When the king had gone to live in his house, when Yahweh had given him a settled position in relation to all his enemies around, the king said to Natan the prophet, ‘Please look: I’m living in a cedar house, but God’s chest is living inside a tent.’ Natan said to the king, ‘Go do everything that’s in your mind, because Yahweh is with you.’ But that night Yahweh’s word came to Natan: ‘Go and say to my servant, to David, “Yahweh has said this: ‘Are you to build me a house to live in? Because I haven’t lived in a house from the day that I took the Yisra’elites up from Misrayim [Egypt] till this day. I’ve been going about in a tent as a dwelling. Everywhere I went about among all the Yisra’elites, did I speak a word with one of the Yisra’elite clan leaders whom I ordered to shepherd my people Yisra’el, saying “Why have you not built me a cedar house?”’” So now you’re to say this to my servant, to David, “Yahweh of Armies has said this: ‘I myself took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler over my people, over Yisra’el, and I’ve been with you everywhere you’ve gone. I’ve cut off all your enemies from before you and I shall make a big name for you, like the name of the big people who are on the earth. I shall make a place for my people, for Yisra’el, and plant them. They will dwell in their place and not tremble again. Evil people won’t humble them again as they did previously, from the day that I ordered leaders over my people Yisra’el. I shall give you a settled position in relation to all your enemies.
Yahweh tells you that Yahweh will make a house(hold) for you. When your days are full and you lie down with your ancestors, I shall set up your offspring after you, who will come out from inside you, and I shall establish his kingship. He is the one who will build a house for my name. I shall establish his royal throne permanently. I myself will become a father to him and he will become a son to me. When he goes wrong, I shall reprove him with a club in the hand of human beings, with the blows of human hands, but my commitment will not depart from him as I removed it from Sha’ul, whom I removed from before you. Your household and your kingship will be trustworthy permanently before you. Your throne will be established permanently.’”’ In accordance with all these words and in accordance with this entire vision, so Natan spoke to David.
Goldingay, John; The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, union;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy,
For your mercy and for your truth’s sake. Amen
The set reading for Thursday is this one:
King David came and sat before Yahweh, and said, ‘Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and who are my household, that you have brought me as far as this? Moreover, this has been small in your eyes, Lord Yahweh. You’ve spoken further about your servant’s household for the distant future. This is instruction about a human being, Lord Yahweh: what more can David speak to you? You yourself have acknowledged your servant, Lord Yahweh. On account of your word and in accordance with your mind you’re doing this entire big thing, making it known to your servant.
Thus you are great, Lord Yahweh, because there is no one like you, no God except you, in all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like your people, like Yisra’el, a nation on the earth that God went to redeem for himself as a people, to make for himself a name, and to do big and awe-inspiring things (for you all) for your country before your people whom you redeemed for yourself from Misrayim (nations and their gods). You established your people Yisra’el for yourself as a people permanently, and you Yahweh became God for them. Now, Yahweh God, the word that you have spoken about your servant and about his household – establish it permanently and do as you have spoken. May your name be great permanently: “Yahweh of Armies is God over Yisra’el”. May your servant David’s household be established before you. Because you, Yahweh of Armies, God of Yisra’el, have opened your servant’s ear, saying “I will build a household for you.” That’s why your servant has found his courage to make this plea to you. Now, Lord Yahweh, you are God, and your words are truthful. You have spoken this good thing to your servant. Now resolve to bless your servant’s household so it will be before you permanently, because you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken. May your servant’s household be blessed permanently through your blessing.’