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Solomon dedicates the temple

Then Solomon assembled Israel’s elders, all the tribal leaders, and the chiefs of Israel’s clans at Jerusalem to bring up the chest containing the Lord’s covenant from David’s City Zion. Everyone in Israel assembled before King Solomon in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim,[a] during the festival. When all of Israel’s elders had arrived, the priests picked up the chest. They brought the Lord’s chest, the meeting tent, and all the holy equipment that was in the tent. The priests and the Levites brought them up, while King Solomon and the entire Israelite assembly that had joined him before the chest sacrificed countless sheep and oxen. The priests brought the chest containing the Lord’s covenant to its designated spot beneath the wings of the winged creatures in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the most holy place. The winged creatures spread their wings over the place where the chest rested, covering the chest and its carrying poles. The carrying poles were so long that their tips could be seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, though they weren’t visible from outside. They are still there today. Nothing was in the chest except the two stone tablets Moses had placed there while at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they left Egypt. 10 When the priests left the holy place, the cloud filled the Lord’s temple, 11 and the priests were unable to carry out their duties due to the cloud because the Lord’s glory filled the Lord’s temple.

12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord said that he would live in a dark cloud, 13 but I have indeed built you a lofty temple as a place where you can live forever.” 14 The king turned around, and while the entire assembly of Israel was standing there, he blessed them, 15 saying, “Bless Israel’s God, the Lord, who spoke directly to my father David and now has kept his promise: 16 ‘From the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt I haven’t selected a city from any Israelite tribe as a site for the building of a temple for my name. But now I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ 17 My father David wanted to build a temple for the name of the Lord, Israel’s God.

18 “But the Lord said to my father David, ‘It is very good that you thought to build a temple for my name. 19 Nevertheless, you yourself won’t build that temple. Instead, your very own son will build the temple for my name.’ 20 The Lord has kept his promise—I have succeeded my father David on Israel’s throne just as the Lord said, and I have built the temple for the name of the Lord, Israel’s God. 21 There I’ve placed the chest that contains the covenant that the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”

22 Solomon stood before the Lord’s altar in front of the entire Israelite assembly and, spreading out his hands toward the sky, 23 he said:

Lord God of Israel, there’s no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep the covenant and show loyalty to your servants who walk before you with all their heart. 24 This is the covenant you kept with your servant David, my father, which you promised him. Today, you have fulfilled what you promised. 25 So now, Lord, Israel’s God, keep what you promised my father David, your servant, when you said to him, “You will never fail to have a successor sitting on Israel’s throne as long as your descendants carefully walk before me just as you walked before me.” 26 So now, God of Israel, may your promise to your servant David, my father, come true.

27 But how could God possibly live on earth? If heaven, even the highest heaven, can’t contain you, how can this temple that I’ve built contain you? 28 Lord my God, listen to your servant’s prayer and request, and hear the cry and prayer that your servant prays to you today. 29 Constantly watch over this temple, the place about which you said, “My name will be there,” and listen to the prayer that your servant is praying toward[b] this place. 30 Listen to the request of your servant and your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Listen from your heavenly dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive!

31 If someone wrongs another and must make a solemn pledge asserting innocence before your altar in this temple,[c] 32 then listen from heaven, act, and decide which of your servants is right. Condemn the guilty party, repaying them for their conduct, but justify the innocent person, repaying them for their righteousness.

33 If your people Israel are defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, but then they change their hearts and lives, give thanks to your name, and ask for mercy before you at this temple, 34 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel. Return them to the land you gave their ancestors.

35 When the sky holds back its rain because Israel has sinned against you, but they then pray toward this place, give thanks to your name, and turn away from their sin because you have punished them for it,[d] 36 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the best way for them to follow, and send rain on your land that you gave to your people as an inheritance.

