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1 Kings 8-10
New American Standard Bible

The Ark Brought into the Temple

8 (A)Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all (B)the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, (C)to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from (D)the city of David, that is, Zion. 2 So all the men of Israel assembled themselves before King Solomon at (E)the feast, in the month Ethanim, that is, the seventh month. 3 Then all the elders of Israel came, and (F)the priests took up the ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, (G)the tent of meeting, and all the holy utensils which were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who were gathered together to him, (H)were with him before the ark, sacrificing [a]so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6 Then (I)the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord (J)to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the Most Holy Place, (K)under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its carrying poles from above. 8 But (L)the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; they are there to this day. 9 (M)There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where (N)the Lord made a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And it happened that when the priests came from the holy place, (O)the cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

Solomon Addresses the People

12 (P)Then Solomon said,

“The Lord has said that (Q)He would dwell in the thick darkness.
13 (R)I have truly built You a lofty house,
(S)A place for Your dwelling forever.”

14 Then the king [b]turned around and (T)blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15 He said, “(U)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, (V)who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and fulfilled it with His hands, saying, 16 ‘(W)Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house so that (X)My name would be there, but (Y)I chose David to be over My people Israel.’ 17 (Z)Now it was [c]in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Because it was [d]in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was [e]in your heart. 19 (AA)Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who [f]will be born to you, he will build the house for My name.’ 20 Now the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for (AB)I have risen in place of my father David and I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord [g]promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have set a place for the ark, (AC)in which is the covenant of the Lord, which He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

The Prayer of Dedication

22 Then (AD)Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and he (AE)spread out his hands toward heaven. 23 And he said, “Lord, God of Israel, (AF)there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth beneath, (AG)keeping the covenant and showing faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart, 24 You who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You [h]promised him; You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 25 Now then, Lord, God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have [i]promised him, saying, ‘[j](AH)You shall not be deprived of a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons are careful about their way, to walk before Me as you have walked.’ 26 Now then, God of Israel, let Your words, please, be confirmed, (AI)which You have spoken to Your servant, my father David.

27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, (AJ)heaven and the [k]highest heaven cannot contain You, how much less this house which I have built! 28 Nevertheless, turn Your attention to the (AK)prayer of Your servant and to his plea, Lord, my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You today, 29 (AL)so that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward (AM)the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your servant will pray toward this place. 30 And (AN)listen to the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel, (AO)when they pray toward this place; hear in heaven Your dwelling place; hear and (AP)forgive!

31 “(AQ)If a person sins against his neighbor and is compelled to take an oath of innocence, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge Your servants, (AR)condemning the wicked by [l]bringing his way on his own head, and acquitting the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

33 “(AS)When Your people Israel are [m]defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, (AT)if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and implore Your [n]favor in this house, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave their fathers.

35 “(AU)When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel; (AV)indeed, teach them the good way in which they are to walk. And (AW)provide rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.

37 “(AX)If there is a famine in the land, if there is a plague, if there is [o]blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy harasses them in the land of their [p]cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer or plea [q]is offered by any person or by all Your people Israel, [r]each knowing the affliction of his own heart, and spreading his [s]hands toward this house; 39 then hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive and act, and give to each in accordance with all his ways, (AY)whose heart You know—for (AZ)You alone know the hearts of all [t]mankind— 40 so that they will [u]fear You all the days that they live on the [v]land which You have given to our fathers.

41 “Also regarding the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country on account of Your name 42 (for they will hear of Your great name (BA)and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and act in accordance with all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order (BB)that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to [w]fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that [x]this house which I have built is called by Your name.

44 “When Your people go out to battle against [y]their enemy, by whatever way You send them, and (BC)they pray to the Lord [z]toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their pleading, and maintain their cause.

