1 Kings 8
English Standard Version
The Ark Brought into the Temple
8 (A)Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, (B)the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, (C)to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of (D)the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at (E)the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and (F)the priests took up the ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, (G)the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, (H)sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6 (I)Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord (J)to its place in (K)the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 (L)And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before (M)the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except (N)the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where (O)the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, (P)a cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
Solomon Blesses the Lord
12 (Q)Then Solomon said, “The Lord[a] has said that he would dwell (R)in thick darkness. 13 (S)I have indeed built you an exalted house, (T)a place for you to dwell in forever.” 14 Then the king turned around and (U)blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 15 And he said, (V)“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled (W)what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 16 (X)‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, (Y)that my name might be there. (Z)But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ 17 (AA)Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18 But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 (AB)Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 20 Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, (AC)as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, (AD)in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon's Prayer of Dedication
22 Then Solomon (AE)stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and (AF)spread out his hands toward heaven, 23 and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, (AG)there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, (AH)keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart; 24 you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. (AI)You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25 Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, (AJ)‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26 (AK)Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.
27 “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, (AL)heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28 Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29 (AM)that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, (AN)‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30 And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
31 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take (AO)an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 32 then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, (AP)condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
33 (AQ)“When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and (AR)if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 34 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.
35 (AS)“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when (AT)you teach them (AU)the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
37 (AV)“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates,[b] whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38 whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, 39 then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways ((AW)for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), 40 that they may fear you (AX)all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
41 “Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name's sake 42 (for they shall hear of your great name (AY)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 do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order (AZ)that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and (BA)fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.
44 “If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord (BB)toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 45 then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.
46 “If they sin against you—(BC)for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive (BD)to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47 yet (BE)if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, (BF)‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48 (BG)if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you (BH)toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49 then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and (BI)grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51 ((BJ)for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, (BK)from the midst of the iron furnace). 52 (BL)Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. 53 For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, (BM)as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”
Solomon's Benediction
54 (BN)Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had (BO)knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55 And he stood and (BP)blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56 “Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. (BQ)Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. (BR)May he not leave us or forsake us, 58 that he may (BS)incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59 Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60 that (BT)all the peoples of the earth may know that (BU)the Lord is God; there is no other. 61 (BV)Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon's Sacrifices
62 (BW)Then (BX)the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64 The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because (BY)the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.
65 So Solomon held (BZ)the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from (CA)Lebo-hamath to (CB)the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days.[c] 66 On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 8:12 Septuagint The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but
- 1 Kings 8:37 Septuagint, Syriac in any of their cities
- 1 Kings 8:65 Septuagint; Hebrew seven days and seven days, fourteen days
1 Kungaboken 8
nuBibeln (Swedish Contemporary Bible)
Arken flyttas till templet
(2 Krön 5:2—6:2)
8 Därefter kallade Salomo samman alla äldste i Israel, alla stamhövdingar och överhuvuden för de israelitiska familjerna. Han kallade dem till sig i Jerusalem för att hämta Herrens ark från Sion, Davids stad. 2 Alla israeliterna samlades hos kung Salomo för högtiden i den sjunde månaden, etanim. 3 När alla Israels äldste hade kommit lyfte prästerna arken. 4 De bar upp Herrens ark och uppenbarelsetältet samt alla de heliga föremålen som fanns i det. Det var alltså prästerna och leviterna som hämtade dem dit upp. 5 Kung Salomo och hela Israels menighet som var samlad hos honom stod framför arken. De offrade får och boskap i en sådan mängd att de inte kunde räknas.
6 Prästerna bar in Herrens förbundsark till dess plats i det inre rummet av templet, det allra heligaste, under kerubernas vingar, 7 som var utbredda över platsen där arken stod, så att den och dess bärstänger täcktes av keruberna. 8 Stängerna var så långa att deras ändar kunde ses från det heliga, framför koret, men inte utifrån. De finns där än idag. 9 Ingenting annat fanns i arken förutom de två stentavlorna, som Mose lade ner i den vid Horeb, när Herren hade ingått förbundet med Israels folk efter uttåget ur Egypten.
10 När prästerna gick ut från helgedomen, fylldes Herrens hus av ett moln. 11 Prästerna kunde inte fullgöra sin tjänst, därför att Herrens härlighet uppfyllde hans hus.
12 Salomo sa då: ”Herren har sagt att han ska bo i dunklet, 13 men jag har gjort ett magnifikt tempel åt dig, en plats, där du kan bo i evighet.”
14 Sedan vände kungen sig till hela Israels församling och välsignade dem medan de stod upp.
15 Han sa:
”Välsignad vare Herren, Israels Gud, som nu med sina händer har fullbordat vad han med sin mun lovade min far David när han sa: 16 ’Jag har aldrig, sedan jag förde mitt folk Israel ut ur Egypten, valt någon stad bland Israels stammar för att bygga ett hus för mitt namn. Men nu har jag valt David till att härska över mitt folk Israel.’
17 Min far David tänkte bygga ett hus åt Herrens, Israels Guds namn, 18 men Herren sa till honom: ’Din tanke att bygga ett hus åt mitt namn var god, 19 men du är inte den som ska bygga det, utan din son, som föds åt dig, är den som ska bygga det huset åt mitt namn.’
20 Herren har gjort vad han lovade. Jag har efterträtt min far David och sitter nu på Israels tron, som Herren har lovat, och jag har byggt templet åt Herrens, Israels Guds, namn. 21 Jag har gjort i ordning en plats där för arken med förbundet som Herren slutit med våra förfäder när han förde dem ut ur Egypten.”
Salomo inviger templet
(2 Krön 6:12-40)
22 Och inför hela Israels församling stod sedan Salomo framför Herrens altare och sträckte ut sina händer mot himlen.
23 Han sa:
”Herre, Israels Gud, det finns ingen annan Gud som du, varken uppe i himlen eller nere på jorden. Du håller förbundet och visar nåd mot dina tjänare, när de helhjärtat vandrar dina vägar. 24 Du har hållit ditt löfte till din tjänare, min far David; vad du med din mun lovat har du idag med din hand fullbordat.
25 Herre, Israels Gud, uppfyll nu också det löfte du gav din tjänare, min far David, när du sa: ’Det ska aldrig saknas en ättling till dig på Israels tron, om bara dina efterkommande är vaksamma och lever inför mig som du har gjort.’ 26 Ja, Israels Gud, låt ditt löfte till din tjänare David gå i uppfyllelse.
27 Men skulle Gud vilja bo på jorden? Inte ens himlen, himlarnas himmel, kan rymma dig, så mycket mindre då templet som jag har byggt! 28 Men vänd dig ändå till din tjänares bön och vädjan, Herre, min Gud! Lyssna på det rop och den bön jag, din tjänare, idag ber inför dig: 29 Låt din blick vaka över detta tempel natt och dag, över denna plats där du har sagt att ditt namn ska vara. Hör den bön jag, din tjänare, ber till dig, vänd mot denna plats. 30 Hör din tjänares och ditt folk Israels vädjan, när de ber vända mot denna plats. Ja, hör i himlen där du bor och när du hör, förlåt!
31 När någon har begått ett brott mot en annan och blir ålagd en ed och kommer och svär den inför ditt altare i detta tempel, 32 lyssna då från himlen och agera, skaffa rätt åt dina tjänare. Förklara den skyldige skyldig och låt honom få vad han förtjänar, men frikänn den oskyldige och återupprätta honom i rättfärdighet.
33 Om ditt folk Israel blir slaget av en fiende, därför att det har syndat mot dig och om folket sedan vänder om och bekänner ditt namn och ber och vädjar till dig om nåd i detta tempel, 34 lyssna då till dem från himlen och förlåt ditt folk Israel deras synder och för dem tillbaka till det land som du gav deras förfäder.
35 När himlen stängs, så att det inte regnar på grund av att de har syndat mot dig och om de då ber, vända mot denna plats, och bekänner ditt namn och vänder om från sin synd när du har straffat dem, 36 lyssna då i himlen och förlåt dina tjänares, ditt folk Israels, synd. Lär dem den rätta vägen som de ska vandra och sänd regn över det land som du har gett åt ditt folk.
37 Om det blir hungersnöd eller epidemier i landet, om det är mjöldagg och mögel som härjar säden, eller gräshoppor och gräsmaskar, eller om fienden belägrar deras städer, eller vilken sjukdom eller plåga det än kommer, 38 och vilken bön eller vädjan någon av ditt folk Israel än uppsänder – var och en känner bäst sin egen plåga i sitt hjärta – och sträcker ut sina händer mot detta hus, 39 hör det då från himlen, där du bor. Förlåt och grip in! Ge var och en vad han förtjänar, för du känner hans innersta, ja endast du känner människornas innersta. 40 Då ska de frukta dig så länge de lever i det land som du gav våra förfäder.
41 Om en främling som inte tillhör ditt folk Israel kommer från ett avlägset land för ditt namns skull, 42 för även där ska man få höra om ditt stora namn och om din mäktiga hand och din utsträckta arm, och han kommer och ber vänd mot detta tempel, 43 hör då i himlen där du bor och gör vad främlingen begär av dig. Då kommer alla folk på jorden att lära känna ditt namn och frukta dig så som ditt folk Israel gör och inse att detta tempel som jag har byggt är kallat efter ditt namn.
44 Om ditt folk på din befallning drar ut för att strida mot sin fiende och de ber till dig, Herre, vända mot denna stad som du har utvalt och mot detta tempel som jag har byggt åt ditt namn, 45 hör då i himlen deras böner och vädjan och skaffa dem rätt.
46 Om de syndar mot dig, för det finns ingen människa som inte syndar, och du blir vred på dem och överlämnar dem åt fienden och de förs bort i fångenskap till fiendens land, nära eller fjärran, 47 och om de där i sitt fångenskapsland vänder om, åter vädjar till dig om nåd i sitt fångenskapsland och säger: ’Vi har syndat och handlat fel, vi har gjort det onda: Vi har syndat och handlat fel, vi har gjort det onda,’ 48 om de då där i sina fienders land vänder om till dig helhjärtat och med uppriktigt sinne och ber till dig, vända mot sitt land som du gav deras förfäder och mot den stad som du har utvalt och det tempel som jag har byggt åt ditt namn, 49 hör då, i himlen där du bor, deras bön och vädjan och skaffa dem rätt.
50 Förlåt ditt folk som har syndat mot dig, förlåt alla deras onda gärningar och låt deras erövrare vara barmhärtiga mot dem, 51 för de är ditt folk, ditt arv, som du förde ut ur Egypten, den heta smältugnen. 52 Låt din blick vara riktad mot din tjänare och ditt folk Israel när de vädjar till dig och låt dina öron höra när de ropar till dig! Lyssna till dem när de än ber till dig, 53 för du har själv avskilt dem till arvedel åt dig bland alla jordens folk, så som du talade om för din tjänare Mose när du, Herre, Herre, förde våra förfäder ut ur Egypten.”