37 Whenever there is a famine or plague in the land; or whenever there is blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper; or whenever someone’s enemy attacks them in their cities;[e] or any plague or illness comes; 38 whatever prayer or petition is made by any individual or by all of your people Israel—because people will recognize their own pain and spread out their hands toward this temple— 39 then listen from heaven where you live. Forgive, act, and repay each person according to all their conduct, because you know their hearts. You alone know the human heart. 40 Do this so that they may revere you all the days they live on the land that you gave to our ancestors.

41 Listen also to the immigrant who isn’t from your people Israel but who comes from a distant country because of your reputation— 42 because they will hear of your great reputation, your great power, and your outstretched arm. When the immigrant comes and prays toward this temple, 43 then listen from heaven, where you live, and do everything the immigrant asks. Do this so that all the people of the earth may know your reputation and revere you, as your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I have built bears your name.

44 When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you may send them, and they pray to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and toward this temple that I have built for your name, 45 then listen from heaven to their prayer and request and do what is right for them.

46 When they sin against you (for there is no one who doesn’t sin) and you become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy who takes them away as prisoners to enemy territory, whether distant or nearby, 47 if they change their heart in whatever land they are held captive, changing their lives and begging for your mercy,[f] saying, “We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly!” 48 and if they return to you with all their heart and all their being in the enemy territory where they’ve been taken captive, and pray to you, toward their land, which you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen, and toward the temple I have built for your name, 49 then listen to their prayer and request from your heavenly dwelling place. Do what is right for them, 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you. Forgive all their wrong that they have done against you. See to it that those who captured them show them mercy. 51 These are your people and your inheritance. You brought them out of Egypt, from the iron furnace.

52 Open your eyes to your servant’s request and to the request of your people Israel. Hear them whenever they cry out to you. 53 You set them apart from all the earth’s peoples as your own inheritance, Lord, just as you promised through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.

54 As soon as Solomon finished praying and making these requests to the Lord, he got up from before the Lord’s altar, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out to heaven. 55 He stood up and blessed the whole Israelite assembly in a loud voice: 56 “May the Lord be blessed! He has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. He hasn’t neglected any part of the good promise he made through his servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us, just as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us or abandon us. 58 May he draw our hearts to him to walk in all his ways and observe his commands, his laws, and his judgments that he gave our ancestors. 59 And may these words of mine that I have cried out before the Lord remain near to the Lord our God day and night so that he may do right by his servant and his people Israel for each day’s need, 60 and so that all the earth’s peoples may know that the Lord is God. There is no other God! 61 Now may you be committed to the Lord our God with all your heart by following his laws and observing his commands, just as you are doing right now.”

62 Then the king and all Israel with him sacrificed to the Lord. 63 Solomon offered well-being sacrifices to the Lord: twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred twenty thousand sheep when the king and all Israel dedicated the Lord’s temple. 64 On that day the king made holy the middle of the courtyard in front of the Lord’s temple. He had to offer the entirely burned offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of well-being sacrifices there, because the bronze altar that was in the Lord’s presence was too small to contain the entirely burned offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the well-being sacrifices. 65 At that time Solomon, together with all Israel, held a celebration. It was a large assembly from Lebo-hamath to the border of Egypt. They celebrated for seven days and then for another seven days in the presence of the Lord our God: fourteen days in all. 66 On the eighth day,[g] Solomon dismissed the people. They blessed the king and went back to their tents happy and pleased about all the good that the Lord had done for his servant David and for his people Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:2 September–October, Tishrei; Ethanim is a month from a Canaanite calendar.
  2. 1 Kings 8:29 Or for, regarding; also used in several verses that follow
  3. 1 Kings 8:31 Heb uncertain
  4. 1 Kings 8:35 Or answered them
  5. 1 Kings 8:37 LXX one of; MT in the land of their gates
  6. 1 Kings 8:47 Heb adds in the land they are held captive.
  7. 1 Kings 8:66 The second seven-day celebration (see 2 Chron 7:8-9); but contrast LXX.

