1 Kings 8
English Standard Version
The Ark Brought into the Temple
8 (A)Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, (B)the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, (C)to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of (D)the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at (E)the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And 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 vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, (H)sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6 (I)Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord (J)to its place in (K)the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 (L)And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before (M)the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except (N)the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where (O)the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, (P)a 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 Blesses the Lord
12 (Q)Then Solomon said, “The Lord[a] has said that he would dwell (R)in thick darkness. 13 (S)I have indeed built you an exalted house, (T)a place for you to dwell in forever.” 14 Then the king turned around and (U)blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 15 And he said, (V)“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled (W)what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 16 (X)‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, (Y)that my name might be there. (Z)But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ 17 (AA)Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 (AB)Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 20 Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, (AC)as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, (AD)in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
22 Then Solomon (AE)stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and (AF)spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, (AG)there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, (AH)keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart; 24 you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. (AI)You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, (AJ)‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 (AK)Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.
27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, (AL)heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 (AM)that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, (AN)‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
31 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take (AO)an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, (AP)condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
33 (AQ)“When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and (AR)if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 34 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.
35 (AS)“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when (AT)you teach them (AU)the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
37 (AV)“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates,[b] whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways ((AW)for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), 40 that they may fear you (AX)all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
41 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake 42 (for they shall hear of your great name (AY)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 do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order (AZ)that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and (BA)fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord (BB)toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.
46 “If they sin against you—(BC)for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive (BD)to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet (BE)if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, (BF)‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 (BG)if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you (BH)toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and (BI)grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 ((BJ)for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, (BK)from the midst of the iron furnace). 52 (BL)Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. 53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, (BM)as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”
Solomon's Benediction
54 (BN)Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had (BO)knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55 And he stood and (BP)blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. (BQ)Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. (BR)May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may (BS)incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that (BT)all the peoples of the earth may know that (BU)the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 (BV)Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon's Sacrifices
62 (BW)Then (BX)the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because (BY)the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.
65 So Solomon held (BZ)the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from (CA)Lebo-hamath to (CB)the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days.[c] 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 8:12 Septuagint The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but
- 1 Kings 8:37 Septuagint, Syriac in any of their cities
- 1 Kings 8:65 Septuagint; Hebrew seven days and seven days, fourteen days
1 Reyes 8
La Palabra (España)
Traslado del Arca al Templo (2 Cr 5,2-11a.13b-14; 6,1-2)
8 Entonces Salomón convocó ante sí, en Jerusalén, a los ancianos de Israel, a todos los jefes de las tribus y a los cabezas de familia israelitas para trasladar el Arca de la alianza del Señor desde la ciudad de David que es Sión, 2 y todos los israelitas se reunieron con el rey Salomón en la fiesta del mes de Etanín, el mes séptimo. 3 Cuando llegaron todos los ancianos de Israel, los sacerdotes cargaron el Arca 4 y la trasladaron junto con la Tienda del encuentro y todos los objetos sagrados que había en ella y que fueron llevados por los sacerdotes y los levitas. 5 El rey Salomón y toda la asamblea de Israel reunida con él ante el Arca sacrificaron ovejas y toros en cantidades incalculables. 6 Los sacerdotes llevaron el Arca de la alianza del Señor a su lugar, al camarín del Templo o lugar santísimo, bajo las alas de los querubines, 7 pues los querubines tenían sus alas extendidas sobre el lugar que ocupaba el Arca y cubrían por encima el Arca y sus varales. 8 Los varales eran tan largos que sus extremos se podían ver desde el lugar santo que estaba ante el camarín, aunque no se veían desde el exterior. Y allí siguen hasta el presente. 9 El Arca sólo contenía las dos losas de piedra que Moisés depósito allí en el Horeb, cuando el Señor hizo alianza con los israelitas tras la salida del país de Egipto. 10 Cuando los sacerdotes salieron del lugar santo, la nube llenó el Templo del Señor, 11 de forma que los sacerdotes no pudieron continuar su servicio, a causa de la nube, pues la gloria del Señor había llenado el Templo. 12 Entonces Salomón exclamó:
— El Señor había decidido vivir en la oscuridad, 13 pero yo te he construido un palacio, una morada en la que habites para siempre.
