Solomon’s Dedication of the Temple

1Then Solomon said:a

The Lord said he would dwell in total darkness,b

2but I have built an exalted temple for you,

a place for your dwelling forever.

3Then the king turned and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing. 4He said:

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel!

He spoke directly to my father David,

and he has fulfilled the promise

by his power.

He said,

5“Since the day I brought my people Israel

out of the land of Egypt,a

I have not chosen a city to build a temple in

among any of the tribes of Israel,

so that my name would be there,

and I have not chosen a man

to be ruler over my people Israel.

6But I have chosen Jerusalem

so that my name will be there,a

and I have chosen David

to be over my people Israel.”b

7My father David had his heart set

on building a temple for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.a

8However, the Lord said to my father David,

“Since it was your desire to build a temple for my name,

you have done well to have this desire.

9Yet, you are not the one to build the temple,

but your son, your own offspring,

will build the temple for my name.”

10So the Lord has fulfilled what he promised.

I have taken the place of my father David

and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised.

I have built the temple for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

11I have put the ark there,

where the Lord’s covenant is

that he made with the Israelites.a

Solomon’s Prayer

12Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands. 13For Solomon had made a bronze platform 7 1/2 feetA long, 7 1/2 feet wide, and 4 1/2 feetB high and put it in the court. He stood on it,a knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.b 14He said:

Lord God of Israel,

there is no God like you

in heaven or on earth,a

who keeps his gracious covenant

with your servants who walk before you

with all their heart.b

15You have kept what you promised

to your servant, my father David.

You spoke directly to him,

and you fulfilled your promise by your power,

as it is today.a

16Therefore, Lord God of Israel,

keep what you promised

to your servant, my father David:

“You will never fail to have a man

to sit before me on the throne of Israel,a

if only your sons take care to walk in my Law

as you have walked before me.”

17Now, Lord God of Israel, please confirm

what you promised to your servant David.

18But will God indeed live on earth with humans?

Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you,a

much less this temple I have built.

19ListenA to your servant’s prayer and his petition,

Lord my God,

so that you may hear the cry and the prayer

that your servant prays before you,

20so that your eyes watch over this temple

day and night,

toward the place where you said

you would put your name;a

and so that you may hear the prayer

your servant prays toward this place.

21Hear the petitions of your servant

and your people Israel,

which they pray toward this place.

May you hear in your dwelling place in heaven.

May you hear and forgive.

22If a man sins against his neighbor

and is forced to take an oathA

and he comes to take an oath

before your altar in this temple,

23may you hear in heaven and act.

May you judge your servants,

condemning the wicked man by bringing

what he has done on his own head

and providing justice for the righteous

by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

24If your people Israel are defeated before an enemy,

because they have sinned against you,

and they return to you and praise your name,

and they pray and plead for mercy

before you in this temple,

25may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your people Israel.

May you restore them to the land

you gave them and their ancestors.

26When the skies are shut and there is no rain

because they have sinned against you,

and they pray toward this place

and praise your name,

and they turn from their sins

because you are afflictinga a them,

27may you hear in heaven

and forgive the sin of your servants

and your people Israel,

so that you may teach them the good way

they should walk in.

May you send rain on your land

that you gave your people for an inheritance.

28When there is famine in the land,

when there is pestilence,

when there is blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper,

when their enemies besiege them

in the land and its cities,a B a

when there is any plague or illness,

29every prayer or petition

that any person or that all your people Israel may have —

they each know their own afflictionA and suffering —

as they spread out their hands toward this temple,

30may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,

and may you forgive and give to everyoneA

according to all their ways, since you know each heart,

for you alone know the human heart,a

31so that they may fear you

and walk in your ways

all the days they live on the land

you gave our ancestors.

32Even for the foreigner who is not of your people Israel

but has come from a distant land

because of your great name

and your strong hand and outstretched arm:a

when he comes and prays toward this temple,

33may you hear in heaven in your dwelling place,

and do all the foreigner asks you.

Then all the peoples of the earth will know your name,

to fear you as your people Israel do

and know that this temple I have built

bears your name.a

34When your people go out to fight against their enemies,

wherever you send them,

and they pray to you

in the direction of this city you have chosena

and the temple that I have built for your name,

35may you hear their prayer and petition in heaven

and uphold their cause.

36When they sin against you —

for there is no one who does not sina —

and you are angry with them

and hand them over to the enemy,

and their captors deport them

to a distant or nearby country,

37and when they come to their senses

in the land where they were deported

and repent and petition you in their captors’ land,

saying, “We have sinned and done wrong;

we have been wicked,”

38and when they return to you with all their mind and all their heart

in the land of their captivity where they were taken captive,

and when they pray in the direction of their land

that you gave their ancestors,

and the city you have chosen,

and toward the temple I have built for your name,

39may you hear their prayer and petitions in heaven,

your dwelling place,

and uphold their cause.A

May you forgive your people

who sinned against you.

40Now, my God,

please let your eyes be open

and your ears attentive

to the prayer of this place.a

41Now therefore:a

Arise, Lord God, come to your resting place,

you and your powerful ark.

May your priests, Lord God, be clothed with salvation,

and may your faithful people rejoice in goodness.

42Lord God, do not reject your anointed one;A

remember your servant David’s acts of faithful love.a