运约柜入圣殿

所罗门把以色列的长老、各支派的首领和族长召集到耶路撒冷,准备把耶和华的约柜从大卫城锡安运上来。

在以他念月,即七月住棚节的时候,以色列人都聚集到所罗门王那里。 以色列的长老到齐后,祭司便抬起约柜, 祭司和利未人将约柜、会幕和会幕里的一切圣器运上来。 所罗门王和聚集到他那里的以色列全体会众在约柜前献祭,献上的牛羊多得不可胜数。 祭司把耶和华的约柜抬进内殿,即至圣所,放在两个基路伯天使的翅膀下面。 基路伯天使展开翅膀,遮盖约柜和抬约柜的横杠。 横杠相当长,在至圣所前面的圣所中可以看见横杠的末端,在圣所外面看不见。横杠至今仍在那里。 约柜里除了两块石版,没有别的东西。石版是以色列人离开埃及后,耶和华在何烈山跟他们立约时,摩西放进去的。 10 祭司从圣所出来的时候,就有云彩充满了耶和华的殿, 11 以致祭司不能留在殿里供职,因为那里充满了耶和华的荣光。 12 那时,所罗门说:

“耶和华啊,
你曾说你要住在密云中,
13 现在,我为你建造了殿宇,
作你永远的居所。”

14 然后,王转身为站立在那里的以色列民众祝福, 15 说:“以色列的上帝耶和华当受称颂!祂亲口给我父大卫的应许,现在祂亲手成就了! 16 祂曾说,‘自从我把我的以色列子民带出埃及以来,我并没有在以色列各支派中选出一座城来建造殿宇,作为我名下的居所。我只是拣选了大卫来治理我的以色列子民。’” 17 所罗门又说:“我父大卫曾想为以色列的上帝耶和华建殿, 18 但是耶和华对我父大卫说,‘你想为我建殿,这番心意是好的, 19 但你不要建,要由你的亲生儿子为我建殿。’

20 “耶和华已经实现祂的应许,祂让我继承我父大卫的王位统治以色列。现在,我为以色列的上帝耶和华的名建了殿, 21 并在殿里预备了放约柜的地方。约柜里有耶和华的约,是祂把我们的祖先带出埃及时跟他们立的。”

所罗门的祷告

22 所罗门当着以色列会众的面,站在耶和华的坛前,向天伸出双手, 23 祷告说:“以色列的上帝耶和华啊,天上地下没有神明可以与你相比!你向尽心遵行你旨意的仆人守约,施慈爱。 24 你持守向你仆人——我父大卫的应许,你曾亲口应许,你今天亲手成就了。

25 “以色列的上帝耶和华啊,你曾对你仆人——我父大卫说,‘你的子孙若像你一样谨慎行事、遵行我的旨意,你的王朝就不会中断。’求你信守这应许。 26 以色列的上帝耶和华啊,求你实现你向你仆人——我父大卫的应许。

27 “然而,上帝啊,你真的会住在人间吗?看啊,诸天尚且不够你居住,更何况我建造的这殿呢? 28 可是,我的上帝耶和华啊,求你垂顾你仆人的祷告和祈求,垂听你仆人今天在你面前的呼求和祈祷。 29 愿你昼夜看顾这殿——你应许立你名的地方!你仆人向着这地方祷告的时候,求你垂听。 30 你仆人和你的以色列子民向这地方祈祷的时候,求你从你天上的居所垂听,赦免我们的罪。

31 “如果有人得罪邻舍,被叫到这殿中,在你的坛前起誓, 32 求你从天上垂听,在你众仆人当中施行审判,按他们的行为罚恶赏善。

33 “当你的以色列子民因得罪你而败在敌人手中时,如果他们回心转意归向你,承认你的名,在这殿里祈祷, 34 求你从天上垂听,赦免他们的罪,带领他们回到你赐给他们祖先的土地上。

35 “当你的子民得罪你,你惩罚他们,叫天不降雨时,如果他们向着这殿祷告,承认你的名,并离开罪恶, 36 求你在天上垂听,赦免你仆人——你以色列子民的罪,教导他们走正道,降下甘霖滋润你赐给你子民作产业的土地。

37 “如果国中有饥荒、瘟疫、旱灾、霉病、蝗灾、虫灾,或是城邑被敌人围困,无论遭遇什么灾祸疾病, 38 只要你的以色列子民,或个人或全体,自知心中痛苦并向着这殿伸手祷告,无论祈求什么, 39 求你从天上的居所垂听,赦免他们。唯独你能洞察人心,你必按各人的行为施行赏罚, 40 使你的子民在你赐给我们祖先的土地上终生敬畏你。

