Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I'll raise up a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who rules wisely, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land.

I can see him, but not right now. I observe him, but from a distance. A star streams forth from Jacob; a scepter arises from Israel. He will crush Moab's forehead, along with all of Seth's descendants.

Of the growth of his government and peace there will be no end. He will rule over his kingdom, sitting on the throne of David, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies will accomplish this.

"Listen to me, Jeroboam and Israel! Don't you know that the LORD God of Israel assigned the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever by a salt covenant?

He will rule over Jacob, annihilating those who survive in the city."

when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' ""The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you. When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom. He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. read more.
I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies and with wounds inflicted by human beings. But I'll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence your throne will be secure forever."'"

I will establish a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will not oppress them as happened in the past, during the time I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you deliverance from all your enemies. """I'm also announcing to you that the LORD also will himself build a house for you. It will come about that when your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who is related to one of your sons, and I will fortify his kingdom. read more.
He will build a temple dedicated to me, and I will make his throne last forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me. I will never remove my gracious love from him as I did from the one who preceded you. I will confirm him in my Temple and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will remain secure forever."'"

"From the day I brought out my people from the land of Egypt I never chose a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple where my name might reside. And I never chose any man to become Commander-in-Chief over my people Israel. But I have chosen Jerusalem, where my name will reside. And I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.' "My father David wanted to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. read more.
The LORD told my father David: "Therefore, since you determined to build a temple for my name, you acted well, because it was your choice to do so. Nevertheless, you are not to build the Temple, but your son who will be born to you is to build a temple for my name.' "The LORD has brought to fulfillment what he promised, and now here I stand, having succeeded my father David to sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the Temple for the name of the Lord GOD of Israel. I have placed in it the ark in which the covenant that the LORD made with the Israelis is stored." Then Solomon took his place in front of the LORD's altar in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. Solomon had a bronze platform constructed five cubits square and three cubits high. He had it erected in the middle of the courtyard, and stood on it. Then he knelt down on his knees in front of the entire congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven, and said: "LORD God of Israel, there is no one like you, God of heaven and earth, who watches over his covenant, showing gracious love to your servants who live their lives in your presence with all their hearts. It is you, LORD God, who has kept your promise to my father, your servant David, that you made to him. Indeed, you made a commitment to my father David and then personally fulfilled what you had promised today. "Now therefore, LORD God of Israel, keep your promise that you made to my father, your servant David, when you said, "You are to not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants will watch their lives, to live according to my Law, just as you have lived in my presence.' "Now therefore, LORD God of Israel, may your promise that you made to your servant David be fulfilled"

Nevertheless, the Lord was unwilling to destroy David's dynasty because of the covenant that he had made with David, especially since he had promised to give him and to his sons the reigning presence of an heir forever.

You spoke to your faithful ones through a vision: "I will set a helper over a warrior. I will raise up a chosen one from the people. I have found my servant David; I have anointed him with my sacred oil, with whom my power will be firmly established; for my arm will strengthen him. read more.
No enemy will deceive him; no wicked person will afflict him. I will crush his enemies before him and strike those who hate him. My faithfulness and gracious love will be with him, and in my name his power will be exalted. I will place his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He will announce to me "You are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.' "Indeed, I myself made him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. I will show my gracious love toward him forever, since my covenant is securely established with him. I will establish his dynasty forever, and his throne as long as heaven endures. "But if his sons abandon my laws and do not follow my ordinances, if they profane my statutes; and do not keep my commands, then I will punish their disobedience with a rod and their iniquity with lashes. But I will not cut off my gracious love from him, and I will not stop being faithful. I will not dishonor my covenant, because I will not change what I have spoken. I have sworn by my holiness once for all: I will not lie to David. His dynasty will last forever and his throne will be like the sun before me. It will be established forever like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky." Interlude

then a throne will be established in gracious love, and there will sit in faithfulness in the Tent of David one who judges, seeks justice, and is swift to do what is right."

"At that time, I'll call for my servant, Hilkiah's son Eliakim, and I'll clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him. I'll transfer your authority to him, and he'll be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. "I'll place on his shoulder the key to the house of David what he opens, no one will shut, and what he shuts, no one will open. read more.
I'll set him like a peg into a secure place; he will become a throne of honor to his father's house. The entire reputation of his father's house will hang on him: its offspring and offshoots all its smaller vessels, from the cups to all the jars. At that time," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "the peg that was driven into a secure place will give way; it will be sheared and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down." The LORD has spoken.