Essanduuko ya Mukama Ereetebwa mu Yeekaalu

(A)Awo Sulemaani n’ayita abakadde ba Isirayiri, n’abakulu b’ebika bonna, n’abaami b’ennyumba za Isirayiri bonna, okuggya essanduuko ey’endagaano ya Mukama mu Sayuuni ekibuga kya Dawudi, okugireeta e Yerusaalemi. (B)Bonna ne bakuŋŋaanira ewa Kabaka Sulemaani ku mbaga mu mwezi ogwa Esanimu[a] gwe mwezi ogw’omusanvu.

(C)Abakadde bonna aba Isirayiri bwe baatuuka, bakabona ne basitula essanduuko, (D)ne bagireeta, ne baleeterako n’Eweema ey’Okukuŋŋaanirangamu n’ebintu byonna ebitukuvu ebyalimu. (E)Bakabona n’Abaleevi ne babisitula, Kabaka Sulemaani n’abo abaali awamu naye, n’eggwanga lyonna erya Isirayiri eryali liri naye mu maaso g’essanduuko, ne bawaayo ebiweebwayo ebya ssaddaaka eby’endiga, n’ente, ebitaamanyibwa muwendo.

(F)Bakabona ne bayingiza essanduuko ey’endagaano ya Mukama mu kifo kyayo, mu kisenge eky’omunda, mu Kifo Ekitukuvu Ennyo, wansi w’ebiwaawaatiro bya bakerubi. Ebiwaawaatiro bya bakerubi byali byanjuluze ku kifo essanduuko we yateekebwa, ne bibikka ku ssanduuko ne ku misituliro gyayo. (G)Emisituliro gino gyali miwanvu nnyo nga n’okulabika girabikira mu kifo ekitukuvu mu maaso g’ekisenge ekitukuvu ennyo, naye nga tegirabika okuva ebweru; era gikyaliyo ne leero. (H)Temwali kintu mu ssanduuko okuggyako ebipande ebibiri eby’amayinja Musa bye yateekamu e Kolebu, Mukama bwe yalagaana endagaano n’abaana ba Isirayiri, nga bavudde mu nsi y’e Misiri.

10 (I)Awo bakabona bwe baava mu kifo ekitukuvu, ekire ne kibuna yeekaalu ya Mukama, 11 bakabona n’okuyinza ne batayinza kuweereza olw’ekire, kubanga ekitiibwa kya Mukama kyali kibunye mu yeekaalu.

12 (J)Awo Sulemaani n’agamba nti, “Mukama yayogera nti anaabeeranga mu kire ekikutte. 13 (K)Nkuzimbidde yeekaalu ey’ekitiibwa, ekifo ky’onoobeerangamu emirembe gyonna.”

14 (L)Ekibiina kyonna ekya Isirayiri bwe kyali kiyimiridde awo, kabaka n’abakyukira n’abasabira omukisa. 15 (M)N’ayogera nti,

Mukama yeebazibwe, Katonda wa Isirayiri, atuukirizza n’omukono gwe bye yasuubiza Dawudi kitange ne bye yayogerera mu ye. 16 (N)Yayogera nti, ‘Okuva ku lunaku lwe naggyirako abantu bange Isirayiri mu Misiri, seerobozanga kibuga na kimu mu bika byonna ebya Isirayiri okuzimbamu yeekaalu, naye neeroboza Dawudi okufuga abantu bange Isirayiri.’

17 (O)“Era kyali mu mutima gwa Dawudi kitange okuzimbira erinnya lya Mukama, Katonda wa Isirayiri yeekaalu. 18 Naye Mukama n’agamba Dawudi kitange nti, ‘Kubanga kyali mu mutima gwo okuzimbira erinnya lyange eyeekaalu, walowooza bulungi. 19 (P)Naye si ggwe olinzimbira yeekaalu, mutabani wo alikuzaalirwa, ow’omusaayi gwo yennyini, y’alizimbira erinnya lyange eyeekaalu.’