41-42 “如果有远方的外族人听说你的大能大力,慕名而来,向着这殿祷告, 43 求你从天上的居所垂听,应允他们的祈求,好叫天下万民都像你的以色列子民一样认识你的名,敬畏你,并知道我建造的这殿属于你的名下。

44 “你的子民奉你的命令上阵与敌人作战,无论他们在哪里,如果他们向着你选择的这城和我为你建造的这殿祷告, 45 求你从天上垂听,使他们得胜。

46 “世上没有不犯罪的人,如果你的子民得罪你,以致你向他们发怒,让敌人把他们掳走,不论远近, 47 若他们在那里回心转意,向你恳求,承认自己犯罪作恶了; 48 若他们全心全意地归向你,朝着你赐给他们祖先的这片土地、你选择的这城和我为你建的这殿向你祷告, 49 求你从天上的居所垂听他们的祈求,为他们伸张正义, 50 赦免得罪你的子民,赦免他们的一切过犯,使掳掠他们的人善待他们。 51 因为他们是你的子民、你的产业,是你从埃及那熊熊的火炉里拯救出来的。

52 “愿你垂顾仆人和你的以色列子民的祈求。无论他们什么时候向你祈求,都求你垂听。 53 主耶和华啊,因为你把我们祖先带出埃及的时候,曾经借着你的仆人摩西应许将以色列人从万民中分别出来,作你自己的产业。”

所罗门为民祝福

54 所罗门跪在耶和华的坛前,举着手向耶和华祷告完毕, 55 便站起来高声为以色列全体会众祝福: 56 “耶和华当受称颂!祂照着应许赐平安给祂的以色列子民。祂从前借着仆人摩西赐下的美好应许一句也没有落空。 57 愿我们的上帝耶和华与我们同在,就像与我们的祖先同在一样。愿祂永远都不撇下我们,不丢弃我们, 58 使我们的心归向祂,遵行祂的旨意,谨守祂吩咐我们祖先的诫命、律例和典章。 59 愿我们的上帝耶和华昼夜顾念我在祂面前的这些祈求,天天护佑祂的仆人和祂的以色列子民, 60 叫地上万民都知道,耶和华是独一无二的上帝。 61 愿你们像今天一样专心事奉我们的上帝耶和华,遵行祂的律法,谨守祂的诫命。”

圣殿奉献礼

62 王和以色列众民一同向耶和华献祭。 63 所罗门向耶和华献上两万二千头牛、十二万只羊作平安祭,王和以色列众民为耶和华的殿举行奉献典礼。

64 那天,因为耶和华殿前的铜坛太小,容不下燔祭、素祭和平安祭祭牲的脂肪,所罗门王就把殿前院子中间分别出来作圣洁之地,在那里献上燔祭、素祭和平安祭祭牲的脂肪。 65 所罗门和从哈马口直至埃及小河而来的全体以色列人聚成一大群会众,在我们的上帝耶和华面前守节期两周,共十四天。 66 之后,所罗门王让众民各回本乡。他们看见耶和华向祂的仆人大卫和以色列子民所施的一切恩惠,都为王祝福,并满心欢喜地回家去了。

Then Sh’lomo assembled the Zekenim of Yisroel, and all the Rashei HaMattot, the Nesi’ei HaAvot of the Bnei Yisroel, unto HaMelech Sh’lomo in Yerushalayim, that they might bring up the Aron Brit Hashem out of Ir Dovid, which is Tziyon.

And all the Ish Yisroel assembled themselves unto HaMelech Sh’lomo at the Chag [Sukkot] in the month Etanim [Tishri], which is the seventh month.

And all the Zekenim of Yisroel came, and the Kohanim took up the Aron.

And they brought up the Aron Hashem, and the Ohel Mo’ed and all the kelei hakodesh that were in the Ohel, even those did the Kohanim and the Levi’im carry up.

And Sh’lomo HaMelech, and all the Adat Yisroel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the Aron, sacrificing tzon and bakar, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.

And the Kohanim brought in the Aron Brit Hashem unto its makom, in the Devir HaBayit, the Kodesh HaKodashim, even under the wings of the keruvim.

For the keruvim spread forth their kenafayim (wings) over the place of the Aron, and the keruvim overshadowed the Aron and the poles thereof.

They drew out the poles, that the ends of the poles were seen out in the Kodesh before the Devir, but they were not seen from the outside; there they are unto this day.

There was nothing in the Aron except the two Luchot HaAvanim (Tablets of Stone), which Moshe placed there at Chorev, when Hashem cut a Brit with the Bnei Yisroel, when they came out of Eretz Mitzrayim.

10 And it came to pass, when the Kohanim were come out of the Kodesh, that the anan filled the Beis Hashem,

11 So that the Kohanim could not stand up to minister because of the anan; for the Kavod Hashem had filled the Beis Hashem.

