歷代志上17:1-15

17:1 大衛住在自己宮中，對先知拿單說：「看哪，我住在香柏木的宮中，耶和華的約櫃反在幔子裡。」
17:2 拿單對大衛說：「你可以照你的心意而行，因為上帝與你同在。」
17:3 當夜，上帝的話臨到拿單，說：
17:4 「你去告訴我僕人大衛，說耶和華如此說：『你不可建造殿宇給我居住。
17:5 自從我領以色列人出埃及，直到今日，我未曾住過殿宇，乃從這會幕到那會幕，從這帳幕到那帳幕。
17:6 凡我同以色列人所走的地方，我何曾向以色列的一個士師，就是我吩咐牧養我民的說：你為何不給我建造香柏木的殿宇呢？』
17:7 現在你要告訴我僕人大衛，說萬軍之耶和華如此說：『我從羊圈中將你召來，叫你不再跟從羊群，立你作我民以色列的君。
17:8 你無論往哪裡去，我常與你同在，剪除你的一切仇敵；我必使你得大名，好像世上大大有名的人一樣。
17:9 我必為我民以色列選定一個地方，栽培他們，使他們住自己的地方，不再遷移；凶惡之子也不像從前擾害他們，
17:10 並不像我命士師治理我民以色列的時候一樣。我必治服你的一切仇敵，並且我─耶和華應許你，必為你建立家室。
17:11 你壽數滿足歸你列祖的時候，我必使你的後裔接續你的位，我也必堅定他的國。
17:12 他必為我建造殿宇；我必堅定他的國位直到永遠。
17:13 我要作他的父，他要作我的子；並不使我的慈愛離開他，像離開在你以前的掃羅一樣。
17:14 我卻要將他永遠堅立在我家裡和我國裡；他的國位也必堅定，直到永遠。』」
17:15 拿單就按這一切話，照這默示告訴大衛。

After David was settled in his palace, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house of cedar, while the ark of the covenant of the Lord is under a tent.”

² Nathan replied to David, “Whatever you have in mind, do it, for God is with you.”
³ But that night the word of God came to Nathan, saying:
⁴ “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: You are not the one to build me a house to dwell in. ⁵ I have not dwelt in a house from the day I brought Israel up out of Egypt to this day. I have moved from one tent site to another, from one dwelling place to another. ⁶ Wherever I have moved with all the Israelites, did I ever say to any of their leaders^[a] whom I commanded to shepherd my people, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?”’
⁷ “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the flock, and appointed you ruler over my people Israel. ⁸ I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men on earth. ⁹ And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning ¹⁰ and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.
“‘I declare to you that the Lord will build a house for you: ¹¹ When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹² He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³ I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. ¹⁴ I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’”

¹⁵ Nathan reported to David all the words of this entire revelation.

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    大衛真是一位愛主的君王，想到自己住在皇宮之中，然而耶和華上帝的約櫃卻停在會幕之中，是在帳棚裡頭。也因為這樣就對先知拿單說：「看哪，我住在香柏木的宮中，耶和華的約櫃反在幔子裡。」

    先知以為上帝會喜歡大衛這樣做，就回答大衛：「你可以照你的心意而行，因為上帝與你同在。」

    雖然如此，上帝仍然透過先知拿單，告訴大衛說：「你不可建造殿宇給我居住。自從我領以色列人出埃及，直到今日，我未曾住過殿宇，乃從這會幕到那會幕，從這帳幕到那帳幕。凡我同以色列人所走的地方，我何曾向以色列的一個士師，就是我吩咐牧養我民的說：你為何不給我建造香柏木的殿宇呢？」(4-5 節)

    上帝卻應許：「我必治服你的一切仇敵，並且我─耶和華應許你，必為你建立家室。你壽數滿足歸你列祖的時候，我必使你的後裔接續你的位，我也必堅定他的國。他必為我建造殿宇；我必堅定他的國位直到永遠。我要作他的父，他要作我的子；並不使我的慈愛離開他，像離開在你以前的掃羅一樣。我卻要將他永遠堅立在我家裡和我國裡；他的國位也必堅定，直到永遠。」（10-14節）

    而在先知拿單所領受的話語中，可以看見上帝的權能，王的設立與廢除都是在乎上帝的手中，人只有存敬畏的心來領受的引導！