Solomon Blesses the People

1Then Solomon said,

“Yahweh has said that He would dwell in the cloud of dense gloom.

2Now I have built You a lofty house,

And a place for Your dwelling forever.”

3Then the king turned his face around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 4And he said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it by His hands, saying, 5‘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 ruler over My people Israel; 6but I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 7And it was [†]in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 8But Yahweh said to my father David, ‘Because it was [†]in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was [†]in your heart. 9Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who will come forth from your loins, he shall build the house for My name.’ 10And Yahweh has established His word which He spoke; and I have been established in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh [†]promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 11And there I have set the ark in which is the covenant of Yahweh, which He cut with the sons of Israel.”

Solomon’s Prayer for Israel

12Then he stood before the altar of Yahweh before all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13Now Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had put it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14And he said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and lovingkindness to Your slaves who walk before You with all their heart; 15who have kept with Your [†]servant David, my father, that which You have [†]promised him; indeed You have promised with Your mouth and have fulfilled it by Your hand, as it is this day. 16So now, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father, that which You have promised him, saying, ‘You shall not have a man cut off from before Me who is to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons keep their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ 17So now, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, let Your word truly [†]endure which You have spoken to Your servant David.

18“But will God truly dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, heaven and the [†]highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built. 19Yet have regard to the prayer of Your slave and to his supplication, O Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your slave prays before You; 20that Your eyes may be open toward this house day and night, toward the place of which You have said that You would place Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your slave shall pray toward this place. 21And listen to the supplications of Your slave and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; listen from Your dwelling place, from heaven; listen and forgive.

22“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, 23then listen from heaven and act and judge Your slaves, [†]punishing the wicked by [†]bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by [†]bringing him reward according to his righteousness.

24“And if Your people Israel are [†]defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they turn to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this house, 25then listen 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.

26“When the heavens 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; 27then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of Your slaves and of Your people Israel; indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And give rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

28“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is scorching wind or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their [†]cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, 29whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, who know his own affliction and his own pain, and spread his hands toward this house, 30then listen from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men, 31that they may [†]fear You, to walk in Your ways all the days they live upon the face of the land which You have given to our fathers.

32“Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, if he comes from a far country for Your great name’s sake and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm, so if they come and pray toward this house, 33then listen 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 even to [†]fear You, as do Your people Israel, and to know that Your name is called upon this house which I have built.

34“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, 35then listen from heaven to their prayer and their supplication, and do justice.

36“When they sin against You (for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and give them over to an enemy, so that [†]they take them away captive to a land far off or near, 37and if they cause these things to return to their heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and [†]return and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have committed iniquity and have acted wickedly’; 38and if 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, 39then listen from heaven, from Your dwelling place, to their prayer and supplications, and do justice for them and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.

40“Now, O my God, I pray, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

41“So now, arise, O Yahweh God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength; let Your priests, O Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation and let Your holy ones be glad in what is good.

42“O Yahweh God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; remember Your lovingkindness to Your servant David.”