12 Then spoke Sh’lomo, Hashem said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.

13 I have surely built Thee a Beis of habitation, a Makhon for Thee to abide olamim.

14 And HaMelech turned his face about, and made a brocha upon Kol Kehal Yisroel; (and Kol Kehal Yisroel were standing);

15 And he said, Baruch Hashem Elohei Yisroel, which spoke with His mouth unto Dovid Avi, and hath with His yad fulfilled it, saying,

16 Since the yom that I brought forth My people Yisroel out of Mitzrayim, I chose no ir out of all the Shivtei Yisroel to build a Beis, that Shemi might be therein; but I chose Dovid to be over My people Yisroel.

17 It was in the levav Dovid Avi to build Bayit for Shem Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

18 And Hashem said unto Dovid Avi, Whereas it was in thine lev to build a Beis unto Shemi, thou didst well that it was in thine lev.

19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the Bayit; but thy ben that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the Bayit unto Shemi.

20 And Hashem hath fulfilled His Davar that He spoke, and I am risen up in the place of Dovid Avi, and sit on the Kisse Yisroel, just as Hashem promised, and have built Bayit for the Shem Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

21 And I have set there a Makom for the Aron, wherein is the Brit Hashem, which He cut with Avoteinu, when He brought them out of Eretz Mitzrayim.

22 And Sh’lomo stood before the Mizbe’ach Hashem in the presence of all the Kahal Yisroel, and spread forth his palms toward Shomayim;

23 And he said, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, there is no Elohim like Thee, in Shomayim above, or on HaAretz beneath, who is shomer HaBrit and keeps chesed with Thy avadim that walk before Thee with all their lev;

24 Who hast been shomer with Thy eved Dovid Avi that Thou promised him; Thou spoke also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with Thine yad, as it is this day.

25 Therefore now, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, be shomer with Thy eved Dovid Avi that Thou promised him, saying, There shall not Yikaret (be cut off, fail) thee an ish in My sight to sit on the Kisse Yisroel; so that thy banim be shomer over their derech, that they walk before Me as thou hast walked before Me.

26 And now, O Elohei Yisroel, let Thy davar now come true, which Thou spoke unto Thy eved Dovid Avi.

27 But will Elohim indeed dwell on ha’aretz? Hinei, the Shomayim and the Shemei HaShomayim cannot contain Thee; how much less this Bayit that I have built?

28 Yet turn Thou unto the tefillah of Thy eved, and to his techinnah, Hashem Elohai, to pay heed unto the cry and to the tefillah, which Thy eved is davening before Thee today;

29 That Thine eyes may be open toward this Bayit lailah va’yom, even toward the Makom of which Thou hast said, Shemi shall be there; that Thou mayest pay heed unto the tefillah which Thy eved shall make toward Makom Hazeh.

30 And pay heed Thou to the techinnah of Thy eved, and of Thy people Yisroel, when they shall daven toward Makom Hazeh; and hear Thou from Shomayim Thy dwelling place; and when Thou hearest, forgive.

31 If any ish trespass against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before Thine Mizbe’ach in this Bayit;

32 Then hear Thou in Shomayim, and do, and judge Thy avadim, condemning the rasha, to bring his derech upon his rosh; and lehatzeddik (justifying, declaring innocent and acquitted) the tzaddik, to give him according to his tzedakah.

33 When Thy people Yisroel be struck down before the oyev, because they have sinned against Thee, and shall turn back to Thee, and confess Thy Shem, and daven, and make supplication unto Thee in this Bayit:

34 Then hear Thou in Shomayim, and forgive the chattat of Thy people Yisroel, and bring them back unto HaAdamah which Thou gavest unto their Avot.

35 When Shomayim is shut up, and there is no matar (rain), because they have sinned against Thee; if they daven toward this Makom, and confess Thy Shem, and turn from their chattat, when Thou afflictest them;

36 Then hear Thou in Shomayim, and forgive the chattat of Thy avadim, and of Thy people Yisroel, that Thou teach them the Derech Hatovah wherein they should walk, and give matar (rain) upon Thy Land, which Thou hast given to Thy people for a nachalah.

37 If there be in HaAretz ra’av, if there be dever, blight, mildew, arbeh, or if there be grasshopper; if their oyev besiege them in the eretz of their she’arim; whatsoever nega (plague), whatsoever machalah (disease) there be;

38 What tefillah and techinnah be made by any adam, or by all Thy people Yisroel, which shall know every man the nega of his own levav, and spread forth his palms toward this Bayit;

39 Then hear Thou in Shomayim the Makom of Thy dwelling, and forgive, and do, and give to every ish according to his derech, whose lev Thou knowest; (for Thou, even Thou only, knowest levav kol Bnei HaAdam);

40 That they may fear Thee all hayamim that they are chayyim in the adamah which Thou gavest unto Avoteinu.

41 Moreover concerning a nokhri (foreigner), that is not of Thy people Yisroel, but cometh out of a far country for Thy Name’s sake;

42 (For they shall hear of Thy Shem HaGadol, and of Thy Yad HaChazakah, and of Thy stretched out zero’a;) and shall come and daven toward this Bayit;

43 Hear Thou in Shomayim the Makom of Thy dwelling, and do according to all that the nokhri calleth to Thee for; that all peoples of ha’aretz may know Thy Shem, to fear Thee, as do Thy people Yisroel; that they may know that this Bayit, which I have built, is called by Thy Shem.

