2 Chronicles 6:1-18

New International Version

6 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud;^(A) ²I have built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to dwell forever.^(B)”

³While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them. ⁴Then he said:

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hands has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David. For he said, ⁵‘Since the day I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel to have a temple built so that my Name might be there, nor have I chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. ⁶But now I have chosen Jerusalem^(C) for my Name^(D) to be there, and I have chosen David^(E) to rule my people Israel.’

⁷“My father David had it in his heart^(F) to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. ⁸But the Lord said to my father David, ‘You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name. ⁹Nevertheless, you 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.’

¹⁰“The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel. ¹¹There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant^(G) of the Lord that he made with the people of Israel.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication^(H)^(I)

¹²Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. ¹³Now he had made a bronze platform,^(J) five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high,^[a] and had placed it in the center of the outer court. He stood on the platform and then knelt down^(K) before the whole assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. ¹⁴He said:

“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you^(L) in heaven or on earth—you who keep your covenant of love^(M) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. ¹⁵You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised^(N) and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

¹⁶“Now, Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail^(O) 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 according to my law,^(P) as you have done.’ ¹⁷And now, Lord, the God of Israel, let your word that you promised your servant David come true.

¹⁸“But will God really dwell^(Q) on earth with humans? The heavens,^(R) even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!

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