46 “When they sin against You (for (BD)there is no person who does not sin) and You are angry with them and turn them over to an enemy, so that [aa]they take them away captive (BE)to the land of the enemy, distant or near; 47 (BF)if they [ab]take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and implore Your [ac]favor in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘(BG)We have sinned and done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; 48 (BH)if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and (BI)pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name; 49 then hear their prayer and their pleading in heaven, Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their wrongdoings which they have committed against You, and (BJ)make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, so that they will have compassion on them 51 ((BK)for they are Your people and Your inheritance which You have brought out of Egypt, (BL)from the midst of the iron furnace), 52 (BM)so that Your eyes may be open to the pleading of Your servant and to the pleading of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53 For You have singled them out from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, (BN)just as You spoke through Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord [ad]God.”

Solomon’s Benediction

54 (BO)When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and plea to the Lord, (BP)he stood up from the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his [ae]hands spread toward heaven. 55 And he stood and (BQ)blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying:

56 “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel (BR)in accordance with everything that He [af]promised; (BS)not one word has [ag]failed of all His good [ah]promise, which He [ai]promised through Moses His servant. 57 May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; (BT)may He not leave us nor forsake us, 58 so that (BU)He may guide our hearts toward Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers. 59 And may these words of mine, with which I have implored the [aj]favor of the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, so that He will maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, [ak]as each day requires, 60 so (BV)that all the peoples of the earth may know that (BW)the Lord is God; there is no one else. 61 (BX)Your hearts therefore shall be [al]wholly devoted to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day.”

Dedicatory Sacrifices

62 (BY)Then the king and all Israel with him (BZ)offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63 And Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the Lord, twenty-two thousand oxen and 120,000 sheep. (CA)So the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 On the same day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was in front of the house of the Lord, because there he [am]offered the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat of the peace offerings; for (CB)the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to hold the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat of the peace offerings.

65 So (CC)Solomon held the [an]feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly (CD)from the entrance of Hamath (CE)to the brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, for seven days and seven more days, that is, fourteen days. 66 On the eighth day he dismissed the people, and they blessed the king. Then they went to their tents joyful and with happy hearts for all the goodness that the Lord had [ao]shown to David His servant, and to Israel His people.

God’s Promise and Warning

9 (CF)Now it came about when Solomon had finished building the house of the Lord and (CG)the king’s house, and (CH)all [ap]that Solomon desired to do, 2 that (CI)the Lord appeared to Solomon a second time, as He had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the Lord said to him, “(CJ)I have heard your prayer and your plea which you have offered before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built, (CK)by putting My name there forever, and (CL)My eyes and My heart will be there [aq]always. 4 As for you, (CM)if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and honesty, acting in accordance with everything that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My ordinances, 5 then (CN)I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, just as I [ar]promised to your father David, saying, ‘[as]You shall not be deprived of a man on the throne of Israel.’

6 “(CO)But if you or your sons indeed turn away from following Me, and do not keep My commandments and My statutes which I have placed before you, but you go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 (CP)then I will cut Israel off from the land which I have given them, and (CQ)the house which I have consecrated for My name, I will [at]expel from My sight. So (CR)Israel will become a saying and an object of derision among all peoples. 8 And this house will become (CS)a heap of ruins; everyone who passes by it will be appalled and [au]hiss and say, ‘(CT)Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and this house?’ 9 And they will say, ‘(CU)Because they abandoned the Lord their God, who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and they [av]adopted other gods and worshiped and served them, for that reason the Lord has brought all this adversity on them.’”

Cities Given to Hiram

10 (CV)Now it came about (CW)at the end of twenty years in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the Lord and the king’s house 11 (Hiram king of Tyre had supplied Solomon with cedar and juniper timber and gold, [aw]satisfying all his desire), that King Solomon then gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. 12 So Hiram left Tyre to see the cities which Solomon had given him, and they [ax]did not please him. 13 And he said, “What are these cities which you have given me, my brother?” So [ay]they have been called the land of [az](CX)Cabul to this day. 14 (CY)And Hiram sent to the king [ba]120 talents of gold.

15 Now this is the account of the forced labor which King Solomon (CZ)conscripted to build the house of the Lord, his own house, the [bb](DA)Millo, the wall of Jerusalem, (DB)Hazor, (DC)Megiddo, and (DD)Gezer. 16 For Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and overthrown Gezer and burned it with fire, and killed the (DE)Canaanites who lived in the city; and he had (DF)given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. 17 So Solomon rebuilt Gezer and the lower (DG)Beth-horon, 18 and (DH)Baalath and Tamar in the wilderness, in the land of Judah, 19 and all the storage cities which Solomon had, that is, (DI)the cities for [bc]his chariots and the cities for [bd](DJ)his horsemen, and [be](DK)everything that it pleased Solomon to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land [bf]under his rule. 20 As for all the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the sons of Israel, 21 (DL)their descendants who were left after them in the land, (DM)whom the sons of Israel were unable to completely eliminate, (DN)from them Solomon conscripted (DO)forced laborers, as they are to this day. 22 But Solomon (DP)did not make slaves of the sons of Israel; for they were men of war, his servants, his commanders, his charioteers, his chariot commanders, and his horsemen.

23 These were the [bg](DQ)chief officers who were in charge of Solomon’s work, 550, (DR)who ruled over the people doing the work.

24 As soon as (DS)Pharaoh’s daughter came up from the city of David to her house which Solomon had built for her, (DT)he then built the Millo.

25 Now (DU)three times a year Solomon offered burnt offerings and peace offerings on the altar which he had built for the Lord, burning incense with them on the altar which was before the Lord. So he finished the house.

26 King Solomon also built a (DV)fleet of ships in (DW)Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the [bh]Red Sea, in the land of Edom. 27 (DX)And Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who knew the sea, along with the servants of Solomon. 28 And they went to (DY)Ophir and received [bi]420 talents of gold from there, and brought it to King Solomon.

The Queen of Sheba

10 (DZ)Now when the (EA)queen of (EB)Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon in relation to the name of the Lord, she came (EC)to test him with riddles. 2 So she came to Jerusalem with a very large entourage, with camels (ED)carrying balsam oil and a very large quantity of gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she spoke to him about everything that was in her heart. 3 And Solomon [bj]answered all her questions; nothing was concealed from the king which he did not explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built, 5 and the food of his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their attire, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings which he offered at the house of the Lord, [bk]she was breathless. 6 Then she said to the king, “It was a true [bl]story that I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. 7 But I did not believe the [bm]stories until I came and my own eyes saw it all. And behold, the half of it was not reported to me. You have exceeded in wisdom and prosperity the report which I heard. 8 (EE)Blessed are your men, and blessed are these servants of yours who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom! 9 (EF)Blessed be the Lord your God who delighted in you to put you on the throne of Israel; (EG)because the Lord loves Israel forever, He made you king, (EH)to do justice and righteousness.” 10 Then (EI)she gave the king [bn]120 talents of gold, and a very large amount of balsam oil and precious stones. Never again did such a large quantity of balsam oil come in as that which the queen of Sheba gave King Solomon.

11 (EJ)And the ships of Hiram as well, which brought gold from Ophir, brought in from Ophir a very great number of almug trees and precious stones. 12 (EK)The king made from the almug trees supports for the house of the Lord and for the king’s house, and lyres and harps for the singers; such almug trees have not come in again, nor have they been seen to this day.

13 And King Solomon granted the queen of Sheba everything she desired, whatever she requested, besides what he gave her in proportion to [bo]his royal bounty. Then she [bp]departed and went to her own land [bq]together with her servants.

Wealth, Splendor, and Wisdom

14 (EL)Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was [br]666 talents of gold, 15 besides that from the traders, and the [bs]wares of the merchants and all the kings of the (EM)Arabs and the governors of the country. 16 (EN)King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold, [bt]using six hundred shekels of gold on each large shield. 17 And he made (EO)three hundred small shields of beaten gold, [bu]using [bv]three minas of gold on each shield; and (EP)the king put them in the house of the timber of Lebanon. 18 Moreover, the king made a large throne of (EQ)ivory and overlaid it with fine gold. 19 There were six steps to the throne and a round top to the throne at its back, and [bw]armrests [bx]on each side of the seat, and two lions standing beside the [by]armrests. 20 Twelve lions were standing there on the six steps on the one side and on the other; nothing like it was made for [bz]any other kingdom. 21 Now all King Solomon’s drinking utensils were of gold, and all the utensils of the house of the timber of Lebanon were of pure gold. None was of silver; it was not considered as amounting to anything in the days of Solomon. 22 For (ER)the king had the ships of Tarshish at sea with Hiram’s ships; once every three years the ships of Tarshish would come carrying gold and silver, ivory, monkeys, and peacocks.

23 (ES)So King Solomon became greater than all the kings of the earth in wealth and wisdom. 24 And all the earth was seeking the [ca]attention of Solomon, (ET)to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart. 25 And (EU)they were bringing, everyone, [cb]a gift: articles of silver and gold, garments, weapons, balsam oil, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

26 (EV)Now Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; and he had 1,400 chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, and he [cc]stationed them in the (EW)chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. 27 (EX)And the king made silver as common as stones in Jerusalem, and he made cedars as plentiful as sycamore trees that are in the [cd]lowland. 28 (EY)Also Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s merchants acquired them from Kue for a price. 29 A chariot [ce]was imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for 150; and [cf]by the same means they exported them (EZ)to all the kings of the Hittites and to the kings of the Arameans.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:5 Lit sheep and oxen...numbered for multitude
  2. 1 Kings 8:14 Lit turned his face about
  3. 1 Kings 8:17 Lit with
  4. 1 Kings 8:18 Lit with
  5. 1 Kings 8:18 Lit with
  6. 1 Kings 8:19 Lit will come forth from your loins
  7. 1 Kings 8:20 Lit spoke
  8. 1 Kings 8:24 Lit spoken to
  9. 1 Kings 8:25 Lit spoken to
  10. 1 Kings 8:25 Lit There shall not be cut off to you a man from before Me
  11. 1 Kings 8:27 Lit heaven of heavens
  12. 1 Kings 8:32 Lit giving
  13. 1 Kings 8:33 Lit struck
  14. 1 Kings 8:33 Or compassion
  15. 1 Kings 8:37 Lit scorching
  16. 1 Kings 8:37 Lit gates
  17. 1 Kings 8:38 Lit takes place
  18. 1 Kings 8:38 Lit who know each
  19. 1 Kings 8:38 Lit palms
  20. 1 Kings 8:39 Lit the sons of mankind
  21. 1 Kings 8:40 Or revere
  22. 1 Kings 8:40 Lit face of the land
  23. 1 Kings 8:43 Or revere
  24. 1 Kings 8:43 Lit Your name is called upon this house which I have built
  25. 1 Kings 8:44 Lit his
  26. 1 Kings 8:44 Lit in the way of
  27. 1 Kings 8:46 Lit their captors take them captive
  28. 1 Kings 8:47 Lit return to their heart
  29. 1 Kings 8:47 Or compassion
  30. 1 Kings 8:53 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  31. 1 Kings 8:54 Lit palms
  32. 1 Kings 8:56 Lit spoke
  33. 1 Kings 8:56 Lit fallen
  34. 1 Kings 8:56 Lit word
  35. 1 Kings 8:56 Lit spoke
  36. 1 Kings 8:59 Or compassion
  37. 1 Kings 8:59 Lit the matter of a day in its day
  38. 1 Kings 8:61 Lit complete with
  39. 1 Kings 8:64 Lit made
  40. 1 Kings 8:65 I.e., of Booths
  41. 1 Kings 8:66 Lit done
  42. 1 Kings 9:1 Lit Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do
  43. 1 Kings 9:3 Lit all the days
  44. 1 Kings 9:5 Lit spoke
  45. 1 Kings 9:5 Lit There shall not be cut off to you a man
  46. 1 Kings 9:7 Lit send
  47. 1 Kings 9:8 Or whistle
  48. 1 Kings 9:9 Lit laid hold of
  49. 1 Kings 9:11 Lit to all
  50. 1 Kings 9:12 Lit were not right in his sight
  51. 1 Kings 9:13 Lit he called them
  52. 1 Kings 9:13 I.e., like nothing
  53. 1 Kings 9:14 About 4.5 tons or 4 metric tons
  54. 1 Kings 9:15 I.e., terraced structure
  55. 1 Kings 9:19 Lit the
  56. 1 Kings 9:19 Lit the
  57. 1 Kings 9:19 Lit the desire of Solomon which he desired to build in Jerusalem
  58. 1 Kings 9:19 Lit of
  59. 1 Kings 9:23 Or officers of the deputies
  60. 1 Kings 9:26 Lit Sea of Reeds
  61. 1 Kings 9:28 About 16 tons or 14 metric tons
  62. 1 Kings 10:3 Lit told her all her words
  63. 1 Kings 10:5 Lit there was no more breath in her
  64. 1 Kings 10:6 Lit word
  65. 1 Kings 10:7 Lit words
  66. 1 Kings 10:10 About 4.5 tons or 4 metric tons
  67. 1 Kings 10:13 Lit the hand of King Solomon
  68. 1 Kings 10:13 Lit turned around
  69. 1 Kings 10:13 Lit she and her
  70. 1 Kings 10:14 About 25 tons or 23 metric tons
  71. 1 Kings 10:15 Or traffic
  72. 1 Kings 10:16 Lit he brought up
  73. 1 Kings 10:17 Lit he brought up
  74. 1 Kings 10:17 About 3.8 lb. or 1.7 kg
  75. 1 Kings 10:19 Lit hands
  76. 1 Kings 10:19 Lit from this and from this at the place of the seat
  77. 1 Kings 10:19 Lit hands
  78. 1 Kings 10:20 Lit all kingdoms
  79. 1 Kings 10:24 Lit face
  80. 1 Kings 10:25 Lit his gift
  81. 1 Kings 10:26 As in ancient versions; MT led
  82. 1 Kings 10:27 Heb Shephelah
  83. 1 Kings 10:29 Lit came up and went out from
  84. 1 Kings 10:29 Lit in the same way by their hand
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1 Kings 8-10
New International Version

