aNow when Solomon had finished
praying
, bfire
came
down
from heaven
and consumed
the burnt
offering
and the sacrifices
, and the glory
of the LORD
filled
the house
.
aThe priests could
not enter
into the house
of the LORD
because
the glory
of the LORD
filled
the LORD'S
house
.
All the sons
of Israel
, seeing
the fire
come
down
and the glory
of the LORD
upon the house
, bowed
down
on the pavement
with their faces
to the ground
, and they worshiped
and gave
praise
to the LORD
, saying, " aTruly
He is good
, truly
His lovingkindness
is everlasting
."
aThen the king and all
the people
offered
sacrifice
before
the LORD
.
King Solomon
offered
a sacrifice
of 22,000
oxen
and 120,000
sheep
. Thus the king
and all
the people
dedicated
the house
of God
.
The priests stood
at their posts
, and athe Levites
also, with the instruments
of music
to the LORD
, which
King
David
had made
for giving
praise
to the LORD
--"for His lovingkindness
is everlasting
"--whenever 1he gave
praise
by their 2means
, while bthe priests
on the other
side
blew
trumpets
; and all
Israel
was standing
.
aThen Solomon consecrated
the middle
of the court
that was before
the house
of the LORD
, for there
he offered
the burnt
offerings
and the fat
of the peace
offerings
because
the bronze
altar
which
Solomon
had made
was not able
to contain
the burnt
offering
, the grain offering
and the fat
.
So aSolomon observed
the feast
at that time
for seven
days
, and all
Israel
with him, a very
great
assembly
who came from the entrance
of Hamath
to the bbrook
of Egypt
.
On the eighth day
they held
aa solemn
assembly
, for the dedication
of the altar
they observed
seven
days
and the feast
seven
days
.
Then on the twenty-third day
of the seventh
month
he sent
the people
to their tents
, rejoicing
and happy
of heart
because
of the goodness
that the LORD
had shown
to David
and to Solomon
and to His people
Israel
.
aThus Solomon finished
the house
of the LORD
and the king's
palace
, and successfully
completed
all
that 1he had planned
on doing
in the house
of the LORD
and in his palace
.
Then the LORD appeared
to Solomon
at night
and said
to him, "I have heard
your prayer
and ahave chosen
this
place
for Myself as a house
of sacrifice
.
" aIf I shut
up the heavens
so that there is no
rain
, or if
I command
the locust
to devour
the land
, or if
I send
pestilence
among My people
,
aand My people 1who
are called
by My name
humble
themselves and pray
and seek
My face
and turn
from their wicked
ways
, then I will hear
from heaven
, will forgive
their sin
and will heal
their land
.
" aNow My eyes
will be open
and My ears
attentive
to the 1prayer
offered in this
place
.
"For anow I have chosen
and consecrated
this
house
that My name
may be there
forever
, and My eyes
and My heart
will be there
perpetually
.
"As for you, if you walk
before
Me as your father
David
walked
, even to do
according to all
that I have commanded
you, and will keep
My statutes
and My ordinances
,
then I will establish your royal
throne
as I covenanted
with your father
David
, saying
, ` 1 aYou shall not lack
a man
to be ruler
in Israel
.'
" aBut if you turn
away
and forsake
My statutes
and My commandments
which
I have set
before
you, and go
and serve
other
gods
and worship
them,
athen I will uproot you from My land
which
I have given
1you, and this
house
which
I have consecrated
for My name
I will cast
out of My sight
and I will make
it ba proverb
and a byword
among all
peoples
.
"As for this house
, which
was exalted
, everyone
who passes
by it will be astonished
and say
, ` aWhy
has the LORD
done
thus
to this
land
and to this
house
?'
"And they will say, `Because
athey forsook
the LORD
, the God
of their fathers
who
brought
them from the land
of Egypt
, and they adopted
other
gods
and worshiped
them and served
them; therefore
He has brought
all
this
adversity
on them.' "