1 When David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of Yahweh’s covenant is in a tent.”
2 Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you.”
3 That same night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
4 “Go and tell David my servant, ‘Yahweh says, “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 to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tent to another.
6 In all places in which I have walked with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to be shepherd of my people, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’”’
7 “Now therefore, you shall tell my servant David, ‘Yahweh of Armies says, “I took you from the sheep pen, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel.