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耶和華的榮光充滿了殿

所羅門禱告完了,有火從天上降下來,燒盡了燔祭和其他的祭品;耶和華的榮光充滿了那殿。 因為耶和華的榮光充滿了耶和華的殿,祭司都不能進入耶和華的殿。 那火降下,耶和華的榮光停在殿上的時候,以色列眾人都看見;於是他們在鋪石地跪下,俯伏在地,敬拜稱頌耶和華說:“耶和華是良善的,他的慈愛永遠長存。”

所羅門和人民一起獻祭守節(A)

王和全體人民都在耶和華面前獻祭。 所羅門王獻上了二萬二千頭牛、十二萬隻羊為祭。這樣,王和全體人民為 神的殿舉行了奉獻禮。 祭司都站在自己的崗位上;利未人也站著,拿著大衛王所做的耶和華的樂器,稱頌耶和華,因為他的慈愛永遠長存;大衛藉著他們讚美耶和華的時候,祭司在眾人前面吹號;以色列眾人都站著。 所羅門把耶和華殿前院子當中的地方分別為聖,在那裡獻上了燔祭和平安祭的脂肪,因為所羅門所做的銅壇容不下所有的燔祭、素祭和脂肪。

那時,所羅門和全體以色列人,就是來自哈馬口,直到埃及小河的一群極大的會眾,一起舉行了七天的節期。 第八天舉行了嚴肅會,又舉行獻壇禮七天,舉行了七天的節期。 10 七月二十三日,王遣散眾民回家;他們因看見耶和華向大衛、所羅門和他的子民以色列所施的恩惠,心裡都歡喜快樂。

耶和華的警告與應許(B)

11 這樣,所羅門完成了耶和華的殿宇和王宮。在耶和華的殿裡或所羅門的宮中,所羅門心裡要作的,都順利地作成了。 12 夜間,耶和華向所羅門顯現,對他說:“我已經聽了你的禱告,也為我自己選擇了這地方作獻祭的殿。 13 如果我使天閉塞不下雨,或吩咐蝗蟲吞吃這地的土產,或差遣瘟疫到我的子民中間來; 14 這稱為我名下的子民,若是謙卑、禱告、尋求我的面,轉離他們的惡行,我必從天上垂聽,赦免他們的罪,醫治他們的地。 15 現在我的眼睛必張開,我的耳朵必垂聽在這地所發的禱告。 16 現在我揀選了這殿,把它分別為聖,使我的名永遠在這殿中;我的眼和我的心也常常留在那裡。 17 至於你,你若是在我面前行事為人像你的父親大衛所行的那樣,遵行我吩咐你的一切話,謹守我的律例和典章, 18 我就必鞏固你的國位,好像我和你父親大衛所立的約說:‘你的子孫必不會斷人作君王統治以色列。’

19 “可是,如果你們轉離我,丟棄我在你們面前頒布的律例和誡命,去事奉和敬拜別的神, 20 我就必把以色列人從我賜給他們的土地上拔出來,並且我為自己的名分別為聖的這殿,我也必從我面前捨棄,使這殿在萬民中成為笑談和譏笑的對象。 21 這殿雖然高大,但將來經過的人,都必驚訝,說:‘耶和華為甚麼這樣對待這地和這殿呢?’ 22 人必回答說:‘是因為這地的人離棄了耶和華他們列祖的 神,就是領他們從埃及地出來的 神,去親近別的神,敬拜和事奉他們;所以,耶和華使這一切災禍臨到他們。’”

The Dedication of the Temple

When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. When all the people of Israel saw the fire coming down and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the Temple, they fell face down on the ground and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying,

“He is good!
    His faithful love endures forever!”

Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the Lord. King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. And so the king and all the people dedicated the Temple of God. The priests took their assigned positions, and so did the Levites who were singing, “His faithful love endures forever!” They accompanied the singing with music from the instruments King David had made for praising the Lord. Across from the Levites, the priests blew the trumpets, while all Israel stood.

Solomon then consecrated the central area of the courtyard in front of the Lord’s Temple. He offered burnt offerings and the fat of peace offerings there, because the bronze altar he had built could not hold all the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and sacrificial fat.

For the next seven days Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival of Shelters.[a] A large congregation had gathered from as far away as Lebo-hamath in the north and the Brook of Egypt in the south. On the eighth day they had a closing ceremony, for they had celebrated the dedication of the altar for seven days and the Festival of Shelters for seven days. 10 Then at the end of the celebration,[b] Solomon sent the people home. They were all joyful and glad because the Lord had been so good to David and to Solomon and to his people Israel.

The Lord’s Response to Solomon

11 So Solomon finished the Temple of the Lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace. 12 Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said,

“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. 13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. 15 My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 16 For I have chosen this Temple and set it apart to be holy—a place where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.

17 “As for you, if you faithfully follow me as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, 18 then I will establish the throne of your dynasty. For I made this covenant with your father, David, when I said, ‘One of your descendants will always rule over Israel.’

19 “But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the decrees and commands I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, 20 then I will uproot the people from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make it an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations. 21 And though this Temple is impressive now, all who pass by will be appalled. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’

22 “And the answer will be, ‘Because his people abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why he has brought all these disasters on them.’”

Footnotes

  1. 7:8 Hebrew the festival (also in 7:9); see note on 5:3.
  2. 7:10 Hebrew Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month. This day of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred in October or early November.