In those days and at that time I'll cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he will uphold justice and righteousness in the land. At that time Judah will be delivered and Jerusalem will dwell in safety. And this is the name people will call it, "The LORD is Our Righteousness."' For this is what the LORD says: "David will never be without a man sitting on the throne of the house of Israel, read more.
nor will the Levitical priests be without a man offering up burnt offerings, bringing in grain offerings, and offering sacrifices continuously before me.'" This message from the LORD came to Jeremiah: "This is what the LORD says: "If you could break my covenant with the day and night so that day and night wouldn't occur at the proper time, then my covenant with my servant David might also be broken so that he wouldn't have a son sitting on his throne, and so also with my servants the Levitical priests. As the heavenly bodies cannot be counted, and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I'll multiply the descendants of my servant David and the descendants of Levi who serve me.'" This message from the LORD came to Jeremiah: "Haven't you noticed what these people have been saying? "The LORD rejected the two families that he had chosen!' They have contempt for my people and no longer consider them a nation. This is what the LORD says: "If I had not established my covenant for day and night and the laws that govern the heavens and earth, then I might reject the descendants of Jacob and my servant David by not taking some of his descendants as rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed, I'll restore their fortunes, and I'll have compassion on them.'"

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end."


When a king faithfully administers justice to the poor, his throne will be established forever.

You spoke to your faithful ones through a vision: "I will set a helper over a warrior. I will raise up a chosen one from the people. I have found my servant David; I have anointed him with my sacred oil, with whom my power will be firmly established; for my arm will strengthen him. read more.
No enemy will deceive him; no wicked person will afflict him. I will crush his enemies before him and strike those who hate him. My faithfulness and gracious love will be with him, and in my name his power will be exalted. I will place his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He will announce to me "You are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.' "Indeed, I myself made him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. I will show my gracious love toward him forever, since my covenant is securely established with him. I will establish his dynasty forever, and his throne as long as heaven endures. "But if his sons abandon my laws and do not follow my ordinances, if they profane my statutes; and do not keep my commands, then I will punish their disobedience with a rod and their iniquity with lashes. But I will not cut off my gracious love from him, and I will not stop being faithful. I will not dishonor my covenant, because I will not change what I have spoken. I have sworn by my holiness once for all: I will not lie to David. His dynasty will last forever and his throne will be like the sun before me. It will be established forever like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky." Interlude

"""Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself from tending sheep to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over Israel. """Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation for you, like the reputation of great ones who have lived on earth. I will establish a homeland for my people for Israel planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past read more.
when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' ""The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you. When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom. He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies and with wounds inflicted by human beings. But I'll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence your throne will be secure forever."'"

King David rose to his feet and said, "My fellow citizens, may I have your attention. I intended to build a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, for a footstool of our God, so I began preparations for its construction. But then God told me, "You will not build a temple to my name, because you are a man of war, and you have committed bloodshed.' Nevertheless, the LORD God of Israel chose me from my entire ancestral household to be king over Israel forever, since he had chosen Judah as Commander-in-Chief. In my ancestor Judah's household, from my father's household, and from among my father's sons it pleased him to make me king over all of Israel. read more.
"Now out of all of my sons (since the LORD has given me many of them), he has selected my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD, ruling over Israel. He told me, "I chose your son Solomon to be the one who will construct my Temple and my courts, because I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. I will establish his kingdom forever, assuming he remains strongly committed to carry out my commandments and ordinances, as he is doing today.'

"Indeed God is mighty and he doesn't show disrespect; he is mighty and strong of heart. He doesn't let the wicked live; he grants justice to the afflicted. He won't stop looking at righteous people; he seats them on thrones with kings forever, and they are exalted.

Purge the dross from the silver, and material for a vessel comes forth for the silversmith. Purge the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.


then bring to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling place where he will establish his name everything that I'm commanding you: your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your hand-carried gifts, and all your best offerings in fulfillment of promises that you pledged to the LORD.

