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.
The king said to Nathan the prophet, 'Look, I'm living in a beautiful cedar house, but God's ark is still kept in a tent.'
King David is telling the prophet Nathan that he feels uncomfortable living in luxury while God's sacred ark remains in a simple tent.
📚 Historical Context
David had recently established Jerusalem as his capital and built himself a palace made of expensive cedar wood. The ark of the covenant, representing God's presence with Israel, was still housed in the portable tabernacle tent that had been used since the wilderness wanderings after leaving Egypt. This was around 1000 BC, when Israel had finally settled in the Promised Land and David wanted to honor God with a permanent temple.
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