people Israel. I have never asked them, “Why haven’t you built me a beautiful cedar house?”’