Then he told Jeroboam, "Take ten pieces for yourself, because this is what the LORD God of Israel says: "Pay attention! I'm going to tear the kingdom out of Solomon's control and give you ten tribes. I'll leave him one tribe for the sake of my servant David and one tribe for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I chose from all of the tribes of Israel. I'm doing this because they have abandoned me and worshipped that Sidonian goddess Astarte, the Moabite god Chemosh, and the Ammonite god Milcom. They haven't lived my way by doing what I consider to be right and observing my statutes and my ordinances, like his father David did. read more.
"Nevertheless, I won't take the entire kingdom away from him, but I'll let him reign for the rest of his life, because of my servant David, whom I chose, who obeyed my commandments and statutes, but I will take the kingdom away from his son's control and give ten tribes to you. I'll give one tribe to his son, so my servant David will always have a light shining in my presence in Jerusalem, the city that I chose for myself and where I have placed my name.

In the month of Chislev, while I was in Shushan at the palace, Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with some men from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had escaped, about those who had survived the Babylonian captivity, and about Jerusalem. They told me, "The survivors of the captivity there in the province are living in great distress and shame. Furthermore, the Jerusalem wall remains broken down and its gates have been burned by fire." When I heard this, I sat down and cried, mourning for a number of days while I fasted and prayed in the presence of the God of Heaven. read more.
I said, "Please, LORD, God of Heaven, the great and fearsome God who keeps the covenant, showing gracious love to those who love you and keep your commands, please turn your attention to observe carefully and listen to the prayer of your servant today that I am presenting to you day and night on behalf of your servants, the Israelis. "I confess the sins that we Israelis have committed against you. Both I and my father's house have sinned. We have abandoned you by not keeping your commands, your ceremonies, and your judgments that you proscribed to your servant Moses. Please remember what you spoke in commanding your servant Moses. You said, "If you rebel, I will scatter you among the nations but if you return to me, keeping my commands and doing them, even if your exiled people are in the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place where I have chosen to establish my Name.'

Later, after Solomon had finished building the LORD's Temple, the royal palace, and everything else that Solomon wanted to do, the LORD appeared to Solomon for a second time, just as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. The LORD told him: "I've heard your prayer and your request that you made to me. I have consecrated this Temple that you have built by placing my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there continuously.

He also built altars in the LORD's Temple, about which the LORD had said, "In Jerusalem I will place my Name."

Pay attention to the prayer of your servant and to his request, LORD my God, and listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying in your presence. Let your eyes always look toward this Temple day and night, toward the location where you have said you would place your name. Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction. Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction, and listen from the place where you reside from heaven! then hear and forgive. read more.
"If a man sins against his neighbor and he is required to take an oath, and he then comes to take an oath in front of your altar in this Temple, then listen from heaven, act, and judge your servants, recompensing the wicked by bringing back to him the consequences of his choices and by justifying the righteous by recompensing him according to his righteousness. "If your people Israel are defeated in a battle with their enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you and confess to you, pray, and in this Temple they ask you to show grace to them, then hear from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil that you gave to them and to their ancestors. "When the skies remain closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. Indeed, teach them the best way to live and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance. "If a famine comes to the land, or if there comes plant diseases, mildew, locusts, or grasshoppers, or if their enemies attack them in their settlements of the land, no matter what the epidemic or illness is, whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own illness and anguish and stretching out their hands toward this Temple, then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts for you alone know the hearts of human beings so they will fear you and live life your way as long as they live in the land that you have given to our ancestors. "Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your great name, your mighty acts, and your obvious power, when they come and pray in the direction of this Temple, then hear from heaven where you reside, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, fear you as do your people Israel, and so they may know that this Temple that I have built is called by your name. "When your people go out to war against their enemies, no matter what way you send them, and they pray to you in the direction of this city that you have chosen and in the direction of the Temple that I have built for your name, then hear their prayer and their request from heaven, and fight for their cause. "When they sin against you because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to a land that's near or far away, if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you even if they do so in the land where they have been taken captive confessing, "We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,' if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land where they have been taken captive, as they pray in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name,

He also built altars in the LORD's Temple, about which the LORD had spoken "My name will reside in Jerusalem forever."

"""Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself from tending sheep to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over Israel. """Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation for you, like the reputation of great ones who have lived on earth. I will establish a homeland for my people for Israel planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past read more.
when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' ""The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you. When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom. He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever.

