דברי הימים א, פרק י״ז, פסוק ט״ו

Delivering a message from God requires immense integrity, especially when that message contradicts a prophet's own previous advice to a king. The conclusion of Nathan's revelation brings a complex and deeply personal prophecy to King David. The prophetic vision received by Nathan occurred during the night, serving as the medium through which God revealed His will [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This divine message carried a mixture of news for the king. It delivered the difficult reality that David himself would not be the one to build the Temple, while simultaneously offering profound comfort by promising that David's royal line would endure and that his son would be the one to construct God's house [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

The delivery of this message highlights the prophet's remarkable honesty and absolute dedication to divine truth. Earlier, Nathan had fully supported David's desire to build the Temple, encouraging the king to follow his heart. However, upon receiving a direct message from God that contradicted this plan, Nathan did not hesitate or feel ashamed to retract his previous encouragement. He immediately went to the king to correct his earlier statement, proving his unwavering loyalty to God's word over his own pride [מצודת דוד].