20 (Q)Mukama atuukirizza kye yasuubiza, ne nsikira Dawudi kitange, n’okutuula ne ntuula ku ntebe ey’obwakabaka bwa Isirayiri, nga Mukama bwe yasuubiza, era nzimbidde erinnya lya Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri eyeekaalu. 21 Ntaddewo ekifo ky’essanduuko, omuli endagaano ya Mukama gye yakola ne bajjajjaffe, ng’abaggya mu nsi y’e Misiri.”

Okusaba kwa Sulemaani okw’Okuwaayo Yeekaalu eri Mukama

22 (R)Awo Sulemaani n’ayimirira mu maaso g’ekyoto kya Mukama ekibiina kyonna ekya Isirayiri nga kiraba, n’ayanjuluza emikono gye eri eggulu, 23 (S)n’ayogera nti,

“Ayi Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri, tewali Katonda akufaanana mu ggulu waggulu oba wansi ku nsi, gwe akuuma endagaano yo ey’okwagala n’okuuma n’abaddu bo abatambulira mu maaso go n’emitima gyabwe gyonna. 24 Okuumye ekisuubizo kyo eri omuddu wo Dawudi kitange; wasuubiza n’akamwa ko era okituukirizza n’omukono gwo, nga bwe kiri leero.

25 (T)“Kaakano Mukama, Katonda wa Isirayiri, otuukirize bye wasuubiza omuddu wo Dawudi kitange, bwe wagamba nti, ‘Abaana bo bwe baneegenderezanga mu buli kye banaakolanga, ne batambuliranga mu maaso gange nga bw’okoze, wanaabangawo ow’omu lulyo lwo anaatuulanga ku ntebe ey’obwakabaka bwa Isirayiri mu maaso gange.’ 26 (U)Era kaakano, Ayi Katonda wa Isirayiri, ekigambo kyo kye wasuubiza omuddu wo Dawudi kitange, okituukirize.

27 (V)“Naye ddala Katonda anaabeeranga ku nsi? Laba, eggulu n’eggulu ly’eggulu terikumala, ne yeekaalu eno toyinza kugigyamu. 28 Kaakano osseeyo omwoyo eri okusaba kw’omuddu wo n’okwegayirira kwe, Ayi Mukama Katonda wange. Owulire okukaaba n’okusaba omuddu wo kw’asaba mu maaso go leero. 29 (W)Amaaso go gatunuulirenga yeekaalu eno emisana n’ekiro, ekifo kino kye wayogerako nti, ‘Erinnya lyange linaabeeranga omwo,’ okuwulira okusaba kw’omuddu wo kw’asabira ekifo kino. 30 (X)Owulire okwegayirira kw’omuddu wo, n’okw’abantu bo Isirayiri, bwe banasabanga nga batunuulidde ekifo kino. Owulire okuva mu ggulu, ekifo gy’obeera, era bw’otuwulira, tukwegayiridde otusonyiwe.

31 (Y)“Omuntu bw’anaasobyanga muliraanwa we, ne kimugwanira okulayira, n’ajja n’alayirira mu maaso g’ekyoto mu yeekaalu eno, 32 (Z)owulire okuva mu ggulu, era omukole nga bw’olaba. Osale omusango wakati wa baddu bo, era obonereze oyo omusango gwe gusinze nga bwe kimusaanidde. Olangirire nti atasobezza taliiko musango, ekyo kinaakakasa nti taliiko musango.

33 (AA)“Abantu bo Isirayiri bwe banaawaangulibwanga omulabe olw’ebibi byabwe, ne bakyuka ne badda gy’oli, ne baatula erinnya lyo, ne basaba ne bakwegayirira mu yeekaalu muno, 34 kale owulirenga ng’oli mu ggulu, era osonyiwenga abantu bo Isirayiri olw’ebibi byabwe, era obakomyengawo mu nsi gye wawa bajjajjaabwe.