54 När Salomo hade avslutat sin bön och vädjan till Herren, reste han sig upp framför Herrens altare där han hade böjt knä med händerna sträckta mot himlen. 55 Han reste sig och välsignade med hög röst hela Israels församling:
56 ”Välsignad vare Herren, som har uppfyllt sitt löfte och låtit sitt folk Israel få ro! Ingenting har uteblivit av allt det goda som han lovade sin tjänare Mose. 57 Herren, vår Gud, må vara med oss som han var med våra förfäder! Må han aldrig lämna eller överge oss! 58 Må han vända våra hjärtan till sig så att vi vandrar på hans vägar och håller alla de bud, stadgar och befallningar som han gett våra förfäder. 59 Orden i den bön som jag bett inför Herren, vår Gud, må alltid vara inför honom, både dag och natt, så att han dagligen skaffar rätt åt sin tjänare och hela Israel. 60 Folk över hela jorden ska få veta att Herren är Gud och att det inte finns någon annan. 61 Överlämna era hjärtan helt åt Herren, vår Gud, så att ni alltid följer hans lagar och befallningar precis som ni gör i dag!”
62 Kungen och hela Israel frambar offer till Herren. 63 Salomo offrade gemenskapsoffer till Herren, sammanlagt 22 000 tjurar och 120 000 får och getter. Så invigde kungen och hela Israels folk Herrens hus. 64 Den dagen helgade kungen den mellersta delen av förgården framför Herrens hus och offrade där brännoffer, matoffer och fettstycken av gemenskapsoffer, eftersom kopparaltaret inför Herren var för litet för att rymma alla brännoffer, matoffer och fettstycken av gemenskapsoffren.
65 Salomo firade högtiden tillsammans med hela Israel. Det var en stor församling, ända från Levo-Hamat till Egyptens bäck. De firade högtiden inför Herren, vår Gud, i sju dagar[a] och sedan i ytterligare sju dagar, sammanlagt fjorton dagar. 66 Sedan sände Salomo hem dem på åttonde dagen. Folket välsignade kungen och gick hem glada och lyckliga över allt det goda Herren hade gjort mot sin tjänare David och mot sitt folk Israel.
Footnotes
- 8:65 Enligt Septuaginta endast sju dagar. Jfr v. 8, åttonde dagen.
1 Kings 8
King James Version
8 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion.
2 And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4 And they brought up the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the tabernacle, even those did the priests and the Levites bring up.
5 And king Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
6 And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubims.
7 For the cherubims spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubims covered the ark and the staves thereof above.
8 And they drew out the staves, that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle, and they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.
9 There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, 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 were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,
11 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
12 Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.
13 I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.
14 And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the congregation of Israel: (and all the congregation of Israel stood;)
15 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, which spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
16 Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.
17 And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
18 And the Lord said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.
19 Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name.
20 And the Lord hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and have built an house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.
21 And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
22 And Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:
23 And he said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath, who keepest covenant and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their heart:
24 Who hast kept with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him: thou spakest also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is this day.
25 Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me as thou hast walked before me.
26 And now, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.
27 But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?
28 Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.
30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.
31 If any man trespass against his neighbour, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before thine altar in this house:
32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.
33 When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house:
34 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
35 When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them:
36 Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
37 If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpiller; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;
38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:
39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)
40 That they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
41 Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name's sake;
42 (For they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house;
43 Hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for: that all people of the earth may know thy name, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have builded, is called by thy name.
44 If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, whithersoever thou shalt send them, and shall pray unto the Lord toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I have built for thy name:
45 Then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
46 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the land of the enemy, far or near;
47 Yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
48 And so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, which led them away captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:
49 Then hear thou their prayer and their supplication in heaven thy dwelling place, and maintain their cause,
50 And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:
51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron:
52 That thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them in all that they call for unto thee.
53 For thou didst separate them from among all the people of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.
54 And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven.
55 And he stood, and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice, saying,
56 Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.
57 The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us:
58 That he may incline our hearts unto him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, which he commanded our fathers.
59 And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before the Lord, be nigh unto the Lord our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require:
60 That all the people of the earth may know that the Lord is God, and that there is none else.
61 Let your heart therefore be perfect with the Lord our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.
62 And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord.
63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.
64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the Lord was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
65 And at that time Solomon held a feast, and all Israel with him, a great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.
66 On the eighth day he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Swedish Contemporary Bible (nuBibeln) Copyright © 2015 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.