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1 Kings 8
Legacy Standard Bible

The Ark Brought into the House of Yahweh

8 (A)Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all (B)the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, (C)to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from (D)the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves to King Solomon at (E)the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 Then all the elders of Israel came, and (F)the priests carried the ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of Yahweh and (G)the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils, which were in the tent, and the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who congregated to him being (H)with him before the ark, were sacrificing [a]so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6 Then (I)the priests brought the ark of the covenant of Yahweh (J)to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the house, to the Holy of Holies, (K)under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles from above. 8 But (L)the poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen outside; and they are there to this day. 9 (M)There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moses laid there at Horeb, where (N)Yahweh cut a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 Now it happened that when the priests came out of the holy place, (O)the cloud filled the house of Yahweh, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh.

Solomon Blesses the People

12 (P)Then Solomon said,

“Yahweh has said that (Q)He would dwell in the cloud of dense gloom.
13 (R)I have surely built You a lofty house,
(S)A place for Your dwelling forever.”

14 Then the king turned his face around and (T)blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15 And he said, “(U)Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, (V)who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it by His hand, saying, 16 ‘(W)Since the day that I brought My people Israel from Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that (X)My name might be there, but (Y)I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 17 (Z)And it was [b]in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 18 But Yahweh said to my father David, ‘Because it was [c]in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was [d]in your heart. 19 (AA)Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who will (AB)come forth from your loins, he shall build the house for My name.’ 20 And Yahweh has established His word which He spoke; and (AC)I have been established in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh [e]promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have set a place for the ark, (AD)in which is the covenant of Yahweh, which He cut with our fathers when He brought them from the land of Egypt.”

Solomon’s Prayer for Israel

22 Then (AE)Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh before all the assembly of Israel and (AF)spread out his hands toward heaven. 23 And he said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, (AG)there is no god like You in heaven above or upon earth beneath, (AH)keeping covenant and lovingkindness to Your slaves who walk before You with all their heart, 24 who have kept with Your [f]servant, my father David, that which You have [g]promised him; indeed, You have [h]promised with Your mouth and have fulfilled it by Your hand as it is this day. 25 So now, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with Your [i]servant David my father that which You have [j]promised him, saying, ‘(AI)You shall not have a man cut off from before Me who is to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons keep their way to walk as you have walked before Me.’ 26 So now, O God of Israel, let Your word truly [k]endure (AJ)which You have spoken to Your [l]servant, my father David.

27 “But will God truly dwell on the earth? Behold, (AK)heaven and the [m]highest heaven cannot [n]contain You; how much less this house which I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the (AL)prayer of Your slave and to his supplication, O Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your slave prays before You today; 29 (AM)that Your eyes may be open toward this house night and day, toward (AN)the place of which You have said, ‘My name shall be there,’ to listen to the prayer which Your slave shall pray toward this place. 30 (AO)And listen to the supplication of Your slave and of Your people Israel, (AP)when they pray toward this place; listen in heaven Your dwelling place; listen and (AQ)forgive.

31 “(AR)If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 32 then listen in heaven and act and judge Your slaves, (AS)condemning the wicked by [o]bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by [p]bringing him reward according to his righteousness.

33 “(AT)When Your people Israel are [q]defeated before an enemy, because they have sinned against You, (AU)if they turn to You again and confess Your name and pray and make supplication to You in this house, 34 then listen in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their fathers.

35 “(AV)When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 36 then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of Your slaves and of Your people Israel; (AW)indeed, teach them the good way in which they should walk. And (AX)give rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

37 “(AY)If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is scorching wind or mildew, locust or grasshopper, if their enemy besieges them in the land of their [r]cities, whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, each of whom knows the [s]affliction of his own heart, and spreads his [t]hands toward this house; 39 then listen in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and act and give to each according to all his ways, (AZ)whose heart You know, for (BA)You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men, 40 that they may [u]fear You all the days that they live upon the face of the land which You have given to our fathers.

41 “Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, if he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name (BB)and Your strong hand, and of Your outstretched arm); so if he comes and prays toward this house, 43 listen in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order (BC)that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name to [v]fear You, as do Your people Israel, and to know that Your name is called upon this house which I have built.

44 “When Your people go out to battle against [w]their enemy, by whatever way You shall send them, and (BD)they pray to Yahweh [x]toward the city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, 45 then listen in heaven to their prayer and their supplication, and do justice.

46 “When they sin against You (for (BE)there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and give them over to an enemy, so that [y]they take them away captive (BF)to the land of the enemy, far off or near; 47 (BG)and if they cause these things to return to their heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and [z]return and make supplication to You in the land of those who have taken them captive, saying, ‘(BH)We have sinned and have committed iniquity, we have acted wickedly’; 48 (BI)and 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 (BJ)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 listen in heaven Your dwelling place to their prayer and their supplication, and do justice for them, 50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You, and (BK)give them over as objects of compassion before those who have taken them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 ((BL)for they are Your people and Your inheritance which You have brought forth from Egypt, (BM)from the midst of the iron furnace), 52 (BN)that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your slave and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53 For You have separated them from all the peoples of the earth as Your inheritance, (BO)as You spoke by the hand of Moses Your [aa]servant, when You brought our fathers forth from Egypt, O Lord Yahweh.”

Solomon Blesses Yahweh

54 (BP)Now it happened that when Solomon had [ab]finished praying this entire prayer and supplication to Yahweh, (BQ)he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees with his [ac]hands spread toward heaven. 55 And he stood and (BR)blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying:

56 “Blessed be Yahweh, who has given rest to His people Israel, (BS)according to all that He [ad]promised; (BT)not one promise has [ae]failed of all His good [af]promises, which He [ag]promised by the hand of Moses His [ah]servant. 57 May Yahweh our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; (BU)may He not forsake us or abandon us, 58 that (BV)He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers. 59 And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before Yahweh, be near to Yahweh our God day and night, that He may do justice for His slave and justice for His people Israel, [ai]as each day requires, 60 so (BW)that all the peoples of the earth may know that (BX)Yahweh is God; there is no one else. 61 (BY)Let your heart therefore be [aj]wholly devoted to Yahweh our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day.”

The Offering for the House of Yahweh

62 (BZ)Now the king and all Israel with him were (CA)offering sacrifices before Yahweh. 63 And Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to Yahweh, 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. (CB)So the king and all the sons of Israel dedicated the house of Yahweh. 64 On the same day the king set apart as holy the middle of the court that was before the house of Yahweh, because there he [ak]offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings; for (CC)the bronze altar that was before Yahweh was too small to hold the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings.

65 So (CD)Solomon celebrated the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly (CE)from [al]Lebo-hamath (CF)to the brook of Egypt, before Yahweh our God, for seven days and seven more days, even fourteen days. 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away and they blessed the king. Then they went to their tents with gladness and goodness of heart because of all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David His [am]servant and to Israel His people.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:5 Lit sheep and oxen...numbered for multitude
  2. 1 Kings 8:17 Lit with
  3. 1 Kings 8:18 Lit with
  4. 1 Kings 8:18 Lit with
  5. 1 Kings 8:20 Lit spoke
  6. 1 Kings 8:24 Or slave, cf. 8:23; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  7. 1 Kings 8:24 Lit spoken to
  8. 1 Kings 8:24 Lit spoken to
  9. 1 Kings 8:25 Or slave, cf. 8:23; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  10. 1 Kings 8:25 Lit spoken to
  11. 1 Kings 8:26 Or be true
  12. 1 Kings 8:26 Or slave, cf. 8:23; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  13. 1 Kings 8:27 Lit heaven of heavens
  14. 1 Kings 8:27 Or uphold; lit sustain
  15. 1 Kings 8:32 Lit giving
  16. 1 Kings 8:32 Lit giving
  17. 1 Kings 8:33 Lit smitten
  18. 1 Kings 8:37 Lit gates
  19. 1 Kings 8:38 Lit plague
  20. 1 Kings 8:38 Lit palms
  21. 1 Kings 8:40 Or reverence
  22. 1 Kings 8:43 Or reverence
  23. 1 Kings 8:44 Lit his
  24. 1 Kings 8:44 Lit in the way of
  25. 1 Kings 8:46 Lit their captors take them captive
  26. 1 Kings 8:47 Or repent
  27. 1 Kings 8:53 Or slave, cf. 8:52; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  28. 1 Kings 8:54 Or completed, cf. 9:1; 2 Chr 7:11; 8:16
  29. 1 Kings 8:54 Lit palms
  30. 1 Kings 8:56 Lit spoke
  31. 1 Kings 8:56 Lit fallen
  32. 1 Kings 8:56 Lit word
  33. 1 Kings 8:56 Lit spoke
  34. 1 Kings 8:56 Or slave, cf. 8:52; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
  35. 1 Kings 8:59 Lit the thing of a day in its day
  36. 1 Kings 8:61 Lit complete with
  37. 1 Kings 8:64 Lit made
  38. 1 Kings 8:65 Or the entrance of Hamath
  39. 1 Kings 8:66 Or slave, cf. 8:52; see Foreword, “The Terminology of Slave”
Close LEB

