聖殿奉獻禮

所羅門禱告完畢,就有火從天上降下,燒盡了燔祭和其他祭物。殿裡充滿了耶和華的榮光, 以致祭司不能進殿。 全體以色列人看見有火降下,又看見耶和華的榮光停在殿上,便俯伏敬拜,稱謝耶和華說:

「耶和華是美善的,
祂的慈愛永遠長存。」

所羅門王和全體民眾一同向耶和華獻祭。 所羅門王獻上兩萬二千頭牛和十二萬隻羊,王和全體民眾為上帝的殿舉行奉獻典禮。 祭司在自己的崗位上侍立,利未人奏著大衛王為頌讚耶和華而為他們製造的樂器,歌頌說:「祂的慈愛永遠長存。」他們對面的祭司也吹響號角,全體以色列人都肅立。

所羅門因所造的銅壇太小,容不下燔祭、素祭和脂肪,就把耶和華殿前院子中間的地方分別出來,作聖潔之地,在那裡獻上燔祭和平安祭祭牲的脂肪。

所羅門和從哈馬口直至埃及小河而來的全體以色列人聚成一大群會眾,一起守節期七天。 第八天舉行莊嚴的聚會,又舉行七天獻壇禮。之後,他們又歡慶七天。 10 七月二十三日,所羅門王讓民眾各回本鄉。他們看見耶和華向大衛、所羅門和祂的以色列子民所施的恩惠,就滿心歡喜地回家去了。

耶和華向所羅門顯現

11 所羅門建完了耶和華的殿和他自己的王宮,他按計劃完成了耶和華殿裡和他自己宮裡的一切工作。 12 耶和華在夜間向所羅門顯現,對他說:「我已聽見你的禱告,也已選擇這殿作為給我獻祭的地方。 13 若我使天不下雨,使蝗蟲吞吃地上的出產,或叫瘟疫在我民中流行, 14 而這些被稱為我名下的子民若謙卑下來,祈禱、尋求我的面,離開惡道,我必從天上垂聽,赦免他們的罪,醫治他們的土地。 15 現在,我會睜眼看、留心聽在這殿裡獻上的禱告。 16 我已選擇這殿,使之聖潔,永遠歸在我的名下,我的眼和我的心必常在那裡。 17 如果你像你父親大衛一樣事奉我,遵行我一切的吩咐,謹守我的律例和典章, 18 我必使你的王位穩固,正如我曾與你父親大衛立約,說,『你的子孫必永遠統治以色列。』

19 「然而,如果你們背棄我指示你們的律例和誡命,去供奉、祭拜別的神明, 20 我必把你們從我賜給你們的土地上剷除,並離棄我為自己的名而使之聖潔的這殿,使這殿在萬民中成為笑柄、被人嘲諷。 21 這殿雖然宏偉,但將來經過的人必驚訝地問,『耶和華為什麼這樣對待這地方和這殿呢?』 22 人們會回答,『因為他們背棄曾領他們祖先離開埃及的耶和華——他們的上帝,去追隨、祭拜、供奉別的神明,所以耶和華把這一切災禍降在他們身上。』」

The Temple Dedication

1-3 When Solomon finished praying, a bolt of lightning out of heaven struck the Whole-Burnt-Offering and sacrifices and the Glory of God filled The Temple. The Glory was so dense that the priests couldn’t get in—God so filled The Temple that there was no room for the priests! When all Israel saw the fire fall from heaven and the Glory of God fill The Temple, they fell on their knees, bowed their heads, and worshiped, thanking God:

Yes! God is good!
His love never quits!

4-6 Then the king and all Israel worshiped, offering sacrifices to God. King Solomon worshiped by sacrificing 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep at the dedication of The Temple. The priests were all on duty; the choir and orchestra of Levites that David had provided for singing and playing anthems to the praise and love of God were all there; across the courtyard the priests blew trumpets. All Israelites were on their feet.

7-10 Solomon set apart the central area of the courtyard in front of God’s Temple for sacred use and there sacrificed the Whole-Burnt-Offerings, Grain-Offerings, and fat from the Peace-Offerings—the Bronze Altar was too small to handle all these offerings. This is how Solomon kept the great autumn Feast of Booths. For seven days there were people there all the way from the far northeast (the Entrance to Hamath) to the far southwest (the Brook of Egypt)—a huge congregation. They started out celebrating for seven days, and then did it for another seven days, a week for dedicating the Altar and another for the Feast itself—two solid weeks of celebration! On the twenty-third day of the seventh month Solomon dismissed his congregation. They left rejoicing, exuberant over all the good God had done for David and Solomon and his people Israel.

God’s Confirmation

11 Solomon completed building The Temple of God and the royal palace—the projects he had set his heart on doing. Everything was done—success! Satisfaction!

