1 And it came to be, when Dawiḏ was dwelling in his house, that Dawiḏ said to Nathan the prophet, “See, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of יהוה is under curtains.”
2 And Nathan said to Dawiḏ, “Do all that is in your heart, for Elohim is with you.”
3 And it came to be that night that the word of Elohim came to Nathan, saying,
4 “Go, and you shall say to My servant Dawiḏ, ‘Thus said יהוה, “You do not build Me a house to dwell in.
5 “For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought up Yisra’ĕl, even to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one Dwelling Place to another.
6 “Wherever I have moved about with all Yisra’ĕl, have I ever spoken a word to any of the rulers of Yisra’ĕl, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?’ ” ’