35 (AB)“Eggulu bwe linaggalwangawo ne wataba nkuba, olw’ebibi byabwe, era bwe banasabanga nga batunuulira ekifo kino ne baatula erinnya lyo ne bakyuka okuleka ekibi kyabwe, olw’okubabonereza, 36 (AC)kale owulirenga ng’oli mu ggulu, era obasonyiwenga ekibi ky’abaddu bo, abantu bo Isirayiri. Obayigirize ekkubo etuufu ery’okutambulirangamu, era otonnyese enkuba ku nsi gye wawa abantu bo ng’omugabo gwabwe.

37 (AD)“Bwe wanaabangawo enjala mu nsi, oba kawumpuli, oba okugengewala oba bukuku, oba enzige, oba omulabe ng’abazingizza mu bibuga byabwe, endwadde yonna ne bweneefaanananga etya, 38 omuntu yenna ku bantu bo bw’anaasabiranga ekintu kyonna, buli omu n’amanya endwadde ey’omu mutima gwe, era n’ayanjuluza emikono gye eri yeekaalu eno, kale owulirenga ng’oli mu ggulu, ekifo gy’obeera. 39 (AE)Osonyiwenga era okolenga buli muntu ng’ebikolwa bye bwe biri, kubanga ggwe wekka ggwe omanyi, emitima gy’abantu bonna, 40 (AF)balyoke bakutyenga ennaku zonna ze banaabeeranga mu nsi gye wawa bajjajjaffe.

41 “Ebikwata ku munnaggwanga atali wa mu bantu bo Isirayiri, naye ng’avudde mu nsi ey’ewala olw’erinnya lyo, 42 (AG)kubanga abantu baliwulira erinnya lyo ekkulu n’omukono gwo ogw’amaanyi, bw’anajjanga n’asaba ng’atunuulidde yeekaalu eno; 43 (AH)owulirenga ng’oli mu ggulu, ekifo gy’obeera, era okolenga buli kintu kyonna omunaggwanga oyo ky’anaakusabanga, abantu bonna ab’omu nsi bamanye erinnya lyo era bakutyenga, ng’abantu bo Isirayiri bwe bakola, era bamanyenga nti Ennyumba eno gye nzimbye, etuumiddwa erinnya lyo.

44 “Abantu bo bwe banaatabaalanga abalabe baabwe gy’onoobasindikanga ne basaba Mukama nga batunuulidde ekibuga kye weeroboza ne yeekaalu gye nzimbidde erinnya lyo, 45 kale owulirenga okusaba kwabwe n’okwegayirira kwabwe ng’oli mu ggulu, otegeere ensonga zaabwe.

46 (AI)“Bwe banaayonoonanga mu maaso go, kubanga tewali muntu atasobyanga, n’obasunguwalira n’obagabula eri omulabe, ne batwalibwa mu nsi eyeewala oba eyokumpi; 47 (AJ)era bwe banaakyusanga emitima gyabwe nga bali mu nsi gye baabatwala ne babasibira eyo, ne beenenya era ne bakwegayiririra mu nsi y’abo abaabatwala nga boogera nti, ‘Twayonoona, twakola ebikyamu era ne tukola ekyejo;’ 48 (AK)bwe banaakukyukiranga n’omutima gwabwe gwonna n’emmeeme yaabwe yonna mu nsi ey’abalabe baabwe abaabawamba, ne bakusaba nga batunuulidde ensi gye wawa bajjajjaabwe, ekibuga kye weeroboza ne yeekaalu gye nzimbidde erinnya lyo; 49 kale owulirenga okusaba kwabwe n’okwegayirira kwabwe ng’oli mu ggulu ekifo gy’obeera, era otegeerenga ensonga yaabwe. 50 (AL)Osonyiwenga abantu bo abakusobezza, era obasonyiwenga ebibi byabwe byonna, era abo abaabawangula babakwatirwe ekisa, 51 (AM)kubanga bantu bo era gwe mugabo gwo, be waggya mu Misiri, mu kyoto ekisaanuusa ekyuma.