The Ark Brought to the Temple(A)

8 Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs(B) of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark(C) of the Lord’s covenant from Zion, the City of David.(D) 2 All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival(E) in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.(F)

3 When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests(G) took up the ark, 4 and they brought up the ark of the Lord and the tent of meeting(H) and all the sacred furnishings in it. The priests and Levites(I) carried them up, 5 and King Solomon and the entire assembly of Israel that had gathered about him were before the ark, sacrificing(J) so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

6 The priests then brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant(K) to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place,(L) and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.(M) 7 The cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed(N) the ark and its carrying poles. 8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.(O) 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets(P) that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud(Q) filled the temple of the Lord. 11 And the priests could not perform their service(R) because of the cloud, for the glory(S) of the Lord filled his temple.

12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;(T) 13 I have indeed built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell(U) forever.”

14 While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed(V) them. 15 Then he said:

“Praise be to the Lord,(W) the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said, 16 ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt,(X) I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name(Y) might be there, but I have chosen(Z) David(AA) to rule my people Israel.’

17 “My father David had it in his heart(AB) to build a temple(AC) for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. 19 Nevertheless, you(AD) are not the one to build the temple, but your son, your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’(AE)

20 “The Lord has kept the promise he made: I have succeeded(AF) David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built(AG) the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(AH)

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands(AI) toward heaven 23 and said:

“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like(AJ) you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love(AK) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

25 “Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises(AL) you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’ 26 And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised(AM) your servant David my father come true.

27 “But will God really dwell(AN) on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven,(AO) cannot contain(AP) you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open(AQ) toward(AR) this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name(AS) shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray(AT) toward this place. Hear(AU) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.(AV)

31 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath(AW) before your altar in this temple, 32 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.(AX)

33 “When your people Israel have been defeated(AY) by an enemy because they have sinned(AZ) against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,(BA) 34 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(BB) because your people have sinned(BC) against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach(BD) them the right way(BE) to live, and send rain(BF) on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

37 “When famine(BG) or plague(BH) comes to the land, or blight(BI) or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers,(BJ) or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands(BK) toward this temple— 39 then hear(BL) from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive(BM) and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know(BN) their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), 40 so that they will fear(BO) you all the time they live in the land(BP) you gave our ancestors.