12-18 God appeared to Solomon that very night and said, “I accept your prayer; yes, I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship. If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for you: I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health. From now on I’m alert day and night to the prayers offered at this place. Believe me, I’ve chosen and sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I’ve set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I’ll back your kingly rule over Israel—make it a sure thing on a sure foundation. The same covenant guarantee I gave to David your father I’m giving to you, namely, ‘You can count on always having a descendant on Israel’s throne.’

19-22 “But if you or your sons betray me, ignoring my guidance and judgments, taking up with alien gods by serving and worshiping them, then the guarantee is off: I’ll wipe Israel right off the map and repudiate this Temple I’ve just sanctified to honor my Name. And Israel will be nothing but a bad joke among the peoples of the world. And this Temple, splendid as it now is, will become an object of contempt; tourists will shake their heads, saying, ‘What happened here? What’s the story behind these ruins?’ Then they’ll be told, ‘The people who used to live here betrayed their God, the very God who rescued their ancestors from Egypt; they took up with alien gods, worshiping and serving them. That’s what’s behind this God-visited devastation.’”

Now when Sh’lomo had made an end of davening, the eish came down from Shomayim, and consumed the olah and the zevakhim; and the kavod Hashem filled HaBeis.

And the Kohanim could not enter into the Beis Hashem, because the kavod Hashem had filled the Beis Hashem.

And when all the Bnei Yisroel saw how the eish came down, and the kavod Hashem upon HaBeis, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the ritzpah (floor, pavement) and worshiped, and gave thanks to Hashem, saying, Ki tov ki l’olam chasdo (For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever).

Then HaMelech and kol HaAm offered zevach before Hashem.

And HaMelech Sh’lomo offered zevach of 22,000 bakar, and 120,000 tzon; so HaMelech and kol HaAm dedicated the Beis HaElohim.

And the Kohanim stood at their mishmerot (watches); the Levi’im also with kelei shir Hashem, (musical instruments of Hashem) which Dovid HaMelech had made to give thanks to Hashem‖ki l’oham chasdo (for His mercy endureth forever)‖whenever Dovid praised by their means; and the Kohanim sounded khatzotzrot (trumpets) opposite them, and kol Yisroel stood.

Moreover Sh’lomo set apart as kodesh the toch hekhatzer (center of the courtyard) that was in front of the Beis Hashem; for there he offered HaOlot and the chelvei hashelamim (fat of peace offerings), because the Mizbe’ach hanechoshet which Sh’lomo had made was not able to receive the Olot, and the Mincha, and HaChalavim (the fats).

Also at the same time Sh’lomo kept the Chag (see v. 9) shivat yamim, and kol Yisroel with him, a Kahal Gadol Me’od, from the Levo (Approach) Chamat unto the Wadi Mitzrayim.

And on the Yom HaShemini they held an Atzeret (solemn assembly); for they kept the chanukat HaMizbe’ach (dedication of the altar, i.e., the Beis Hamikdash) shivat yamim, and the chag [Sukkot] shivat yamim.

10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent HaAm away into their ohalim joyful and tovei lev for the goodness that Hashem had showed unto Dovid, and to Sh’lomo, and to Yisroel His Am.

11 Thus Sh’lomo finished the Beis Hashem, and the Beis HaMelech; and all that came into the lev Sh’lomo to do in the Beis Hashem, and in his own palace, he prosperously effected.

12 And Hashem appeared to Sh’lomo balailah, and said unto him, I have heard thy tefillah, and have chosen this makom for Myself for a Beis Zevach.

13 When I shut up Shomayim that there be no matar, or when I command the locusts to devour HaAretz, or when I send dever among Ami (My People)

14 If Ami, which are called by Shmi, shall humble themselves, and daven, and seek my face, and turn from their derakhim hara’im (wicked ways), then will I hear from Shomayim, and will forgive their chattat, and will heal their land.

15 Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attentive unto the tefillah that is made in Makom HaZeh.

16 For now have I chosen and set apart as kodesh HaBeis HaZeh, that Shmi may be there ad olam, and Mine eyes and Mine lev shall be there kol hayamim.

17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before Me, as Dovid Avicha walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe My chukkot and My mishpatim;

18 Then will I establish the kisse of thy Malchut, just as I have covenanted with Dovid Avicha, saying, Lo yikaret lecha ish moshel b’Yisroel.

19 But if ye turn away, and forsake My chukkot and My mitzvot, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve elohim acherim, and worship them,

20 Then will I uproot them out of My Adamah which I have given them; and HaBeis HaZeh, which I have set apart as kodesh for Shmi, will I cast out of My sight, and will make it to be a Mashal (byword) and an object of ridicule among Kol haAmim.

21 And HaBeis HaZeh, which is elyon, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath Hashem done thus unto HaAretz HaZot, and unto HaBeis Hazeh?

22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook Hashem Elohei Avoteihem, Who brought them forth out of Eretz Mitzrayim, and they laid hold on elohim acherim, and worshiped them, and served them; therefore hath He brought all this ra’ah upon them.