44 If Thy people go out to milchamah against their oyev (enemy), in the derech that Thou shalt send them, and shall daven unto Hashem in the Derech HaIr which Thou hast chosen, and toward the Bayit that I have built for Thy Shem;

45 Then hear Thou in Shomayim their tefillah and their techinnah, and uphold their mishpat.

46 If they sin against Thee, (for there is no adam that sinneth not), and Thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the oyev (enemy), so that they carry them away captives unto the eretz of the oyev, far or near;

47 Yet if they make in their lev teshuvah in HaAretz where they were carried captives, and turn, and make techinnah unto Thee in the eretz of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;

48 And so return unto Thee with all their lev, and with all their nefesh, in the eretz of their enemies, which led them away captive, and daven unto Thee in the derech (direction) of their land, which Thou gavest unto their Avot, the Ir which Thou hast chosen, and the Bayit which I have built for Thy Shem;

49 Then hear Thou their tefillah and their techinnah in Shomayim, the Makom of Thy dwelling, and uphold their cause,

50 And forgive Thy people that have sinned against Thee, and all their peysha’im wherein they have rebelled against Thee, and give them rachamim before them who carried them captive, that they may have rachamim on them;

51 For they are Thy people, and Thine nachalah, which Thou broughtest forth out of Mitzrayim, from the midst of the Kur HaBarzel (Furnace of Iron):

52 That Thine eyes may be open unto the techinnah of Thy eved, and unto the techinnah of Thy people Yisroel, to pay heed unto them in all that they call for unto Thee.

53 For Thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of HaAretz, to be Thine nachalah, as Thou spoke by the yad Moshe Thy Eved, when Thou broughtest Avoteinu out of Mitzrayim, Adonoi Hashem,

54 And it was so, that when Sh’lomo had completed davening all this tefillah and techinnah unto Hashem, he arose from before the Mizbe’ach Hashem, from having knelt on his knees with his palms spread up to Shomayim.

55 And he stood, and made on Kol Kehal Yisroel a brocha with a kol gadol (loud voice), saying,

56 Baruch Hashem, that hath given menuchah unto His people Yisroel, according to all that He promised: there hath not failed one davar of all His good promise, which He promised by yad Moshe His Eved.

57 Hashem Eloheinu be immanu (with us), as He was with Avoteinu; let Him not leave us, nor forsake us;

58 That He may incline levavenu (our hearts) unto Him, to walk in all his ways, and to be shomer over His mitzvot, and His chukkot, and His mishpatim, which He commanded Avoteinu.

59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made techinnah before Hashem, be kerovim (near ones) unto Hashem Eloheinu yomam valailah that He maintain the mishpat (cause) of His eved, and the mishpat of His people Yisroel at all times, as each day requires;

60 That all the peoples of ha’aretz may know that Hashem hu HaElohim and that there is none else.

61 Let your lev therefore be shalem with Hashem Eloheinu, to walk in His chukkot, to be shomer over His mitzvot, as at this day.

62 And HaMelech, and kol Yisroel with him, offered zevach (sacrifice) before Hashem.

63 And Sh’lomo offered a zevach hashelamim (sacrifice of peace offerings), which he offered unto Hashem, two and twenty thousand bakar, and a hundred and twenty thousand tzon (sheep). So HaMelech and kol Bnei Yisroel dedicated the Beis Hashem.

64 The same day did HaMelech consecrate as kodesh the interior of the Khatzer (Court) that was before the Beis Hashem; for there he offered olah and minchah, and the chelvei hashelamim because the Mitzbe’ach HaNechoshet that was before Hashem was too katon (small) to receive the olah, and minchah, and the chelvei hashelamim.

65 And at that time Sh’lomo observed a Chag, and kol Yisroel with him, a Kahal Gadol, from the Approach of Chamat unto the Wadi Mitzrayim, before Hashem Eloheinu, shivat yamim and shivat yamim, even arba’a asar yom.

66 On the Yom HaShemini he sent away the people and they made on HaMelech a brocha, and went unto their ohalim joyful and glad of lev for all hatovah (the goodness) that Hashem had done for Dovid His Eved and for Yisroel His People.