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1 Kings 8
New King James Version

The Ark Brought into the Temple(A)

8 Now (B)Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, (C)that they might bring (D)up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion. 2 Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the (E)feast in the month of [a]Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 So all the elders of Israel came, (F)and the priests took up the ark. 4 Then they brought up the ark of the Lord, (G)the [b]tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, (H)sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. 6 Then the priests (I)brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to (J)its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, (K)under the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 The poles (L)extended so that the [c]ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 (M)Nothing was in the ark (N)except the two tablets of stone which Moses (O)put there at Horeb, (P)when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10 And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud (Q)filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the (R)glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.

12 (S)Then Solomon spoke:

“The Lord said He would dwell (T)in the dark cloud.
13 (U)I have surely built You an exalted house,
(V)And a place for You to dwell in forever.”

Solomon’s Speech at Completion of the Work(W)

14 Then the king turned around and (X)blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15 And he said: (Y)“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who (Z)spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying, 16 ‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that (AA)My name might be there; but I chose (AB)David to be over My people Israel.’ 17 Now (AC)it was in the heart of my father David to build a [d]temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 18 (AD)But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless (AE)you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’ 20 So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have [e]filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, (AF)as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 21 And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is (AG)the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(AH)

22 Then Solomon stood before (AI)the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and (AJ)spread out his hands toward heaven; 23 and he said: “Lord God of Israel, (AK)there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, (AL)who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who (AM)walk before You with all their hearts. 24 You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 25 Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, (AN)‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’ 26 (AO)And now I pray, O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father.

27 “But (AP)will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the (AQ)heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! 28 Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: 29 that Your eyes may be open toward this [f]temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, (AR)‘My name shall be (AS)there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes (AT)toward this place. 30 (AU)And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.

31 “When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take (AV)an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple, 32 then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, (AW)condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

33 (AX)“When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and (AY)when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple, 34 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their (AZ)fathers.

35 (BA)“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may (BB)teach them (BC)the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.

37 (BD)“When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their [g]cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 38 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: 39 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone (BE)know the hearts of all the sons of men), 40 (BF)that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.

41 “Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake 42 (for they will hear of Your great name and Your (BG)strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43 hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, (BH)that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and (BI)fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.

44 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their [h]cause.

46 “When they sin against You (BJ)(for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive (BK)to the land of the enemy, far or near; 47 (BL)yet when they [i]come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, (BM)saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’; 48 and when they (BN)return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and (BO)pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name: 49 then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their [j]cause, 50 and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and (BP)grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 (for (BQ)they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, (BR)out of the iron furnace), 52 (BS)that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53 For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, (BT)as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”

Solomon Blesses the Assembly(BU)

54 (BV)And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55 Then he stood (BW)and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: 56 “Blessed be the Lord, who has given (BX)rest[k] to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. (BY)There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. (BZ)May He not leave us nor forsake us, 58 that He may (CA)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 the Lord, be near the Lord our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require, 60 (CB)that all the peoples of the earth may know that (CC)the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 Let your (CD)heart therefore be [l]loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”

Solomon Dedicates the Temple(CE)

62 Then (CF)the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the Lord. 63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the Lord, twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 On (CG)the same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the Lord; for there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the (CH)bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.

65 At that time Solomon held (CI)a feast, and all Israel with him, a great assembly from (CJ)the entrance of Hamath to (CK)the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, (CL)seven days and seven more days—fourteen days. 66 (CM)On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they [m]blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good that the Lord had done for His servant David, and for Israel His people.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:2 Or Tishri, September or October
  2. 1 Kings 8:4 tent
  3. 1 Kings 8:8 heads
  4. 1 Kings 8:17 Lit. house, and so in vv. 18–20
  5. 1 Kings 8:20 risen in the place of
  6. 1 Kings 8:29 Lit. house
  7. 1 Kings 8:37 Lit. gates
  8. 1 Kings 8:45 justice
  9. 1 Kings 8:47 Lit. bring back to their heart
  10. 1 Kings 8:49 justice
  11. 1 Kings 8:56 peace
  12. 1 Kings 8:61 Lit. at peace with
  13. 1 Kings 8:66 thanked
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1 Kings 8
International Standard Version

The Temple is Dedicated(A)

8 Then Solomon gathered together the elders of Israel, including all the heads of the tribes and the leaders of the ancestral households of the Israelis, to meet with him in Jerusalem so they could bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord from Zion, the City of David. 2 So all the men gathered together to meet with King Solomon at the Festival of Tents[a] in the month Ethanim, the seventh month. 3 All the Elders of Israel showed up, and the priests picked up the ark 4 and brought it, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy implements that were in the tent. The priests and descendants of Levi carried them up to Jerusalem.[b]

5 King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel that had assembled to be with him stood in front of the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they were neither counted nor inventoried. 6 After this, the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord to the place prepared for it, into the inner sanctuary of the Temple, under the wings of the cherubim in the Most Holy Place. 7 The wings of the cherubim spread over the resting place for the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles when viewed[c] from above. 8 The poles extended so far that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside. They remain there to this day. 9 The ark was empty except for the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Horeb when the Lord had made a covenant with the Israelis after they had come out of the land of Egypt. 10 When the priests left the Holy Place after setting the ark in place,[d] the cloud filled the Lord’s Temple 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, since the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s Temple.

Solomon’s Speech of Dedication(B)

12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives shrouded in darkness. 13 Now I have been constructing a magnificent Temple dedicated to you that will serve as a place for you to inhabit forever.”

14 Then the king turned to face the entire congregation of Israel while the congregation of Israel remained standing. 15 Then Solomon[e] prayed:

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who made a commitment[f] to my father David and then personally[g] fulfilled what he had promised when he said:[h]

16 ‘From the day I brought out my people Israel from Egypt I never chose a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple where my name might reside. I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’

17 “My father David wanted to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 18 The Lord told my father David:

‘Therefore, since you determined[i] to build a temple for my name, you acted well, because it was your choice[j] to do so. 19 Nevertheless, you are not to build the Temple, but your son who will be born[k] to you is to build a temple for my name.’

20 “The Lord has brought to fulfillment[l] what he promised, and now here I stand,[m] having succeeded my father David to sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built the Temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 21 I have placed there the ark in which the covenant is stored that the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(C)

22 Then Solomon took his place in front of the Lord’s altar in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said:

“Lord God of Israel, there is no one like you, God in heaven above or on the earth below, who watches over[n] his covenant, showing gracious love to your servants who live their lives in your presence[o] with all their hearts. 24 It is you, Lord God,[p] who have kept your promise to my father, your servant David, that you made to him. Indeed, you made a commitment[q] to my father David and then personally fulfilled[r] what you had promised today.

25 “Now therefore, Lord God of Israel, keep your promise that you made[s] to my father, your servant David, when you said, ‘You will not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel,[t] if only your descendants will watch their lives,[u] to live[v] in my presence just as you have lived[w] in my presence.’[x]

26 “Now therefore, God of Israel, may your promise that you made[y] to your servant David my father be fulfilled… 27 and yet, will God truly reside on earth? Look! Neither the sky nor the highest heaven can contain you! How much less this Temple that I have built! 28 Pay attention to the prayer of your servant and to his request, Lord my God, and listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying in your presence today. 29 Let your eyes always look toward this Temple night and day, toward the location where you have said ‘My name will reside there.’ Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction.[z] 30 Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction,[aa] listen from the place where you reside in heaven, then hear and forgive.

31 “If a man should sin against his neighbor and he is required to take an oath, and he then comes to take an oath in front of your altar in this Temple, 32 then listen in heaven, act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing back to him the consequences of his choices[ab] and by justifying the righteous by recompensing him according to his righteousness.

33 “If your people Israel are defeated in a battle with[ac] their enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you and confess to you,[ad] pray, and in this Temple they ask you to show grace to them, 34 then hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil[ae] that you gave to their ancestors.

35 “When heaven remains closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them,[af] 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. Indeed, teach them the best way to live and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance.

37 “If a famine comes to the land, or if plant diseases, mildew, locust, or grasshoppers[ag] appear, or if their enemies attack them in their settlements of the land, no matter what the epidemic or illness is, 38 whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it’s made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple, 39 then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts—for you alone know the hearts of all human beings— 40 so they will fear you every day and live on the surface of the land that you have given to our ancestors.

41 “Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your name 42 (for people will hear of your great name, your mighty acts,[ah] and your obvious power[ai]), when he comes and prays facing this Temple, 43 then hear in heaven where you reside, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, fear you as do your people Israel, and so they may know that this Temple that I have built is called by your name.

44 “When your people go out to war against their enemies, no matter what way you send them, and they pray to the Lord in the direction of the city that you have chosen and in the direction of the Temple that I have built for your name, 45 then hear their prayer and their request in heaven, and fight for their cause.

46 “When they sin against you—because there isn’t a single human being who doesn’t sin—and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to the land that belongs to their enemy, whether near or far away, 47 if they turn their hearts back to you[aj] in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you—even if they do so in the land of their captivity—confessing, ‘We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,’ 48 if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name, 49 then hear their prayer and requests in heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause, 50 forgiving your people who have sinned against you, along with their transgressions by which they have transgressed against you.