Bendición de Salomón (2 Cr 6,3-11)
14 Luego el rey se dio la vuelta y bendijo a toda la asamblea de Israel que estaba en pie, 15 diciendo:
— Bendito sea el Señor, Dios de Israel, que habló a mi padre David, y con su poder ha realizado lo que prometió: 16 “Desde el día en que saqué a mi pueblo Israel de Egipto nunca elegí una ciudad entre todas las tribus de Israel para construir un Templo donde residiera mi nombre. En cambió elegí a David para que gobernara a mi pueblo Israel”. 17 Mi padre, David, pensaba construir un Templo en honor del Señor, Dios de Israel; 18 pero el Señor le dijo: “Has pensado construir un Templo en mi honor y lo que piensas está bien. 19 Pero no serás tú quien construya el Templo, sino un hijo tuyo, salido de tus entrañas; él será quien construya el Templo en mi honor”. 20 El Señor ha cumplido la promesa que hizo: yo he sucedido a mi padre, David, en el trono de Israel, como había prometido el Señor y he construido el Templo en honor del Señor, Dios de Israel. 21 Además, he preparado en él un lugar para el Arca de la alianza del Señor, la alianza que hizo con nuestros antepasados cuando los sacó de Egipto.
Oración de Salomón (2 Cr 6,12-39)
22 Salomón, de pie ante el altar del Señor y en presencia de toda la asamblea de Israel, levantó las manos al cielo 23 y dijo:
— Señor, Dios de Israel: no hay un Dios como tú ni en el cielo ni en la tierra. Tú mantienes la alianza y la fidelidad con tus siervos cuando proceden sinceramente ante ti. 24 Tú has mantenido cuanto dijiste a tu siervo, mi padre David, y has cumplido hoy con obras lo que prometiste de palabra. 25 Señor, Dios de Israel, mantén también ahora a tu siervo, mi padre David, la promesa que le hiciste: “No te faltará en mi presencia alguien que se siente en el trono de Israel, siempre que tus descendientes se porten rectamente y procedan ante mí como lo has hecho tú”.
26 Ahora, pues, Dios de Israel, cumple la promesa que hiciste a tu siervo, mi padre David. 27 Pero, ¿puede Dios habitar realmente en la tierra? Si ni los cielos, en toda su inmensidad, pueden contenerte, ¿cómo podría hacerlo este Templo que he construido? 28 Atiende, pues, Señor, Dios mío, a la súplica y a la plegaria de tu siervo; escucha el grito y la súplica que tu siervo te dirige hoy. 29 Mantén tus ojos abiertos noche y día sobre este Templo, el lugar donde quisiste que residiera tu nombre, y escucha las súplicas que te dirija tu siervo hacia este lugar. 30 Escucha las plegarias que tu siervo y tu pueblo, Israel, hagan hacia este lugar. Escúchalas desde el cielo, el lugar donde habitas. Escucha y perdona.
31 Cuando alguien ofenda a su prójimo y le obliguen a hacer juramento, si viene a jurar ante tu altar en este Templo, 32 escucha tú desde el cielo y haz justicia a tus siervos; condena al culpable dándole su merecido, y absuelve al inocente reconociéndole su inocencia.
33 Cuando tu pueblo Israel caiga derrotado ante sus enemigos por haberte ofendido, pero se arrepienta, invoque tu nombre y te dirija sus plegarias y súplicas desde este Templo, 34 escucha tú desde el cielo, perdona el pecado de Israel, tu pueblo, y hazlo volver a la tierra que diste a sus antepasados.
35 Cuando se cierren los cielos y no llueva por haberte ofendido, si dirigen su plegaria hacia este lugar, invocan tu nombre y se arrepienten tras tu castigo, 36 escucha tú desde el cielo, perdona el pecado de tus siervos y de tu pueblo Israel, muéstrales el buen camino a seguir y envía la lluvia sobre la tierra que diste en herencia a tu pueblo.
37 Cuando en el país haya hambre, a causa de la sequía o de plagas de hongos, saltamontes o pulgón; o porque el enemigo asedia las ciudades del país; o por cualquier calamidad o enfermedad; 38 si un individuo o todo tu pueblo de Israel, arrepentido de corazón, te dirige cualquier súplica o plegaria con las manos extendidas hacia este lugar, 39 escucha tú desde el cielo, el lugar donde habitas, perdona y actúa, pagando a cada cual según su conducta, pues conoces su corazón. Porque sólo tú conoces el corazón de todos los humanos. 40 Así te respetarán mientras vivan sobre la tierra que diste a nuestros antepasados.