52 “Ontunuulize amaaso ag’ekisa olabe okwegayirira kw’abantu bo Isirayiri, era obawulirenga buli lwe banaakukaabiriranga. 53 (AN)Ayi Mukama Ayinzabyonna gwe walonda abantu bo mu mawanga gonna ag’omu nsi okuba ababo, nga bwe wayogerera mu muddu wo Musa, bwe waggya bajjajjaffe mu Misiri.”

54 Awo Sulemaani bwe yamala okusaba n’okwegayiririra abantu eri Mukama, n’asituka okuva we yali afukamidde ng’emikono gye ajanjuluza eri eggulu, mu maaso g’ekyoto kya Mukama. 55 (AO)N’ayimirira n’asabira ekibiina kyonna ekya Isirayiri omukisa mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka ng’agamba nti,

56 (AP)Mukama yeebazibwe awadde abantu be Isirayiri okuwummula nga bwe yasuubiza. Tewali kigambo na kimu ekitatuukiridde ku ebyo ebirungi bye yasuubiza omuddu we Musa. 57 (AQ)Mukama Katonda waffe abeere wamu naffe nga bwe yali ne bajjajjaffe, era aleme okutuleka wadde okutwabulira. 58 (AR)Akyuse emitima gyaffe tudde gyali, okutambuliranga mu makubo ge gonna, n’okukwatanga ebiragiro bye, n’amateeka ge, n’ebigambo bye n’emisango gye bye yawa bajjajjaffe. 59 N’ebigambo byange bino bye nsabye mu maaso ga Mukama, bibeerenga kumpi ne Mukama Katonda waffe emisana n’ekiro, alyoke awanirire ensonga y’abantu be Isirayiri, ng’ebyetaago ebya buli lunaku, 60 (AS)abantu bonna ab’oku nsi bategeere nga Mukama ye Katonda era tewali mulala. 61 (AT)Naye emitima gyammwe giteekwa okunywerera ku Mukama Katonda waffe, nga mutambulira mu mateeka ge, n’okugondera ebiragiro bye, nga bwe mukola leero.”

Okuwonga kwa Yeekaalu

62 Awo Kabaka ne Isirayiri yonna ne bawaayo ssaddaaka mu maaso ga Mukama. 63 Sulemaani yawaayo ssaddaaka ey’ebiweebwayo olw’emirembe eri Mukama, era bino bye yawaayo: ente emitwalo ebiri, n’endiga n’embuzi emitwalo kkumi n’ebiri. Bwe batyo Kabaka n’Abayisirayiri bonna ne bawonga yeekaalu ya Mukama.

64 (AU)Ku lunaku olwo Kabaka kwe yatukuliza oluggya olwa wakati mu maaso ga yeekaalu ya Mukama, era eyo n’aweerayo ebiweebwayo ebyokebwa, n’eby’obutta, n’amasavu g’ebiweebwayo olw’emirembe, kubanga ekyoto eky’ekikomo mu maaso ga Mukama kyali kitono nnyo okugyaako ebiweebwayo ebyokebwa, n’ebiweebwayo eby’obutta, n’amasavu g’ebiweebwayo olw’emirembe.

65 (AV)Sulemaani ne Isirayiri yonna wamu naye, ne batuukiriza embaga eyo mu biro ebyo, ekibiina ekinene ddala mu maaso ga Mukama Katonda waffe, nga beegatiddwako abantu abaava ku mulyango gwa Kamasi n’abaava ku mukutu gw’e Misiri, okumala ennaku kkumi na nnya. 66 Ku lunaku olwaddirira abantu ne basabira Kabaka omukisa, n’abasiibula ne baddayo ewaabwe nga basanyuka era nga bajaguza mu mutima olw’ebirungi byonna Mukama bye yali akoledde Dawudi omuddu we n’abantu be Isirayiri.

Footnotes

  1. 8:2 Esanimu Omwezi gwa Esanimu ly’ebbanga wakati wa Sebutemba ne Okitobba.