aThen Solomon
said
, "The LORD
has said
that He would dwell
in the thick
cloud
.
"I have built You a lofty
house
, And a place
for Your dwelling
forever
."
Then the king 1faced
about
and blessed
all
the assembly
of Israel
, while all
the assembly
of Israel
was standing
.
He said, "Blessed
be the LORD
, the God
of Israel
, who
spoke
with His mouth
to my father
David
and has fulfilled
it with His hands
, saying
,
`Since the day
that I brought
My people
from the land
of Egypt
, I did not choose
a city
out of all
the tribes
of Israel
in which to build
a house
that My name
might be there
, nor
did I choose
any
man
for a leader
over
My people
Israel
;
but aI have chosen Jerusalem
that My name
might be there
, and I bhave chosen
David
to be over
My people
Israel
.'
" aNow it was 1in the heart of my father
David
to build
a house
for the name
of the LORD
, the God
of Israel
.
"But the LORD said
to my father
David
, `Because
it was 1in your heart
to build
a house
for My name
, you did
well
that it was 1in your heart
.
`Nevertheless you shall not build
the house
, but your son
who 1will be born
to you, he shall build
the house
for My name
.'
"Now the LORD has fulfilled
His word
which
He spoke
; for I have risen
in the place
of my father
David
and sit
on the throne
of Israel
, as the LORD
1promised
, and have built
the house
for the name
of the LORD
, the God
of Israel
.
"There I have set
the ark
ain which
is the covenant
of the LORD
, which
He made
with the sons
of Israel
."
Then he stood before
the altar
of the LORD
in the presence
of all
the assembly
of Israel
and spread
out his hands
.
aNow Solomon
had made
a bronze
platform
, five
cubits
long
, five
cubits
wide
and three
cubits
high
, and had set
it in the midst
of the court
; and he stood
on it, bknelt
on his knees
in the presence
of all
the assembly
of Israel
and spread
out his hands
toward heaven
.
He said, "O LORD
, the God
of Israel
, athere
is no
god
like
You in heaven
or on earth
, bkeeping
covenant
and showing lovingkindness
to Your servants
who walk
before
You with all
their heart
;
awho has kept
with Your servant
David
, my father
, that which
You have 1promised
him; indeed You have spoken
with Your mouth
and have fulfilled
it with Your hand
, as it is this
day
.
"Now therefore, O LORD
, the God
of Israel
, keep
with Your servant
David
, my father
, that which
You have 1promised
him, saying
, ` 2 aYou shall not lack
a man
to sit
on the throne
of Israel
, if
only
your sons
take
heed
to their way
, to walk
in My law
as you have walked
before
Me.'
"Now therefore, O LORD
, the God
of Israel
, let Your word
be confirmed
which
You have spoken
to Your servant
David
.
"But awill God indeed
dwell
with mankind
on the earth
? Behold
, bheaven
and the 1highest
heaven
cannot
contain
You; how
much
less
this
house
which
I have built
.
"Yet have regard
to the prayer
of Your servant
and to his supplication
, O LORD
my God
, to listen
to the cry
and to the prayer
which
Your servant
prays
before
You;
that Your aeye may be open
toward
this
house
day
and night
, toward
bthe place
of which
You have said
that You would put
Your name
there
, to listen
to the prayer
which
Your servant
shall pray
toward
this
place
.
"Listen to the supplications
of Your servant
and of Your people
Israel
when
they pray
toward
this
place
; hear
from Your dwelling
place
, from heaven
; ahear
and forgive
.
"If a man
sins
against his neighbor
and is made
to take
an oath
, and he comes
and takes
an oath
before
Your altar
in this
house
,
then hear from heaven
and act
and judge
Your servants
, 1 apunishing
the wicked
by bringing
his way
on his own head
and justifying
the righteous
by giving
him according to his righteousness
.
"If Your people
Israel
1are defeated
before
an enemy
because
athey have sinned
against You, and they return
to You and confess
Your name
, and pray
and make
supplication
before
You in this
house
,
then hear from heaven
and forgive
the sin
of Your people
Israel
, and bring
them back
to the land
which
You have given
to them and to their fathers
.
"When the aheavens are shut
up and there is no
rain
because
they have sinned
against You, and they pray
toward
this
place
and confess
Your name
, and turn
from their sin
when
You afflict
them;
then hear in heaven
and forgive
the sin
of Your servants
and Your people
Israel
, indeed
, ateach
them the good
way
in which
they should walk
. And send
rain
on Your land
which
You have given
to Your people
for an inheritance
.
"If there is afamine
in the land
, if
there is pestilence
, if
there is blight
or mildew
, if
there is locust
or grasshopper
, if
their enemies
besiege
them in the land
of their 1cities
, whatever
plague
or whatever
sickness
there is,
whatever prayer
or supplication
is made
by any
man
or by all
Your people
Israel
, 1each
knowing
his own affliction
and his own pain
, and spreading
his hands
toward
this
house
,
then hear from heaven
Your dwelling
place
, and forgive
, and render
to each
according to all
his ways
, whose
heart
You know
afor You alone
know
the hearts
of the sons
of men
,
that they may 1fear You, to walk
in Your ways
2as long
as they live
in the land
which
You have given
to our fathers
.
"Also concerning
athe foreigner
who
is not from Your people
Israel
, when he comes
from a far
country
for Your great
name's
sake
and Your mighty
hand
and Your outstretched
arm
, when they come
and pray
toward
this
house
,
then hear from heaven
, from Your dwelling
place
, and do
according to all
for which
the foreigner
calls
to You, in order
that all
the peoples
of the earth
may know
Your name
, and 1fear
You as do Your people
Israel
, and that they may know
that 2this
house
which
I have built
is acalled
by Your name
.
"When Your people
go
out to battle
against
their enemies
, by whatever
way
You shall send
them, and they pray
to You toward
this
city
which
You have chosen
and the house
which
I have built
for Your name
,
then hear from heaven
their prayer
and their supplication
, and maintain
their cause
.
"When they sin
against You ( afor there
is no
man
who
does not sin
) and You are angry
with them and deliver
them to an enemy
, so that 1they take
them away captive
to a land
far
off or
near
,
if they 1take thought
in the land
where
they are taken
captive
, and repent
and make
supplication
to You in the land
of their captivity
, saying
, `We have sinned
, we have committed
iniquity
and have acted
wickedly
';
aif they return to You with all
their heart
and with all
their soul
in the land
of their captivity
, where
they have been taken
captive
, and pray
toward
their land
which
You have given
to their fathers
and the city
which
You have chosen
, and toward the house
which
I have built
for Your name
,
then hear from heaven
, from Your dwelling
place
, their prayer
and supplications
, and maintain
their cause
and forgive
Your people
who
have sinned
against You.
"Now, O my God
, I pray
, alet Your eyes
be open
and bYour ears
attentive
to the prayer
offered in this
place
.
" aNow therefore arise
, O LORD
God
, to Your resting
place
, You and the ark
of Your might
; let Your priests
, O LORD
God
, be clothed
with salvation
and let Your godly
ones
rejoice
in what
is good
.
"O LORD God
, do not turn
away
the face
of Your anointed
; aremember
Your lovingkindness
to Your servant
David
."