Solomon Addresses the People

12 (A)Then Solomon said,

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

14 Then the king [a]turned around and (E)blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15 He said, “(F)Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, (G)who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and fulfilled it with His hands, saying, 16 (H)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 (I)My name would be there, but (J)I chose David to be over My people Israel.’ 17 (K)Now it was [b]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 [c]in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was [d]in your heart. 19 (L)Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who [e]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 (M)I have risen in place of my father David and I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord [f]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, (N)in which is the covenant of the Lord, which He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:14 Lit turned his face about
  2. 1 Kings 8:17 Lit with
  3. 1 Kings 8:18 Lit with
  4. 1 Kings 8:18 Lit with
  5. 1 Kings 8:19 Lit will come forth from your loins
  6. 1 Kings 8:20 Lit spoke

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