41 Cuando incluso el extranjero que no pertenece a tu pueblo Israel, venga de un país lejano, atraído por tu fama 42 (porque oirán hablar de tu gran fama, de tu mano fuerte y de tu brazo poderoso), y llegue a orar en este Templo, 43 escucha tú desde el cielo, el lugar donde habitas, y concédele lo que te pida, para que todos los pueblos de la tierra reconozcan tu fama, te respeten, como lo hace tu pueblo Israel, y sepan que tu nombre es invocado en este Templo que he construido.
44 Cuando tu pueblo salga a luchar contra el enemigo, siguiendo tus órdenes, y ore al Señor vuelto hacia la ciudad que has elegido y al Templo que he construido en tu honor, 45 escucha desde el cielo sus plegarias y súplicas y hazles justicia.
46 Y cuando pequen contra ti, pues nadie está libre de pecado, y tú, enfurecido contra ellos, los entregues al enemigo para que los lleve cautivos a un país enemigo, lejano o cercano, 47 si en el país adonde hayan sido deportados recapacitan, se arrepienten y te suplican, reconociendo su pecado, su delito y su culpa, 48 si en el país de los enemigos que los hayan deportado, se convierten a ti de todo corazón y con toda el alma y te suplican vueltos a la tierra que diste a sus antepasados, a la ciudad que has elegido y al Templo que he construido en tu honor, 49 escucha desde el cielo, el lugar donde habitas, sus plegarias y súplicas y hazles justicia. 50 Perdona a tu pueblo sus pecados y todas las rebeldías que han cometido contra ti e inspira compasión en sus deportadores, para que se compadezcan de ellos; 51 pues ellos son tu pueblo y tu heredad, a quienes sacaste de Egipto y de su horno de hierro.
52 Mantén tus ojos abiertos a las súplicas de tu siervo y de tu pueblo Israel, para escucharlos cuando te invoquen, 53 pues tú, Señor Dios, los apartaste como propiedad entre todos los pueblos de la tierra, tal como dijiste por medio de tu siervo Moisés, cuando sacaste a nuestros antepasados de Egipto.
Bendición sobre el pueblo (2 Cr 7,1)
54 Una vez que Salomón terminó de dirigir al Señor todas estas plegarias y súplicas, se levantó ante el altar del Señor, donde estaba arrodillado con las manos alzadas hacia el cielo, 55 y puesto en pie bendijo a toda la asamblea de Israel, diciendo en voz alta:
56 — Bendito sea el Señor que ha concedido el descanso a su pueblo Israel, tal como había prometido. No ha fallado ni una sola de todas las promesas que hizo por medio de su siervo Moisés. 57 Que el Señor, nuestro Dios, esté a nuestro lado, como estuvo al lado de nuestros antepasados; que no nos deje ni nos abandone. 58 Que oriente nuestros corazones hacia él, para que sigamos todos sus caminos y cumplamos todos los mandamientos, preceptos y decretos que dio a nuestros antepasados. 59 Que el Señor, nuestro Dios, tenga presentes noche y día estas súplicas que he dirigido al Señor y que haga justicia a su siervo y a su pueblo Israel, según las necesidades de cada día, 60 para que todos los pueblos de la tierra reconozcan que el Señor es Dios y que no hay otro. 61 Y que vuestro corazón pertenezca íntegramente al Señor, nuestro Dios, cumpliendo sus preceptos y guardando sus mandamientos, como en este día.
Conclusión de la fiesta (2 Cr 7,4-10)
62 El rey y todo Israel con él ofrecieron sacrificios al Señor. 63 Salomón sacrificó veintidós mil toros y ciento veinte mil corderos, como sacrificio de comunión en honor del Señor. Así dedicaron el rey y todos los israelitas el Templo del Señor. 64 Aquel día el rey consagró el interior del atrio que hay delante del Templo del Señor, ofreciendo allí los holocaustos, las ofrendas y la grasa de los sacrificios de comunión, pues el altar de bronce que hay delante del Señor era demasiado pequeño para contener los holocaustos, las ofrendas y la grasa de los sacrificios de comunión.
65 En aquella ocasión Salomón y con él todo Israel, una gran asamblea venida desde el paso de Jamat hasta el torrente de Egipto, celebraron la fiesta religiosa ante el Señor nuestro Dios durante siete días; 66 al octavo día despidió al pueblo. Ellos bendijeron al rey y se marcharon a sus casas alegres y felices por todos los beneficios que el Señor había concedido a su siervo David y a su pueblo Israel.