Pay attention to the prayer of your servant and to his request, LORD my God, and listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying in your presence today. Let your eyes always look toward this Temple night and day, toward the location where you have said "My name will reside there.' Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction. Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction, listen from the place where you reside in heaven, then hear and forgive. read more.
"If a man should sin against his neighbor and he is required to take an oath, and he then comes to take an oath in front of your altar in this Temple, then listen in heaven, act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing back to him the consequences of his choices and by justifying the righteous by recompensing him according to his righteousness. "If your people Israel are defeated in a battle with their enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you and confess to you, pray, and in this Temple they ask you to show grace to them, then hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil that you gave to their ancestors. "When heaven remains closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them, then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. Indeed, teach them the best way to live and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance. "If a famine comes to the land, or if plant diseases, mildew, locust, or grasshoppers appear, or if their enemies attack them in their settlements of the land, no matter what the epidemic or illness is, whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple, then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts for you alone know the hearts of all human beings so they will fear you every day and live on the surface of the land that you have given to our ancestors. "Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your name (for people will hear of your great name, your mighty acts, and your obvious power), when he comes and prays facing this Temple, then hear in heaven where you reside, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, fear you as do your people Israel, and so they may know that this Temple that I have built is called by your name. "When your people go out to war against their enemies, no matter what way you send them, and they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city that you have chosen and in the direction of the Temple that I have built for your name, then hear their prayer and their request in heaven, and fight for their cause. "When they sin against you because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to the land that belongs to their enemy, whether near or far away, if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you even if they do so in the land of their captivity confessing, "We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,' if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name,


After the king had settled down in his palace and the LORD had given him respite from all of his surrounding enemies, he told the prophet Nathan, "Look now, I'm living in a cedar palace, but the Ark of God resides behind a tent curtain." Nathan replied to the king, "Go do everything you have in mind, because the LORD is with you." read more.
But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from the LORD: "Go tell my servant David, "This is what the LORD says: """Are you going to build a house for me to inhabit? After all, I haven't lived in a house since the day I brought up the Israelis from Egypt until now. Instead, I've moved around in a tent that served as my dwelling place. Wherever I moved among the Israelis, did I ever ask even one tribal leader of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, "Why haven't you built me a cedar house?' """Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself from tending sheep to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over Israel. """Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation for you, like the reputation of great ones who have lived on earth. I will establish a homeland for my people for Israel planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' ""The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you. When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom. He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies and with wounds inflicted by human beings. But I'll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence your throne will be secure forever."'" Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David with precisely these words.

After David had settled down to live in his palace, he spoke with the prophet Nathan. "Look, here I am living in this cedar palace, but the ark of the LORD's covenant remains surrounded by curtains!" "Do everything you have in mind," Nathan replied to David, "because God is with you." But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from God: read more.
"Go tell David, my servant, "This is what the LORD says: """You won't be building a house for me to inhabit, will you? After all, I haven't lived in a house from the day I brought out Israel until today. Instead, I've lived from tent to tent and from one place to another. Wherever I've moved within all of Israel, did I ever ask even one judge of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people, "Why haven't you built me a cedar house?'"' "Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself from tending sheep to become Commander-in-Chief over my people Israel. """Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make your reputation great, like the reputation of the great ones who have lived on earth. I will establish a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will not oppress them as happened in the past, during the time I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you deliverance from all your enemies. """I'm also announcing to you that the LORD also will himself build a house for you. It will come about that when your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who is related to one of your sons, and I will fortify his kingdom. He will build a temple dedicated to me, and I will make his throne last forever. I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me. I will never remove my gracious love from him as I did from the one who preceded you. I will confirm him in my Temple and in my kingdom forever, and his throne will remain secure forever."'" Using precisely these words, Nathan communicated this complete oracle to David.


"Go tell my servant David, "This is what the LORD says: """Are you going to build a house for me to inhabit? After all, I haven't lived in a house since the day I brought up the Israelis from Egypt until now. Instead, I've moved around in a tent that served as my dwelling place. Wherever I moved among the Israelis, did I ever ask even one tribal leader of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, "Why haven't you built me a cedar house?' read more.
"""Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself from tending sheep to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over Israel. """Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation for you, like the reputation of great ones who have lived on earth. I will establish a homeland for my people for Israel planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' ""The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you. When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom. He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever.


