1 Then Solomon said: The LORD said He would dwell in thick darkness,
2 but I have built an exalted temple for You, a place for Your residence forever.
3 Then the king turned and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing.
4 He said: May the LORD God of Israel be praised! 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, 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.
6 But I have chosen Jerusalem so that My name will be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.”
7 Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of •Yahweh, the God of Israel.
8 However, Yahweh 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.
9 Yet, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own offspring , will build the temple for My name.”
10 So Yahweh has fulfilled what He promised. I have taken the place of my father David and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised. I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
11 I have put the ark there, where Yahweh’s covenant is that He made with the Israelites .
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands.
13 For Solomon had made a bronze platform 7 1/2 feet long, 7 1/2 feet wide, and 4 1/2 feet high and put it in the court. He stood on it, knelt down in front of the entire congregation of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.
14 He said: LORD God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth, keeping His gracious covenant with Your servants who walk before You with their whole heart.
15 You 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 .
16 Therefore , 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, if only your sons guard their way to walk in My Law as you have walked before Me.”
17 Now, LORD God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant David.
18 But will God indeed live on earth with man ? Even heaven, the highest heaven , cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.
19 Listen 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,
20 so that Your eyes watch over this temple day and night, toward the place where You said You would put Your name; and so that You may hear the prayer Your servant prays toward this place.
21 Hear 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.
