David’s purpose to build a temple, is rewarded by most ample promises:
David’s thanksgiving.
17:1. Now when David was dwelling in his house, he said to Nathan the
prophet: Behold I dwell in a house of cedar: and the ark of the
covenant of the Lord is under skins.
17:2. And Nathan said to David: Do all that is in thy heart: for God is
with thee.
17:3. Now that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:
17:4. Go, and speak to David my servant: Thus saith the Lord: Thou
shalt not build me a house to dwell in.
17:5. For I have not remained in a house from the time that I brought
up Israel, to this day: but I have been always changing places in a
tabernacle, and in a tent,
17:6. Abiding with all Israel. Did I ever speak to any one, of all the
judges of Israel whom I charged to feed my people, saying: Why have you
not built me a house of cedar?
17:7. Now therefore thus shalt thou say to my servant David: Thus saith
the Lord of hosts: I took thee from the pastures, from following the
flock, that thou shouldst be ruler of my people Israel.
17:8. And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast gone: and have
slain all thy enemies before thee, and have made thee a name like that
of one of the great ones that are renowned in the earth.
17:9. And I have given a place to my people Israel: they shall be
planted, and shall dwell therein, and shall be moved no more, neither
shall the children of iniquity waste them, as at the beginning,
17:10. Since the days that I gave judges to my people Israel, and have
humbled all thy enemies. And I declare to thee, that the Lord will
build thee a house.
17:11. And when thou shalt have ended thy days to go to thy fathers, I
will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons: and I
will establish his kingdom.
17:12. He shall build me a house, and I will establish his throne for
ever.
17:13. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son: and I
will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was
before thee.
17:14. But I will settle him in my house, and in my kingdom for ever:
and his throne shall be most firm for ever.
17:15. According to all these words, and according to all this vision,
so did Nathan speak to David.
17:16. And king David came and sat before the Lord, and said: Who am I,
O Lord God, and what is my house, that thou shouldst give such things
to me?
17:17. But even this hath seemed little in thy sight, and therefore
thou hast also spoken concerning the house of thy servant for the time
to come: and hast made me remarkable above all men, O Lord God.
17:18. What can David add more, seeing thou hast thus glorified thy
servant, and known him?
17:19. O Lord, for thy servant’s sake, according to thy own heart, thou
hast shewn all this magnificence, and wouldst have all the great things
to be known.
17:20. O Lord there is none like thee: and here is no other God beside
thee, of all whom we have heard of with our ears.
17:21. For what other nation is there upon earth like thy people
Israel, whom God went to deliver, and make a people for himself, and by
his greatness and terrors cast out nations before their face whom he
had delivered out of Egypt?
17:22. And thou hast made thy people Israel to be thy own people for
ever, and thou, O Lord, art become their God.
17:23. Now therefore, O Lord, let the word which thou hast spoken to
thy servant, and concerning his house, be established for ever, and do
as thou hast said.
17:24. And let thy name remain and be magnified for ever: and let it be
said: The Lord of hosts is God of Israel, and the house of David his
servant remaineth before him.
17:25. For thou, O Lord my God, hast revealed to the ear of thy
servant, that thou wilt build him a house: and therefore thy servant
hath found confidence to pray before thee.
17:26. And now O Lord, thou art God: and thou hast promised to thy
servant such great benefits.
17:27. And thou hast begun to bless the house of thy servant, that it
may be always before thee: for seeing thou blessest it, O Lord, it
shall be blessed for ever.