1 Kings 8
Lexham English Bible

The Dedication of the Temple

8 At that time, Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the families[a] of the Israelites[b] before King Solomon, in order to bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh from the city of David, that is, Zion. 2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon at the festival in the month of Ethnaim, that is, the seventh month. 3 All the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark. 4 So they brought up the ark of Yahweh and the tent of assembly[c] and all of the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel who were assembling with him in the presence of the ark were sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted nor numbered because of abundance. 6 The priests brought the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, to the most holy place,[d] under the wings of the cherubim, 7 for the cherubim were spreading their wings over the place of the ark. The cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles from above. 8 The poles were long, and the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place in front of[e] the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from the outside, and they are there until this day. 9 There was not anything in the ark except[f] the two tablets of stone which Moses had placed there at Horeb, where Yahweh made[g] a covenant with the Israelites[h] after they went out from the land of Egypt. 10 When the priests went out from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of Yahweh. 11 The priests were not able to stand to minister because of the presence of[i] the cloud, for the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh.

Solomon’s Proclamation to the Assembly of Israel

12 Then Solomon said, “Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the very thick cloud. 13 I have certainly built a lofty house for you, a place for you to live forever.” 14 Then the king turned his face around, and he blessed all of the assembly of Israel. (Now all the assembly of Israel was standing). 15 Then he said, “Blessed be Yahweh the God of Israel who has promised with his mouth to David my father and fulfilled by his oath,[j] saying, 16 ‘From the day that I brought out my people Israel from Egypt I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a house where my name might be, but I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ 17 David my father desired[k] to build a house for the name of Yahweh the God of Israel, 18 but Yahweh said to David my father, ‘Because you desired[l] to build a house for my name, you did well in that it was within your heart. 19 However, you will not build the house, but your son who has come from your loins, he shall build the house for my name.’ 20 Yahweh has carried out his promise which he had made; I have risen in place of David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel as Yahweh promised, and I have built the house for the name of Yahweh the God of Israel. 21 I have provided a place there for the ark, in which is the covenant which Yahweh made with our ancestors[m] when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

Solomon’s Prayer to Yahweh

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh in the presence of all of the assembly of Israel, and he spread out his hands to the heavens, 23 and he said, “O Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no god like you in the heavens above or on the earth beneath, keeping the covenant and the loyal love for your servants who are walking before you with all their heart. 24 You have kept for your servant David my father what you promised to him, and you have spoken with your mouth, and with your hand you have fulfilled it this very day. 25 So then, O Yahweh, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you promised to him, saying, ‘For you, no man will be cut off from before me who will be sitting on the throne of Israel, if only your sons keep their ways to walk before me just as you have walked before me.’ 26 So then, O God of Israel, please let your word be confirmed which you have promised[n] to your servant David my father. 27 For will God really dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens and the heaven of heavens could not contain you! How could[o] this house that I have built? 28 You must regard the prayer of your servant and his plea! O Yahweh my God, listen to the pleading and to the prayer that your servant is praying before you this day, 29 so that your eyes will be open to this house night and day, to the place which you said, ‘My name will be there,’ to hear the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. 30 You must listen to the plea of your servant and your people Israel which they pray toward this place; and you must hear from the place where you live, from heaven you must hear and you must forgive. 31 If a man sins against his neighbor and he pronounces an oath against him to curse him, and the curse comes before your altar in this house, 32 then you shall hear in heaven and you shall act and you shall judge your servant, to declare the wicked guilty by bringing his way upon his head and to declare the righteous innocent[p] by rewarding him according to his righteousness. 33 When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because[q] they sinned against you, and when they turn to you and confess your name and pray and beg for mercy from you in this house, 34 then you shall hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and you shall bring them back to the ground which you gave to their ancestors.[r] 35 When you shut up the heavens so there is no rain because they have sinned against you, then they pray to this place and they confess your name and they return from their sin because you punished them, 36 then you shall hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and your people Israel, for you will teach them the good way in which they should go, and you will give rain upon your land which you have given to your people as an inheritance. 37 If there should be in the land famine or disease, if there should be blight or mildew or locust or caterpillars, if it happens that his enemy lays siege against him in the land of his gates, if any plague or any disease, 38 any prayer or any plea which is offered by any person for all of your people Israel, who each knows the infestation of his own heart and spreads out his palms to this house, 39 then you shall hear in heaven the place of your dwelling, and you shall forgive and act and give to the man whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you alone know the heart of all the sons of man. 40 Do these things so that they may fear you all the days that they live on the face of the land that you gave to our ancestors.[s] 41 Also for the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, and he comes from a distant land because of your name, 42 (for they shall hear of your great name and your powerful hand and your outstretched arm), and he shall come and pray toward this house, 43 you shall hear in heaven, the place of your dwelling, and act according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name, to fear you as your people Israel, and to know that your name has been invoked over this house that I have built. 44 If your people go out to battle against his enemy in the way that you shall send them and they pray to Yahweh, toward the city which you have chosen and the house which I have built for your name, 45 then you shall hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and you shall vindicate[t] them.

