38 And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, that is, the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts and in accordance with all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.

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38 In the eleventh year in the month of Bul, the eighth month, the temple was finished in all its details(A) according to its specifications.(B) He had spent seven years building it.

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31 (A)If a person sins against his neighbor and is compelled to take an oath of innocence, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge Your servants, (B)condemning the wicked by [a]bringing his way on his own head, and acquitting the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

33 (C)When Your people Israel are [b]defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, (D)if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and implore Your [c]favor in this house, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave their fathers.

35 (E)When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel; (F)indeed, teach them the good way in which they are to walk. And (G)provide rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.

37 (H)If there is a famine in the land, if there is a plague, if there is [d]blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy harasses them in the land of their [e]cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer or plea [f]is offered by any person or by all Your people Israel, [g]each knowing the affliction of his own heart, and spreading his [h]hands toward this house; 39 then hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive and act, and give to each in accordance with all his ways, (I)whose heart You know—for (J)You alone know the hearts of all [i]mankind— 40 so that they will [j]fear You all the days that they live on the [k]land which You have given to our fathers.

41 “Also regarding the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country on account of Your name 42 (for they will hear of Your great name (K)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 act in accordance with all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order (L)that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to [l]fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that [m]this house which I have built is called by Your name.

44 “When Your people go out to battle against [n]their enemy, by whatever way You send them, and (M)they pray to the Lord [o]toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their pleading, and maintain their cause.

46 “When they sin against You (for (N)there is no person who does not sin) and You are angry with them and turn them over to an enemy, so that [p]they take them away captive (O)to the land of the enemy, distant or near; 47 (P)if they [q]take it to heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and repent and implore Your [r]favor in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘(Q)We have sinned and done wrong, we have acted wickedly’; 48 (R)if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, and (S)pray to You toward their land which You have given to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name; 49 then hear their prayer and their pleading in heaven, Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause, 50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their wrongdoings which they have committed against You, and (T)make them objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, so that they will have compassion on them 51 ((U)for they are Your people and Your inheritance which You have brought out of Egypt, (V)from the midst of the iron furnace), 52 (W)so that Your eyes may be open to the pleading of Your servant and to the pleading of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53 For You have singled them out from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, (X)just as You spoke through Moses Your servant, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord [s]God.”

Solomon’s Benediction

54 (Y)When Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and plea to the Lord, (Z)he stood up from the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his [t]hands spread toward heaven. 55 And he stood and (AA)blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying:

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:32 Lit giving
  2. 1 Kings 8:33 Lit struck
  3. 1 Kings 8:33 Or compassion
  4. 1 Kings 8:37 Lit scorching
  5. 1 Kings 8:37 Lit gates
  6. 1 Kings 8:38 Lit takes place
  7. 1 Kings 8:38 Lit who know each
  8. 1 Kings 8:38 Lit palms
  9. 1 Kings 8:39 Lit the sons of mankind
  10. 1 Kings 8:40 Or revere
  11. 1 Kings 8:40 Lit face of the land
  12. 1 Kings 8:43 Or revere
  13. 1 Kings 8:43 Lit Your name is called upon this house which I have built
  14. 1 Kings 8:44 Lit his
  15. 1 Kings 8:44 Lit in the way of
  16. 1 Kings 8:46 Lit their captors take them captive
  17. 1 Kings 8:47 Lit return to their heart
  18. 1 Kings 8:47 Or compassion
  19. 1 Kings 8:53 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  20. 1 Kings 8:54 Lit palms

31 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath(A) before your altar in this temple, 32 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.(B)

33 “When your people Israel have been defeated(C) by an enemy because they have sinned(D) against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,(E) 34 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(F) because your people have sinned(G) against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach(H) them the right way(I) to live, and send rain(J) on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

37 “When famine(K) or plague(L) comes to the land, or blight(M) or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers,(N) or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands(O) toward this temple— 39 then hear(P) from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive(Q) and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know(R) their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), 40 so that they will fear(S) you all the time they live in the land(T) you gave our ancestors.

41 “As for the foreigner(U) who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— 42 for they will hear(V) of your great name and your mighty hand(W) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know(X) your name and fear(Y) you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.(Z)

44 “When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray(AA) to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 45 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.(AB)

46 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin(AC)—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive(AD) to their own lands, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead(AE) with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’;(AF) 48 and if they turn back(AG) to you with all their heart(AH) and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray(AI) to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple(AJ) I have built for your Name;(AK) 49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 50 And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;(AL) 51 for they are your people and your inheritance,(AM) whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.(AN)

52 “May your eyes be open(AO) to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you.(AP) 53 For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance,(AQ) just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign Lord, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”

54 When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood and blessed(AR) the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:

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