Solomon Blesses the LORD
Then Solomon said: “The LORD has said he would dwell in the thick darkness.
And I have built you an exalted house — a fixed place for your dwelling forever.”
And the king turned his face and blessed all the assembly of Israel — and all the assembly of Israel was standing.
And he said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David my father, and with his hands has fulfilled it, saying:
‘From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house, for my name to be there; and I chose no man to be leader over my people Israel.
But I have chosen Jerusalem, for my name to be there; and I have chosen David, to be over my people Israel.’
And it was with the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
But the LORD said to David my father: ‘Because it was with your heart to build a house for my name, you did well, that it was with your heart.
Only, you shall not build the house — but your son, who will come out from your loins, he shall build the house for my name.’
And the LORD has made his word stand, which he spoke; and I have risen in the place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD spoke, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
And I have set there the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD, which he cut with the sons of Israel.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
And he stood before the altar of the LORD, in front of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his palms.
For Solomon had made a platform of bronze and set it in the middle of the enclosure — five cubits its length, and five cubits its width, and three cubits its height; and he stood on it, and knelt on his knees in front of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his palms toward the heavens,
and said: “LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in the heavens or in the earth — keeping the covenant and the loyal love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart —
who have kept for your servant David my father what you spoke to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand you have fulfilled it, as on this day.
And now, LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you spoke to him, saying: ‘There shall not be cut off for you a man from before me, sitting on the throne of Israel — only if your sons keep their way, to walk in my instruction as you have walked before me.’
And now, LORD, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you spoke to your servant, to David.
For will God really dwell with humankind on the earth? Look — the heavens, and the heavens of the heavens, cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!
Yet turn to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, LORD my God, to hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying before you:
that your eyes may be open toward this house day and night — toward the place where you said you would set your name — to hear the prayer that your servant prays toward this place.
And hear the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And may you hear from the place of your dwelling, from the heavens — and when you hear, forgive.
If a man sins against his neighbor, and an oath is laid on him, making him swear, and the oath comes before your altar in this house,
then may you hear from the heavens, and act, and judge your servants — repaying the wicked, bringing his way on his own head, and vindicating the righteous, giving to him according to his righteousness.
And if your people Israel are struck down before an enemy because they have sinned against you, and they turn back and confess your name, and pray and plead before you in this house,
then may you hear from the heavens, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil that you gave to them and to their fathers.
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 — turning back from their sin because you afflict them —
then may you hear in the heavens, and forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel — for you teach them the good way in which they should walk — and give rain on your land, which you gave to your people as an inheritance.
If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, locust or devourer; if their enemies besiege them in the land of their gates — any plague and any sickness —
any prayer, any plea that any human being has, or all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own pain, and he spreads out his palms toward this house —
then may you hear from the heavens, the fixed place of your dwelling, and forgive; and give to each man according to all his ways, as you know his heart — for you alone know the heart of the sons of humankind —
so that they may fear you, to walk in your ways, all the days that they live on the face of the soil that you gave to our fathers.
And also the foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, and comes from a far land for the sake of your great name and your strong hand and your outstretched arm — when they come and pray toward this house,
then may you hear from the heavens, from the fixed place of your dwelling, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you — so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, like your people Israel, and know that your name is called over this house that I have built.
When your people go out to war against their enemies, by the way that you send them, and they pray to you toward this city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name,
then may you hear from the heavens their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.
When they sin against you — for there is no human who does not sin — and you are angry with them, and give them over before an enemy, and their captors carry them captive to a land far or near,
and they turn it back to their heart in the land where they were taken captive, and turn back, and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, and we have acted wickedly’ —
and they turn back to you with all their heart and with all their soul, in the land of their captivity where they were carried captive, and pray toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, and the city that you have chosen, and toward the house that I have built for your name —
then may you hear from the heavens, from the fixed place of your dwelling, their prayer and their pleas, and uphold their cause; and forgive your people who have sinned against you.
Now, my God — let your eyes, please, be open, and your ears attentive, to the prayer of this place.
And now, rise, LORD God, to your resting place — you, and the ark of your strength. Let your priests, LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let your faithful ones rejoice in the good.
LORD God, do not turn away the face of your anointed. Remember the loyal love shown to David your servant.”