46 “If they sin against you (for there is not a person who does not sin) and you are angry with them and you give them to an enemy and they take them captive to the land of the enemy far or near, 47 and then they return their heart in the land where they have been taken captive and they return and plead to you in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned and we did wrong. We acted wickedly,’ 48 if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive and they pray to you toward their land which you gave to their ancestors,[u] the city that you have chosen and the house that you[v] built for your name, 49 then you shall hear in heaven, the place of your dwelling, their prayer and their plea, and you shall vindicate them.[w] 50 You shall forgive your people who sinned against you, even for all their transgressions which they committed against you. You shall give them compassion before their captors so that they may have compassion on them, 51 for they are your people and your inheritance whom you brought from Egypt from the middle of the smelter of iron. 52 O, that your eyes may be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, to listen to them in all things when they call to you. 53 For you have separated them for yourself as an inheritance from all the peoples of the earth, as you promised through the hand of Moses your servant when you brought out our ancestors[x] from Egypt, my Lord Yahweh!”

Solomon Charges the People Israel

54 It happened that when Solomon finished praying to Yahweh all of the prayer and this plea, he got up from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling down on his knees with his palms outstretched to heaven. 55 He stood and blessed all of the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be Yahweh who gave a resting place to his people Israel. According to all that he promised, not one word has fallen from all of his promises concerning the good which he spoke through the hand of Moses his servant. 57 May Yahweh our God be with us as he was with our ancestors,[y] and may he not leave us or abandon us, 58 to incline our hearts toward him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his judgments which he commanded our ancestors.[z] 59 Let these my words which I pleaded before Yahweh be near to Yahweh our God, by day and by night, to maintain the justice of his servant and the justice of his people Israel as each day requires[aa] 60 so that all of the people of the earth may know that Yahweh, he is God; there is none other. 61 Let your heart be completely with Yahweh our God by walking in his statutes, by keeping his commands as this day.”

The Great Confirming Sacrifice

62 Then the king and all of Israel with him offered a sacrifice in the presence of Yahweh. 63 Solomon sacrificed the fellowship offerings which he offered to Yahweh: twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep; and the king and all of the Israelites[ab] dedicated the house of Yahweh. 64 On that day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard before the house of Yahweh because he offered there the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the fellowship offerings because the bronze altar that was in the presence of Yahweh was too small to hold the burnt offerings and the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings. 65 Solomon held the festival at that time and all of Israel with him, a great assembly from Lebo Hamath up to the wadi[ac] of Egypt before Yahweh our God, for seven days and seven days, a total of fourteen days. 66 On the eighth day, he sent the people away, and they blessed the king, and they went to their tents rejoicing and in good spirits[ad] because of all the goodness that Yahweh had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:1 Literally “fathers”
  2. 1 Kings 8:1 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  3. 1 Kings 8:4 Or “meeting”
  4. 1 Kings 8:6 Literally “holy of the holiest”
  5. 1 Kings 8:8 Literally “on the face of”
  6. 1 Kings 8:9 Hebrew “only”
  7. 1 Kings 8:9 Literally “cut”
  8. 1 Kings 8:9 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  9. 1 Kings 8:11 Literally “from the face of”
  10. 1 Kings 8:15 Literally “by his hand”
  11. 1 Kings 8:17 Literally “It had been within the heart of David my father”
  12. 1 Kings 8:18 Literally “it was within your heart”
  13. 1 Kings 8:21 Or “fathers”
  14. 1 Kings 8:26 Or “spoken”
  15. 1 Kings 8:27 Literally “Even that”
  16. 1 Kings 8:32 Literally “to declare righteous the righteous”
  17. 1 Kings 8:33 Literally “who”
  18. 1 Kings 8:34 Or “fathers”
  19. 1 Kings 8:40 Or “fathers”
  20. 1 Kings 8:45 Literally “their judgment”
  21. 1 Kings 8:48 Or “fathers”
  22. 1 Kings 8:48 The Hebrew Masoretic text (Kethib) reads “you have built”;Qere reads “I have built”
  23. 1 Kings 8:49 Literally “and you shall do their justice”
  24. 1 Kings 8:53 Or “fathers”
  25. 1 Kings 8:57 Or “fathers”
  26. 1 Kings 8:58 Or “fathers”
  27. 1 Kings 8:59 Literally “the word of the day on its day”
  28. 1 Kings 8:63 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
  29. 1 Kings 8:65 A valley that is dry most of the year, but contains a stream during the rainy season
  30. 1 Kings 8:66 Literally “and good of heart”
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