Study Desk

1 Chronicles 17:16-27">[xr] Then King David went in and sat before the LORD; and he said: "Who am I, O Lord GOD? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?

And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord GOD; and You have also spoken of Your servant's house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD?

Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord GOD, know Your servant.

Therefore You are great, O Lord God. [fn] For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name--and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land--before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods?

For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God.

"Now, O LORD God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said.

So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, "The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel.' And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.

For You, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, "I will build you a house.' Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.

"And now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.

Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord GOD, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever."

Then the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet."

Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the LORD do what is good in His sight."

Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.

David therefore pleaded with God for the child, and David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.

Then she said, "Please let the king remember the LORD your God, and do not permit the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son." And he said, "As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground."

So the woman said: "Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again.

For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him.

For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.'

Your maidservant said, "The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you."'