“Show your compassion in the presence of those who have taken them captive, so they may show compassion on them, 51 since they are your people and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from an iron fire furnace. 52 Do this[ak] so your eyes may remain open to the requests of your servant and to the requests of your people’s prayers, to listen to them whenever they call out to you, 53 because you have separated them to yourself as your heritage from all the people of the earth, as you spoke through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord God.

Solomon’s Blessing to the Assembly(D)

54 When Solomon had completed saying this entire prayer to the Lord, he got up from kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven in the presence of the Lord’s altar, 55 stood up, and blessed all of the assembly of Israel in a loud voice. He said:

56 “Blessed is the Lord, who has given security to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one of his promises has failed to come about that he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us, just as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us or abandon us, 58 so that he may turn our hearts toward him, so that we may live life[al] his way, keeping his commands, statutes, and ordinances that he gave to our ancestors. 59 And may what I’ve had to say to the Lord remain with the Lord our God both day and night, so that he may defend the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as the need of the day may require it, 60 so that, in turn,[am] all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God—there is no one else. 61 Now let your heart be completely devoted to the Lord our God, to live according to his statutes and to keep his commands, as we are doing today.”

Solomon’s Initial Offerings(E)

62 Then the king and all of Israel with him offered sacrifices to the Lord. 63 Solomon offered peace offerings to the Lord consisting of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelis dedicated the Lord’s Temple. 64 That same day, the king consecrated the middle court that stood in front of the Lord’s Temple, because that was where he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and fat from the peace offerings and because the bronze altar that was in the Lord’s presence was too small to hold the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and fat from the peace offerings. 65 So Solomon observed the Festival of Tents[an] at that time, as did all of Israel with him. A large assembly came up from as far away as Lebo-hamath and the Wadi[ao] of Egypt to appear in the presence of the Lord our God, not just for seven days, but for seven days after that, a total of fourteen days. 66 The following[ap] day, Solomon[aq] sent the people away as they blessed the king. Then they went back to their tents, rejoicing and glad for all the good things that the Lord had done for his servant David and to his people Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:2 The Heb. lacks of Tents; cf. Lev 23:34
  2. 1 Kings 8:4 The Heb. lacks to Jerusalem
  3. 1 Kings 8:7 The Heb. lacks when viewed
  4. 1 Kings 8:10 The Heb. lacks after setting the ark in place
  5. 1 Kings 8:15 Lit. He
  6. 1 Kings 8:15 Lit. who spoke by his mouth
  7. 1 Kings 8:15 Lit. and by his hand
  8. 1 Kings 8:15 Cf. 1Chr 17:5ff
  9. 1 Kings 8:18 Lit. since it was in your heart
  10. 1 Kings 8:18 Lit. because it was in your heart
  11. 1 Kings 8:19 Lit. will come from your loins
  12. 1 Kings 8:20 Lit. has caused to stand up
  13. 1 Kings 8:20 MT verb is a pun on the verb brought to fulfillment
  14. 1 Kings 8:23 Or who keeps
  15. 1 Kings 8:23 Lit. who walk before you
  16. 1 Kings 8:24 The Heb. lacks It is you, Lord God
  17. 1 Kings 8:24 Lit. you spoke by your mouth
  18. 1 Kings 8:24 Lit. and by your hand full
  19. 1 Kings 8:25 Lit. spoke
  20. 1 Kings 8:25 Cf. 1King 2:4; 2Chr 7:18
  21. 1 Kings 8:25 Lit. ways
  22. 1 Kings 8:25 Lit. walk
  23. 1 Kings 8:25 Lit. walked
  24. 1 Kings 8:25 Or have walked before me
  25. 1 Kings 8:26 Lit. spoke
  26. 1 Kings 8:29 Lit. prays toward this place
  27. 1 Kings 8:30 Lit. pray toward this place
  28. 1 Kings 8:32 Lit. by bringing his way upon his head
  29. 1 Kings 8:33 Lit. defeated before
  30. 1 Kings 8:33 Lit. confess your name
  31. 1 Kings 8:34 Or land
  32. 1 Kings 8:35 So MT; LXX reads you bring them low
  33. 1 Kings 8:37 Or caterpillars
  34. 1 Kings 8:42 Lit. hand
  35. 1 Kings 8:42 Lit. your outstretched arm
  36. 1 Kings 8:47 The Heb. lacks back to you
  37. 1 Kings 8:52 The Heb. lacks Do this
  38. 1 Kings 8:58 Lit. may walk in
  39. 1 Kings 8:60 Lit. therefore
  40. 1 Kings 8:65 The Heb. lacks of Tents; cf. Lev 23:34
  41. 1 Kings 8:65 I.e. a seasonal stream or river that channels water during rain seasons but is dry at other times
  42. 1 Kings 8:66 Lit. eighth
  43. 1 Kings 8:66 Lit. he
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