41 “As for the foreigner(BQ) who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— 42 for they will hear(BR) of your great name and your mighty hand(BS) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know(BT) your name and fear(BU) you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.(BV)

44 “When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray(BW) to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 45 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.(BX)

46 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin(BY)—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive(BZ) to their own lands, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead(CA) with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’;(CB) 48 and if they turn back(CC) to you with all their heart(CD) and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray(CE) to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple(CF) I have built for your Name;(CG) 49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 50 And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;(CH) 51 for they are your people and your inheritance,(CI) whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.(CJ)

52 “May your eyes be open(CK) to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you.(CL) 53 For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance,(CM) just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign Lord, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”

54 When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood and blessed(CN) the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:

56 “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest(CO) to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises(CP) he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake(CQ) us. 58 May he turn our hearts(CR) to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 59 And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, 60 so that all the peoples(CS) of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.(CT) 61 And may your hearts(CU) be fully committed(CV) to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

The Dedication of the Temple(CW)

62 Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices(CX) before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated(CY) the temple of the Lord.

64 On that same day the king consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings and the fat(CZ) of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar(DA) that stood before the Lord was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.(DB)

65 So Solomon observed the festival(DC) at that time, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath(DD) to the Wadi of Egypt.(DE) They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all. 66 On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good(DF) things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.

The Lord Appears to Solomon(DG)

9 When Solomon had finished(DH) building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, 2 the Lord appeared(DI) to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 The Lord said to him:

“I have heard(DJ) the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name(DK) there forever. My eyes(DL) and my heart will always be there.

4 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart(DM) and uprightness, as David(DN) your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws,(DO) 5 I will establish(DP) your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail(DQ) to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

6 “But if you[a] or your descendants turn away(DR) from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you[b] and go off to serve other gods(DS) and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land(DT) I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.(DU) Israel will then become a byword(DV) and an object of ridicule(DW) among all peoples. 8 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[c] who pass by will be appalled(DX) and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’(DY) 9 People will answer,(DZ) ‘Because they have forsaken(EA) the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster(EB) on them.’”

Solomon’s Other Activities(EC)

10 At the end of twenty years, during which Solomon built these two buildings—the temple of the Lord and the royal palace— 11 King Solomon gave twenty towns in Galilee to Hiram king of Tyre, because Hiram had supplied him with all the cedar and juniper and gold(ED) he wanted. 12 But when Hiram went from Tyre to see the towns that Solomon had given him, he was not pleased with them. 13 “What kind of towns are these you have given me, my brother?” he asked. And he called them the Land of Kabul,[d](EE) a name they have to this day. 14 Now Hiram had sent to the king 120 talents[e] of gold.(EF)

15 Here is the account of the forced labor King Solomon conscripted(EG) to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces,[f](EH) the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor,(EI) Megiddo and Gezer.(EJ) 16 (Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire. He killed its Canaanite inhabitants and then gave it as a wedding gift to his daughter,(EK) Solomon’s wife. 17 And Solomon rebuilt Gezer.) He built up Lower Beth Horon,(EL) 18 Baalath,(EM) and Tadmor[g] in the desert, within his land, 19 as well as all his store cities(EN) and the towns for his chariots(EO) and for his horses[h]—whatever he desired to build in Jerusalem, in Lebanon and throughout all the territory he ruled.

20 There were still people left from the Amorites, Hittites,(EP) Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites(EQ) (these peoples were not Israelites). 21 Solomon conscripted the descendants(ER) of all these peoples remaining in the land—whom the Israelites could not exterminate[i](ES)—to serve as slave labor,(ET) as it is to this day. 22 But Solomon did not make slaves(EU) of any of the Israelites; they were his fighting men, his government officials, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and charioteers. 23 They were also the chief officials(EV) in charge of Solomon’s projects—550 officials supervising those who did the work.

