Go and tell my servant David …: In many languages the structure of verses 4-14 may be very complicated if translated literally. Verse 4a contains God’s words to Nathan. Verses 4b-6 and 7b-14 contain the words that God tells Nathan to speak to David. Some of these direct discourse elements will have to be made indirect in certain languages if the resulting translation is to sound natural. Contemporary English Version provides a possible model for verses 3 and 4a, saying “3 That night, the LORD told Nathan 4 to go to David and tell him:….”
Thus says the LORD: This formula is used many times in the Old Testament to introduce a solemn message directly from God–especially in the prophets. Some other possible models are “This is the word of the LORD” (Revised English Bible) and “Listen to what the LORD has said.”
You shall not build me a house to dwell in: It is possible to understand God’s words here to mean that no one is to build a temple for God, but verse 12 makes it clear that God expects one of David’s sons to build him a temple. So the point of God’s words here is that he does not want David to build him a temple. The pronoun You is singular and is directed to David as an individual. It may be interpreted as being emphatic since an independent pronoun is used in Hebrew. It seems to carry the idea expressed in Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New International Version and New Living Translation: “You are not the one….” The same sort of emphasis is seen in Revised English Bible: “It is not you who….” Compare also “As for you, you…” (Knoppers).
Verses 4-14 play on the double meaning of the Hebrew word translated house, which may mean “temple” or “descendants/dynasty.” Here, and in the next verse, a house clearly refers to “a temple” (Good News Translation, Moffatt, Biblia Dios Habla Hoy).
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Chronicles, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2014. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .