1 T hen Solomon said, “The Lord has said that He would live in the thick cloud.

Then Solomon said, The Lord has said that He would dwell in the thick darkness;

2 I have built a great house for You. It is a place for You to live in forever.”

I have built You a house, a abode for You, a place for You to dwell in forever.

3 T hen the king turned around and prayed that good would come to all the people of Israel, while all the people of Israel stood.

And the king turned his face and blessed all the assembly of Israel, and they all stood.

4 S olomon said, “Honor and thanks be to the Lord, the God of Israel. He spoke with His mouth to my father David. And He has kept His promises with His hands, saying,

And he said, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has fulfilled with His hands what He promised with His mouth to David my father, saying,

5 ‘ Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the families of Israel in which to build a house for My name. I did not choose any man to be a leader over My people Israel.

Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that My Name might be there, neither chose I any man to be a ruler over My people Israel;

6 B ut I have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there. And I have chosen David to rule My people Israel.’

But I have chosen Jerusalem, that My Name might be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.

7 N ow it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the Name and renown of the Lord, the God of Israel.

8 B ut the Lord 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.

But the Lord said to David my father, Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name and renown, you did well that it was in your heart.

9 B ut you will not build the house. Your son who will be born to you will build the house for My name.’

Yet you shall not build the house, but your son, who shall be born to you—he shall build the house for My Name.

10 N ow the Lord has kept His promise which He made. For I have taken the place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. And I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

The Lord therefore has performed His word that He has spoken, for I have risen up in the place of David my father and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built the house for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel.

11 T here I have put the special box with the Law of the Lord which He gave to the people of Israel.” Solomon’s Prayer

In it have I put the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord which He made with the people of Israel.

12 T hen Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in front of all the people of Israel, and spread out his hands.

And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread forth his hands.

13 S olomon had made a special place to stand, out of brass. It was as long and as wide as three steps, and as high as a man’s chest. And he had put it in the center of the open space. He stood on it, then got down on his knees in front of all the people of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven.

For he had made a bronze scaffold, five cubits square and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; upon it he stood, and he knelt upon his knees before all the assembly of Israel and spread forth his hands toward heaven,

14 H e said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven or on earth. You keep Your promises and show loving-kindness to Your servants who walk with You with all their hearts.

And said, O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like You in the heavens or in the earth, keeping covenant and showing mercy and loving-kindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts,

15 Y ou have kept Your promises to Your servant David my father. Yes, You have spoken with Your mouth, and have done all You said You would do, as it is today.

You Who have kept Your promises to my father David and fulfilled with Your hand what You spoke with Your mouth, as it is today.

16 S o now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep Your promise which You made to Your servant David my father, saying, ‘You will never be without a man to sit on the throne of Israel. But your sons must be careful to walk in My Law, as you have done.’

Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You promised him, saying, There shall not fail a man in My sight to sit on the throne of Israel, provided your children are careful to walk in My law as you, David, have walked before Me.

17 S o now, O Lord, God of Israel, let Your Word be made sure which You have spoken to Your servant David.

Now then, O Lord, God of Israel, let Your word to Your servant David be verified.

18 “ But is it true that God will live with man on the earth? See, heaven and the highest heaven cannot hold You. How much less can this house hold You which I have built!

But will God actually dwell with men on the earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!

19 B ut respect the prayer of Your servant and what he asks of You, O Lord my God. Listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays to You.

Yet have respect for the prayer of Your servant and for his supplication, O Lord my God, to listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant prays before You,

20 M ay Your eyes be open day and night toward this house, the place where You have promised to put Your name. Listen to the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place.

That Your eyes may be open upon this house day and night, toward the place in which You have said You would put Your Name, to listen to and heed the prayer which Your servant prays facing this place.

21 L isten to what Your servant and Your people Israel ask for when they pray toward this place. Hear from the place where You live, from heaven. Hear and forgive.

So listen to and heed the requests of Your servant and Your people Israel which they shall make facing this place. Hear from Your dwelling place, heaven; and when You hear, forgive.

22 “ If a man sins against his neighbor, and has to make a promise, and he comes and makes a promise before Your altar in this house,

If a man sins against his neighbor, and he is required to take an oath, and the oath comes before Your altar in this house,

23 t hen hear from heaven, and act. Judge Your servants. Punish the sinful by bringing his actions on his own head. And make it known that the one who is right and good is not guilty. Bring good to him because he is right and good.

Then hear from heaven and do; and judge Your servants, requiting the wicked by bringing his conduct upon his own head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness (his uprightness and right standing with God).

24 “ If Your people Israel lose a battle against those who hate them, because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and tell of Your name, and pray and ask of You in this house,

If Your people Israel have been defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against You, and shall return, confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this house,

25 t hen listen to them from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. Bring them back to the land You have given to them and to their fathers.

Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel and bring them again to the land which You gave to them and their fathers.

26 “ When the heavens are shut up and give no rain because the people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and tell of Your name, and turn from their sin when You bring trouble to them,

When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, yet if they pray toward this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them,

27 t hen hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel. Teach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people.

Then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, when You have taught them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain upon Your land which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

28 “ If there is a time of no food in the land, and if there is a disease that kills the plants, or if there are locusts or grasshoppers, if those who hate Your people send armies to trap them in their cities, whatever trouble or sickness there is,

If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, blight, mildew, locusts, or caterpillars, if their enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever plague or sickness there may be,

29 h ear the prayer made by any man or by all Your people Israel. Each one will know his own trouble and his own pain. And when he spreads his hands toward this house,

Then whatever prayer or supplication any man or all of Your people Israel shall make—each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house—

30 t hen hear from heaven where You live, and forgive. Give to each man what he should have. For You, and only You, know the hearts of men.

Then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart You know; for You, You only, know men’s hearts,

31 M ay they fear You and walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land You have given to our fathers.

That they may fear You and walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.

32 “ If a stranger who is not from Your people Israel comes from a far country because of Your great name, Your powerful hand, and Your strong arm, when he comes and prays toward this house,

Also concerning the stranger who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a far country for Your great name’s sake and Your mighty power and Your outstretched arm—if he comes and prays toward this house,

33 h ear from heaven where You live. Do all that the stranger asks of You. Then all the people of the earth may know Your name and honor You with fear, as Your people Israel do. And then they may know that this house I have built is called by Your name.

Hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and do all for which the stranger calls to You, that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by Your Name.

34 “ When Your people go out to battle against those who hate them, by whatever way You send them, and they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the house I have built for Your name,

If Your people go out to war against their enemies by the way that You send them, and they pray to You facing this city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your Name,

35 t hen hear their prayer from heaven and help them.

Then hear from heaven their prayer and supplication, and maintain their cause.

36 “ When they sin against You, (for there is no man who does not sin), and You are angry with them and give them to those who hate them, they will be carried away against their will to a land far away or near.

If they sin against You—for there is no man who does not sin—and You are angry with them and give them to enemies who take them captive to a land far or near;

37 I f they think about it in the land where they have been taken, and are sorry for their sins and turn away from them and pray to You in the land where they have been taken, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have been bad and have done wrong.’

Yet if they repent in the land to which they have been carried captive, and turn and pray there, saying, We have sinned, we have done wrong, and have dealt wickedly;

38 I f they come back to You with all their heart and soul in the land where they have been taken and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers and toward the city You have chosen and toward the house I have built for Your name,

If they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity, and pray facing their land which You gave to their fathers and toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your Name;

39 t hen hear from heaven where You live. Hear their prayer and what they ask for, and help them. Forgive Your people who have sinned against You.

Then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and supplications, and maintain their cause; and forgive Your people, who have sinned against You.

40 “ Now, O my God, I ask You, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears listen to the prayer given in this place.

Now, O my God, I beseech You, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to the prayer offered in this temple.

41 N ow rise up, O Lord God. Go to Your resting place, You and the special box of Your power. O Lord God, let Your religious leaders be dressed in saving power. Let those who belong to You be filled with joy in what is good.

So now arise, O Lord God, and come into Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength and power. Let Your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your saints (Your zealous ones) rejoice in good and in Your goodness.

42 O Lord God, do not turn away the face of Your chosen one. Remember Your loving-kindness to Your servant David.”

O Lord God, turn not away the face of Your anointed one; remember Your good deeds, mercy, and steadfast love for David Your servant.