📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 17:2
What does 1 Chronicles 17:2 mean?
"Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you.”"
— 1 Chronicles 17:2 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
When David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of Yahweh’s covenant is in a tent.”
Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart; for God is with you.”
That same night, the word of God came to Nathan, saying,
“Go and tell David my servant, ‘Yahweh says, “You shall not build me a house to dwell in;
for I have not lived in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tent to another.
Explanation
First Chronicles 17:2 records a brief but significant exchange between King David and the prophet Nathan. David had just settled into his royal palace and become troubled that he was living in comfort while the Ark of the Covenant, representing God's presence, remained housed only in a tent. He shared this concern with Nathan, expressing his desire to build a permanent temple for God. Nathan's reply here is simple and encouraging: "Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you." In plain language, Nathan is telling David to go ahead with his plan, since David's heart seemed sincerely devoted to honoring God, and Nathan assumed this reflected God's will.
The context matters greatly for understanding this verse correctly. First Chronicles was likely compiled after the Babylonian exile, drawing on earlier historical records, to remind the returning Jewish community of God's covenant faithfulness to David's
Compare translations
Go deeper with ScriptureCompanion AI
Ask questions about any verse, follow reading plans, write personal prayers, and track your daily habit — all grounded in verified scripture text.