December 18, 2011, First Reading

The Second Book of Samuel   7: 1-5, 8-12, 14, 16

7:1 Now it happened that, when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies,
7:2 he said to the prophet Nathan, “Do you not see that I live in a house of cedar, and that the ark of God has been placed in the midst of tent skins?”
7:3 And Nathan said to the king: “Go, do all that is in your heart. For the Lord is with you.”
7:4 But it happened in that night, behold, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
7:5 “Go, and say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build a house for me as a dwelling place?
7:8 And now, so shall you speak to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pastures, from following the sheep, so that you would be the leader over my people Israel.
7:9 And I have been with you everywhere that you walked. And I have slain all your enemies before your face. And I have made you a great name, beside the name of the great ones who are upon the earth.
7:10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and I will plant them, and they shall live there, and they shall no longer be disturbed. Neither shall the sons of iniquity continue to afflict them as before,
7:11 from the day when I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give rest to you from all your enemies. And the Lord foretells to you that the Lord himself will make a house for you.
7:12 And when your days will have been fulfilled, and you will sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will go forth from your loins, and I will make firm his kingdom.
7:14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he will commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the wounds of the sons of men.
7:16 And your house shall be faithful, and your kingdom shall be before your face, for eternity, and your throne shall be secure continuously.’ ”