1 Kings 8
International Children’s Bible
The Ark of the Covenant Is Brought into the Temple
8 Then King Solomon called for all the leaders of Israel to come to him in Jerusalem. He called for the elders, the heads of the tribes and the leaders of the families. He wanted them to bring the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord from the older part of the city. 2 So all the men of Israel came together with King Solomon. This was during a festival in the month of Ethanim. That is the seventh month.
3 All of the elders of Israel arrived. Then the priests took up the Ark of the Covenant. 4 They carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, the Meeting Tent and the holy things in it. The Levites helped the priests carry these things. 5 King Solomon and all the people of Israel gathered before the Ark of the Covenant. They sacrificed so many sheep and cattle no one could count them all. 6 Then the priests put the Ark of the Covenant with the Lord in its right place. This was inside the Most Holy Place in the Temple. The Ark of the Covenant was put under the wings of the golden creatures. 7 The wings of the creatures were spread out over the place of the Ark of the Covenant. So they covered it and its carrying poles. 8 The carrying poles were very long. Anyone standing in the Holy Place in front of the Most Holy Place could see the ends of the poles. But no one could see them from outside the Holy Place. The poles are still there today. 9 The only things inside the Ark of the Covenant were two stone tablets.[a] Moses had put them in the Ark of the Covenant at Mount Sinai. That was where the Lord made his agreement with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
10 When the priests left the Holy Place, the cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. 11 The priests could not continue their work. This was because the Temple was filled with the glory of the Lord.
Solomon Speaks to the People
12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord said he would live in a dark cloud. 13 Lord, I have truly built a wonderful Temple for you. It is a place for you to live forever.”
14 While all the people of Israel were standing there, King Solomon turned to them and blessed them.
15 Then he prayed: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He himself has done what he promised to my father David. The Lord told my father, 16 ‘I brought my people Israel out of Egypt. But I have not yet chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a temple will be built for worshiping me. But I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.’
17 “My father David wanted to build a temple for worshiping the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to my father David, ‘I know you want to build a temple for worshiping me. And this is good. 19 But you are not the one to build the temple. It will be your son, who comes from your own body. He is the one who will build my temple.’
20 “So the Lord has kept the promise that he gave. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I rule Israel as the Lord promised. And I have built the Temple for worshiping the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 I have made a place in the Temple for the Ark of the Covenant. Inside that Ark is the agreement the Lord made with our ancestors. He made that agreement when he brought them out of Egypt.”
Solomon’s Prayer
22 Then Solomon stood facing the Lord’s altar. All of the people of Israel were standing behind him. He spread out his hands and looked toward the sky. 23 He said:
“Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you. There is no god like you in heaven above or on the earth below. You make agreements with your people because you love them. And you keep your agreements with those who truly follow you. 24 You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth. And with your great power you have made it come true today. 25 Now Lord, God of Israel, keep the other promises you made to your servant David, my father. You said, ‘Your sons must be careful to obey me as you have obeyed me. If they do this, there will always be someone from your family ruling Israel.’ 26 Again, Lord, God of Israel, I ask you. Please continue to keep that promise you made to my father.
27 “But, God, can you really live here on the earth? Even the sky and the highest place in heaven cannot contain you. Certainly this house which I have built cannot contain you either. 28 But please listen to my prayer and my request. I am your servant, and you are the Lord my God. Hear this prayer I am praying to you today. 29 In the past you said, ‘I will be worshiped there.’ So please watch over this Temple night and day. Hear the prayer I pray to you here. 30 Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel. Please hear us when we pray facing this place. Hear us from your home in heaven. And when you hear us, forgive us.
31 “If a person does something wrong against someone else, he will be brought to the altar in this Temple. If he swears an oath that he is not guilty, 32 then hear in heaven. Judge the man. Punish the guilty person for what he has done. And declare that the innocent person is not guilty.
33 “Sometimes your people of Israel will sin against you. Because of this their enemies will defeat them. Then the people will come back to you and praise you. They will pray to you in this Temple. 34 Please hear them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people Israel. Allow them to have their land again. This is the land you gave to their ancestors.
