But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, giving him a message for the king. David was to be deprived of the privilege of building a house for God, but he was granted an assurance of the divine favor to him, to his posterity, and to the kingdom of Israel: "Thus saith Jehovah of hosts; I took thee 712 from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people, over Israel; 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. 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."

Samme nat modtog Natan et budskab fra Herren til kongen. David måtte ikke bygge et hus til Gud, men han fik et løfte om, at Gud ville være med ham, hans slægt og det israelitiske rige. "Så siger hærskarers Herre: Jeg tog dig fra græsgangen, fra din plads bag småkvæget til at være fyrste over mit folk Israel, og jeg var med dig, overalt hvor du færdedes, og udryddede alle dine fjender foran dig; jeg vil skabe dig et navn som de størstes på jorden og skaffe mit folk Israel en hjemstavn og plante det, så det kan blive boende på sit sted uden mere at skulle forstyrres i sin ro, og uden at voldsmænd mere skal plage det som tidligere."