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1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the Lord had given him rest round about from all his enemies;

2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the Lord is with thee.

4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying,

5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in?

6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle.

7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel:

9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.

10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,

11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house.

12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.

13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.

14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee.

16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.

17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.

18 Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

19 And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord God; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord God?

20 And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord God, knowest thy servant.

21 For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them.

22 Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

23 And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods?

24 For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee for ever: and thou, Lord, art become their God.

25 And now, O Lord God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.

26 And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee.

27 For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

28 And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:

29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord God, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.

<html><b>And Hashem granted him rest.</b> [Dovid] said [The condition] has been fulfilled, “And He has granted you peace from all your enemies etc.” (Devarim 12:10). What is written after [that verse]? “Let it be that the place that [Hashem, your Elokim] chooses etc.” It is now [incumbent] upon us to build the Chosen House.</html>

<html><b>And it was on that night.</b> Rebbe Chanina, the son of Popoh said the Holy One blessed be He said to Nosson, “The man I am sending you to is a quick one, he may hire workers and it will turn out that I [cause] him loss.¹<i class=“footnote”>Because it is premature to build the Bein Hamikdash at this time.</i> Hurry and tell him, 'It is not you who will build the Temple'.” Rebbe Simon says²<i class=“footnote”>That Hashem said to Noson.</i> “The man I am sending you to is a vow maker” as it is said,³<i class=“footnote”>Dovid about himself.</i> “Who has sworn to Adonoy, vowed to the Mighty One of Yakov Surely I will not enter the shelter of my house”⁴<i class=“footnote”>Rashi explains in Tehilim, verse 5 that Dovid meant he will not go into his house until he finds out in which location the Beis Hamikdosh is slated to be built.</i> (Tehilim 132 2–3) “he may say, 'I will not eat, I will not drink until I do this'⁵<i class=“footnote”>i.e. build the Beis Hamikdash.</i> and it will turn out that I [cause] him loss.⁶<i class=“footnote”>Slightly different versions of the opinions of Rebbe Chanina and Rebbe Simon can be found in Yalkut Shimoni, Shmuel II, 143.</i></html>

<html><b>Within a tent and the Mishkan.</b> The Mishkan of Shiloh had no roof, it had walls made of stone underneath and curtains on top [as its covering].</html>

<html><b>Have I said a word.</b> This language [conveys] astonishment, that's why its punctuation has the Hei with a Kometz, and the Daled is soft [with a Dogesh].</html>

<html><b>From the corral.</b> The corral [used by] sheperds as [can be found], “the dugout dwelling of sheperds.” (Zfsaphania, 2:6).</html>

<html><b>Like the name of great people.</b> That is what is said [about Dovid] the shield of Dovid.⁷<i class=“footnote”>Pesachim 117b. The “great people” referred to here are Avrohom, Yitzhok and Yakov. Just as they are mentioned in the first blessing of the Amidah, so too Dovid’s name is used in the ending of one of the Haftorah’s concluding blessings. (Rashi, ibid).</i> <b>I will destroy all your enemies.</b> And that is why [the thought] came to your heart to build the House as it is written in the Torah.⁸<i class=“footnote”>Devarim 12:10. See Rashi on verse 1.</i></html>

<html><b>I will make a place.</b> I still want to quiet [things] that my people [should have] quiet and tranquility during the days of your son['s reign].</html>

<html><b>And from that day that I commanded.</b> It is connected to what preceded it, they will no longer afflict [the people] as before, i.e., before the [days of the] Judges. And as they [also] did from the days of the Judges until now. <b>I will give you respite.</b> More and more until you have respite from all your enemies. <b>Adonoy is telling you.</b> Today, through me [Noson], that He will establish a monarchy for you to have your son [Shlomo] sit on your throne and he will secure the monarchy for you. And it is he [Shlomo] that will build the House</html>

<html><b>With the rod of men.</b> This refers to Haddad and Rozon, the son of Elyodoh.⁹<i class=“footnote”>Both were enemies of Shlomo, they are mentioned in Kings I, 11:14 and 23 respectively.</i> <b>And with the afflictions of people.</b> This refers to Ashmedoy who dethroned him.¹⁰<i class=“footnote”>Gittin 68b.</i> The demons are the children of Odom Horishon¹¹<i class=“footnote”>See Yalkut Shimoni 146. The word <span>אָדָם</span> in the verse is taken as a reference to Odom Horishon.</i> because the entire one hundred and thirty years that Odom [stayed] separated from his wife after Hevel's death,¹²<i class=“footnote”>Rashi in Bereishis 4:25 says that the Odom’s separation was due to the fact that he had brought death, to the world. The Yalkut Shimoni does not mention why the separation occurred. In addition the Yalkut Shimoni tells as that it was Chava who separated herself from Odom.</i> the spirits would become heated [pregnant] and give birth from him.</html>

<html><b>And sat before the Ark of Adonoy.</b> Before the Ark. <b>Until this point.</b> That You have made me king.</html>

<html><b>Also, about the house of your servant.</b> To have my son reign after me. <b>Is this anouncent [fitting] for [mere] man?</b> A wonderment. Is it fitting to announce such to [mere] flesh and blood¹³<i class=“footnote”>To be informed of the future.</i> Another explanation: You have done for me as you did for Odom Horishon¹⁴<i class=“footnote”>According to this interpretation, the word <span>אָדָם</span> in the verse is a reference to <span>אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן</span>.</i> that you had shown him the future generations that were to come from him.</html>

<html><b>What more can Dovid say to You.</b> What more can I ask for? <b>You know Your servant.</b> You have supplied me with all my needs as [it says] (Mishlei 12:10) “A righteous man knows his animal's being.¹⁵<i class=“footnote”>The verse refers to a righteous person but Rashi is drawing an analogy to Hashem’s knowing the needs of his servants.</i>”</html>

<html><b>Because of Your word.</b> To fulfill that which You told Shmuel to make me king. <b>And due to [the will of] Your Heart.</b> It is Your will [that I become king] and not because I am worthy. <b>Of which You have informed Your servant.</b> The announcement of which You have informed me.¹⁶<i class=“footnote”>That my kingdom will be everlasting.</i></html>

<html><b>For whom leaders went.</b> Moshe and Aharon as it is said, (Shemos 7:1). “I have made you a judge over Pharaoh” and so too did Yonasan translate, “messengers went from before Hashem.” <b>To redeem for Him a people.</b> This is what the messengers said to Yisroel, The Holy One, blessed is he sent us to redeem for Him a people, to put forth His Name and to make great [things happen] for you. <b>Awesome things</b> You have done for your land after [Bnei Yisroel] left there [i.e., Egypt]. And what are the awesome things? From before Your people You expelled nations and their gods. This verse is missing [the word] ”<span>לגרש</span>“, [however] in Divrei Hayomim (I 17:21) it explains, “To expel from before Your people that You redeemed from Egypt, nations and their gods.” [Our verse] isn't [really] missing [this word] because from the sense conveyed as it is said, “From before Your people, nations” we understand that it means pushed and driven out.</html>

<html><b>You are the Elokim.</b> The ruler. The ability to fulfill [this promise] is in Your Hand.</html>

<html><b>Desire.</b> Desire.</html>