35 “Sometimes when they sin against you, you will stop the rain from falling on their land. Then they will pray, facing this place. They will praise you. They will stop sinning when you make them suffer. 36 When this happens, please hear their prayer in heaven. Then forgive the sins of your servant. And forgive the sins of the people of Israel. Teach them to do what is right. Then please send rain to this land you gave them.
37 “At times the land will become so dry that no food will grow. Or, a great sickness will spread among the people. Sometimes all the crops will be destroyed by locusts or grasshoppers. Your people will be attacked in their cities by their enemies. Your people will become sick. 38 When any of these things happen, the people will become truly sorry. If anyone of your people Israel spreads his hands in prayer toward this Temple, 39 please hear his prayer. Hear it from your home in heaven. Then forgive the people and help them. Only you know what people are really thinking. So judge each person, and do to him what is right. 40 Do this so your people will respect you all the time they live in this land. This is the land you gave to our ancestors.
41-42 “People who are not Israelites, who come from other lands, will hear about your greatness and power. They will come from far away to pray at this Temple. 43 Please hear their prayers from your home in heaven. Please do whatever they ask you. Then people everywhere will know you and respect you, as your people in Israel do. Then everyone will know I built this Temple for worship to you.
44 “Sometimes you will command your people to go and fight against their enemies. Then your people will pray to you facing this city which you have chosen. They will pray facing the Temple I have built for your worship. 45 When they pray, hear their prayers from your home in heaven. Then help them.
46 “Everyone sins. So your people will also sin against you. And you will become angry with your people. You will let their enemies defeat them. Their enemies will make them prisoners and carry them away to their own countries. 47 Your people might be sorry for their sins when they are held as prisoners in another country. Perhaps they will be sorry and pray to you in the land where they are held as prisoners. They might say, ‘We have sinned and done wrong.’ 48 They may truly turn back to you in the land of their enemies. Perhaps they will pray to you, facing this land you gave their fathers. They may pray to you, facing this city you have chosen. They may face this Temple I have built for your worship. 49 If they do, then please hear them from your home in heaven. Hear their prayers and do what is right. 50 Forgive your people of all their sins. And forgive them for turning against you. Make those who have taken them as prisoners show them mercy. 51 Remember that they are your people. Remember that you brought them out of Egypt. It was as if you pulled them out of a blazing furnace!
52 “Please give your attention to my prayers. And please give your attention to the prayers of your people Israel. Listen to their prayers anytime they ask you for help. 53 You chose them from all the nations on earth to be your very own people. This is what you promised through Moses your servant. You promised it when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord God.”
54 Solomon prayed this prayer to the Lord. He had been kneeling in front of the altar. And his arms had been raised toward heaven. When Solomon finished praying, he stood up. 55 Then, in a loud voice, he blessed all the people of Israel. Solomon said: 56 “Praise the Lord! He promised he would give rest to his people Israel. And he has given us rest! The Lord has kept all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57 I ask that the Lord our God be with us. May he be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us. 58 May he cause us to turn to him and follow him. May we obey all the laws and commands he gave our ancestors. 59 I ask that the Lord our God always remember this prayer. I pray that he will help his servant and his people Israel. I pray he will help us every day as we need it. 60 Then all the people of the world will know the Lord is the only true God. 61 So you must fully obey the Lord our God. You must follow all his laws and commands. You must continue to obey in the future as you do now.”
Sacrifices Are Offered
62 Then King Solomon and all Israel with him offered sacrifices to the Lord. 63 Solomon killed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. These were fellowship offerings. In this way the king and the Israelites showed they had given the Temple to the Lord.
64 Also that day King Solomon made the courtyard before the Temple holy. He offered whole burnt sacrifices and grain offerings. He also offered the fat from the fellowship offerings. He had to make these offerings in the courtyard. This was because the bronze altar before the Lord was too small. It could not hold all the offerings.
65 So King Solomon and all the people of Israel also celebrated the other festival that came at that time. People came from as far away as Lebo Hamath in the north. And they came from as far as the brook of Egypt in the south. A great many people were there. They ate, drank and rejoiced before the Lord for a total of 14 days. 66 On the following day Solomon sent the people home. So they blessed the king and went home. They were happy because of all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and for his people, Israel.
Footnotes
- 8:9 stone tablets They were the two tablets on which God wrote the Ten Commandments.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
La Palabra, (versión española) © 2010 Texto y Edición, Sociedad Bíblica de España
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