24 After Pharaoh’s daughter(EW) had come up from the City of David to the palace Solomon had built for her, he constructed the terraces.(EX)

25 Three(EY) times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.

26 King Solomon also built ships(EZ) at Ezion Geber,(FA) which is near Elath(FB) in Edom, on the shore of the Red Sea.[j] 27 And Hiram sent his men—sailors(FC) who knew the sea—to serve in the fleet with Solomon’s men. 28 They sailed to Ophir(FD) and brought back 420 talents[k] of gold,(FE) which they delivered to King Solomon.

The Queen of Sheba Visits Solomon(FF)

10 When the queen of Sheba(FG) heard about the fame(FH) of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions.(FI) 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan(FJ)—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table,(FK) the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at[l] the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.

6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe(FL) these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth(FM) you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear(FN) your wisdom! 9 Praise(FO) be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love(FP) for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice(FQ) and righteousness.”

10 And she gave the king 120 talents[m] of gold,(FR) large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

11 (Hiram’s ships brought gold from Ophir;(FS) and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood[n] and precious stones. 12 The king used the almugwood to make supports[o] for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.)

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.

Solomon’s Splendor(FT)

14 The weight of the gold(FU) that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents,[p] 15 not including the revenues from merchants and traders and from all the Arabian kings and the governors of the territories.

16 King Solomon made two hundred large shields(FV) of hammered gold; six hundred shekels[q] of gold went into each shield. 17 He also made three hundred small shields of hammered gold, with three minas[r] of gold in each shield. The king put them in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.(FW)

18 Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. 19 The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. 20 Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step. Nothing like it had ever been made for any other kingdom. 21 All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold.(FX) Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days. 22 The king had a fleet of trading ships[s](FY) at sea along with the ships(FZ) of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons.

23 King Solomon was greater in riches(GA) and wisdom(GB) than all the other kings of the earth. 24 The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom(GC) God had put in his heart. 25 Year after year, everyone who came brought a gift(GD)—articles of silver and gold, robes, weapons and spices, and horses and mules.

26 Solomon accumulated chariots and horses;(GE) he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses,[t] which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem. 27 The king made silver as common(GF) in Jerusalem as stones,(GG) and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig(GH) trees in the foothills. 28 Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from Kue[u]—the royal merchants purchased them from Kue at the current price. 29 They imported a chariot from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for a hundred and fifty.[v] They also exported them to all the kings of the Hittites(GI) and of the Arameans.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. 1 Kings 9:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts, Old Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Targum; Hebrew And though this temple is now imposing, all
  4. 1 Kings 9:13 Kabul sounds like the Hebrew for good-for-nothing.
  5. 1 Kings 9:14 That is, about 4 1/2 tons or about 4 metric tons
  6. 1 Kings 9:15 Or the Millo; also in verse 24
  7. 1 Kings 9:18 The Hebrew may also be read Tamar.
  8. 1 Kings 9:19 Or charioteers
  9. 1 Kings 9:21 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
  10. 1 Kings 9:26 Or the Sea of Reeds
  11. 1 Kings 9:28 That is, about 16 tons or about 14 metric tons
  12. 1 Kings 10:5 Or the ascent by which he went up to
  13. 1 Kings 10:10 That is, about 4 1/2 tons or about 4 metric tons
  14. 1 Kings 10:11 Probably a variant of algumwood; also in verse 12
  15. 1 Kings 10:12 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  16. 1 Kings 10:14 That is, about 25 tons or about 23 metric tons
  17. 1 Kings 10:16 That is, about 15 pounds or about 6.9 kilograms; also in verse 29
  18. 1 Kings 10:17 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms; or perhaps reference is to double minas, that is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms.
  19. 1 Kings 10:22 Hebrew of ships of Tarshish
  20. 1 Kings 10:26 Or charioteers
  21. 1 Kings 10:28 Probably Cilicia
  22. 1 Kings 10:29 That is, about 3 3/4 pounds or about 1.7 kilograms
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1 Kings 7
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