But then God told me, "You will not build a temple to my name, because you are a man of war, and you have committed bloodshed.'

"You know that my father David was unable to build a temple dedicated to the LORD his God because he was busy fighting wars all around him until the LORD defeated his enemies.

But later that same night, this message came to Nathan from the LORD: "Go tell my servant David, "This is what the LORD says: """Are you going to build a house for me to inhabit? After all, I haven't lived in a house since the day I brought up the Israelis from Egypt until now. Instead, I've moved around in a tent that served as my dwelling place. read more.
Wherever I moved among the Israelis, did I ever ask even one tribal leader of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, "Why haven't you built me a cedar house?' """Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself from tending sheep to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over Israel. """Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation for you, like the reputation of great ones who have lived on earth. I will establish a homeland for my people for Israel planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' ""The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you. When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom.

But this message from the LORD came to me, telling me


When a king faithfully administers justice to the poor, his throne will be established forever.

You spoke to your faithful ones through a vision: "I will set a helper over a warrior. I will raise up a chosen one from the people. I have found my servant David; I have anointed him with my sacred oil, with whom my power will be firmly established; for my arm will strengthen him. read more.
No enemy will deceive him; no wicked person will afflict him. I will crush his enemies before him and strike those who hate him. My faithfulness and gracious love will be with him, and in my name his power will be exalted. I will place his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers. He will announce to me "You are my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.' "Indeed, I myself made him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. I will show my gracious love toward him forever, since my covenant is securely established with him. I will establish his dynasty forever, and his throne as long as heaven endures. "But if his sons abandon my laws and do not follow my ordinances, if they profane my statutes; and do not keep my commands, then I will punish their disobedience with a rod and their iniquity with lashes. But I will not cut off my gracious love from him, and I will not stop being faithful. I will not dishonor my covenant, because I will not change what I have spoken. I have sworn by my holiness once for all: I will not lie to David. His dynasty will last forever and his throne will be like the sun before me. It will be established forever like the moon, a faithful witness in the sky." Interlude

"""Now therefore this is what you are to tell my servant David: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "I took you from the pasture myself from tending sheep to become Commander-in-Chief over my people, that is, over Israel. """Furthermore, I have remained with you everywhere you have gone, annihilating all your enemies right in front of you. I will make a great reputation for you, like the reputation of great ones who have lived on earth. I will establish a homeland for my people for Israel planting them so they may live in a secure location where they will never be disturbed anymore. Wicked people will no longer afflict them, as happened in the past read more.
when I had commanded judges to administer my people Israel. I'll also grant you relief from all your enemies."' ""The LORD also announces to you: "The LORD will himself build a house for you. When your life is complete and you go to join your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come forth from your body, and I will fortify his kingdom. He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies and with wounds inflicted by human beings. But I'll never remove my gracious love from him as I did from Saul, whom I removed from your presence. Your dynasty and your kingdom will remain forever in my presence your throne will be secure forever."'"

King David rose to his feet and said, "My fellow citizens, may I have your attention. I intended to build a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, for a footstool of our God, so I began preparations for its construction. But then God told me, "You will not build a temple to my name, because you are a man of war, and you have committed bloodshed.' Nevertheless, the LORD God of Israel chose me from my entire ancestral household to be king over Israel forever, since he had chosen Judah as Commander-in-Chief. In my ancestor Judah's household, from my father's household, and from among my father's sons it pleased him to make me king over all of Israel. read more.
"Now out of all of my sons (since the LORD has given me many of them), he has selected my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD, ruling over Israel. He told me, "I chose your son Solomon to be the one who will construct my Temple and my courts, because I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. I will establish his kingdom forever, assuming he remains strongly committed to carry out my commandments and ordinances, as he is doing today.'

"Indeed God is mighty and he doesn't show disrespect; he is mighty and strong of heart. He doesn't let the wicked live; he grants justice to the afflicted. He won't stop looking at righteous people; he seats them on thrones with kings forever, and they are exalted.

Purge the dross from the silver, and material for a vessel comes forth for the silversmith. Purge the wicked from the king's presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness.