1 Reyes 8
Reina Valera Contemporánea
Salomón lleva el arca al templo(A)
8 Salomón ordenó que los ancianos de Israel y todos los jefes de las tribus, más los jefes de las familias israelitas, se reunieran en Jerusalén para llevar el arca del pacto del Señor, de Sión a la ciudad de David.(B) 2 Todos los israelitas se reunieron con el rey Salomón durante la fiesta solemne del mes de Etanín, que es el séptimo mes del año. 3 Cuando los ancianos de Israel llegaron, los sacerdotes tomaron el arca 4 y el tabernáculo de reunión, y todos los utensilios sagrados que estaban en el tabernáculo, los cuales llevaban los sacerdotes y los levitas. 5 El rey Salomón y todos los israelitas se reunieron delante del arca y ofrecieron en sacrificio ovejas y bueyes. ¡Eran tantos los animales ofrecidos que no se podían contar!
6 Luego, los sacerdotes introdujeron el arca del pacto del Señor en el lugar reservado para ella, es decir, en el Lugar santísimo, en el santuario del templo, bajo las alas de los querubines. 7 Sobre el lugar donde estaba el arca, los querubines tenían extendidas sus alas, con lo que cubrían el arca y sus travesaños. 8 Éstos eran tan largos que sus extremos podían verse desde el lugar santo, que está frente al Lugar santísimo, aunque desde afuera no podían verse. Así se quedaron hasta el día de hoy. 9 Dentro del arca solamente estaban las dos tablas de piedra que Moisés había colocado en Horeb,(C) donde el Señor hizo un pacto con los israelitas cuando salieron de Egipto. 10 En el momento en que los sacerdotes salieron del santuario, la nube llenó el templo del Señor, 11 así que ellos no pudieron quedarse para cumplir su ministerio, pues el Señor había llenado el templo(D) con su gloria.
Dedicación del templo(E)
12 Entonces Salomón dijo:
«Tú, Señor, has dicho que habitas en la oscuridad. 13 Pero yo te he construido un templo para que habites allí por siempre.»
14 Luego volvió el rostro hacia el pueblo de Israel, que permanecía de pie, y les dio la bendición. 15 Y dijo:
«Bendito sea el Señor, Dios de Israel, que le hizo una promesa a David, mi padre, y la ha cumplido. El Señor le dijo: 16 “Desde el día en que saqué de Egipto a mi pueblo Israel, de ninguna de sus tribus escogí una ciudad para que se me construyera un templo donde se honrara mi nombre; pero elegí a David para que gobernara a mi pueblo Israel.”(F) 17 Y mi padre David se propuso de todo corazón edificar un templo donde se honrara el nombre del Señor y Dios de Israel. 18 Pero el Señor le dijo: “Es muy bueno tu deseo(G) sincero de construir un templo donde se honre mi nombre. 19 Pero no serás tú quien lo construya, sino el hijo que vas a engrendrar. Será él quien edifique el templo donde se honrará mi nombre.”(H)
20 »El Señor ha cumplido su palabra, pues me puso en el lugar de mi padre y me ha sentado en el trono de Israel, tal como lo prometió. Además, he construido el templo al nombre del Señor y Dios de Israel, 21 y allí he apartado un lugar para colocar el arca que guarda el pacto que el Señor hizo con nuestros antepasados cuando los sacó de la tierra de Egipto.»
22 Luego, Salomón se paró frente al altar del Señor, y en presencia de todo el pueblo de Israel extendió los brazos al cielo y dijo:
23 «Señor y Dios de Israel, no hay en los cielos ni en la tierra otro Dios como tú, pues tú cumples tu pacto y tienes misericordia de quienes te honran y te obedecen de todo corazón; 24 tú has cumplido la promesa que le hiciste a tu siervo, mi padre David; lo que entonces le prometiste de palabra, hoy vemos que se ha cumplido. 25 Lo que sigue, Señor y Dios de Israel, es que también cumplas la promesa que le hiciste a mi padre David, tu siervo, cuando le dijiste: “Nunca faltará delante de mí un descendiente tuyo que ocupe el trono de Israel, siempre y cuando vaya por mis sendas y me obedezca(I) como lo has hecho tú.” 26 Te ruego, Señor y Dios de Israel, que cumplas esa promesa que le hiciste a tu siervo David, mi padre.
27 »¿En verdad, Señor, quieres vivir en este mundo? Si ni la gran expansión de los cielos es capaz de contenerte, ¡mucho menos este templo que he edificado en tu honor!(J) 28 No obstante, Señor mi Dios, sé que tú pondrás atención al clamor y a la plegaria que este siervo tuyo hoy eleva a ti. 29 Dígnate posar, de día y de noche, tus ojos sobre este templo, pues un día prometiste: “Allí estará mi nombre.”(K) 30 ¡Oye aquí las plegarias de tu pueblo Israel y de este siervo tuyo! ¡Que cuando vengan a este lugar tú, desde el cielo, donde habitas, escuches su clamor y los perdones!
31 »Si alguno ofende a su prójimo y lo obligan a jurar ante tu altar en este templo, 32 tú, que escuchas desde el cielo, haz justicia a tus siervos y condena al impío. Que sus malas acciones recaigan sobre él, mientras que al hombre justo lo tratas como corresponde a su justicia.
33 »Cuando los israelitas sean derrotados por sus enemigos, por haber pecado contra ti, si se arrepienten de su pecado y reconocen la grandeza de tu nombre, y oran y claman aquí en tu templo, 34 escúchalos tú en los cielos, y perdona el pecado de tu pueblo Israel, y hazlos volver a la tierra que les diste a sus padres.
35 »Si tu pueblo peca contra ti y el cielo les niega su lluvia, y si tú los afliges y ellos se arrepienten y vienen a este lugar reconociendo tu nombre, 36 te ruego que desde los cielos escuches a tus siervos, a tu pueblo Israel, y perdones su pecado; que le enseñes a seguir el buen camino, y que hagas llover sobre la tierra que le diste como herencia.
37 »Si tu pueblo llega a padecer hambre, o peste, o plagas como hongos en los cereales, o langosta o pulgón; o si son sitiados por sus enemigos, o enfrentan alguna plaga o enfermedad, 38 escucha las oraciones y las súplicas que te haga tu pueblo, o cualquiera de tus hijos, cuando sufran por su desgracia y, arrepentidos, levanten sus brazos hacia este templo; 39 escúchalos desde los cielos, donde habitas, y perdónalos; tú, que conoces el corazón de todo ser humano, dales lo que merezcan sus acciones, 40 para que te honren todo el tiempo que vivan en la tierra que diste a nuestros antepasados.
41 »Si los extranjeros, los que no pertenecen a tu pueblo Israel, saben de tu nombre y vienen a conocerte 42 (pues muchos sabrán de tu grandeza y de tu gran poder), y llegan a invocar tu nombre en este templo, 43 escúchalos desde los cielos, desde el lugar donde habitas, y trátalos según el motivo por el que te invocan, para que todos los pueblos de la tierra te conozcan y te honren, como lo hace tu pueblo Israel, y reconozcan que tú escuchas las oraciones que se hacen en este templo que construí para ti.
44 »Si tu pueblo sale a pelear contra sus enemigos, y siguen el camino que tú les indiques, y te piden ayuda mirando hacia la ciudad que elegiste y en donde edifiqué el templo en tu honor, 45 escucha desde el cielo su oración y súplica, y concédeles la victoria.
46 »Si acaso pecan contra ti (pues no hay nadie que no peque), y tú te enojas y los pones en manos de sus enemigos, y éstos los llevan cautivos a países enemigos, cercanos o lejanos, 47 si tu pueblo recapacita en el país de su cautiverio y se arrepiente y clama a ti, y confiesa haber hecho lo malo y haberte ofendido; 48 si allá en la tierra de su cautiverio se vuelven a ti con todo su corazón y con toda su alma, y oran a ti con el rostro en dirección a la tierra que les diste a sus antepasados y a la ciudad que tú elegiste, mirando hacia el templo que edifiqué en tu honor, 49 escucha desde los cielos donde habitas sus oraciones y lamentos, y hazles justicia. 50 Perdona a tu pueblo por todos sus pecados, por haberse rebelado contra ti y por desobedecer tus mandatos, y haz que sus opresores les tengan compasión. 51 ¡Ellos son tu pueblo! ¡Te pertenecen, pues tú los sacaste de Egipto, de ese país que parecía un horno para fundir hierro! 52 Mira con atención a tu pueblo y a este siervo tuyo, y escucha su oración cuando te invoquen. 53 Señor y Dios, Tú los apartaste para que fueran tuyos; tú los elegiste de entre todos los pueblos de la tierra. Así se lo hiciste saber a Moisés, tu siervo, cuando liberaste de Egipto a nuestros antepasados.»
54 Cuando Salomón terminó de orar y de suplicar al Señor, se levantó de delante del altar, pues había estaba arrodillado, y con los brazos extendidos al cielo 55 se puso de pie y bendijo a todo el pueblo de Israel con estas palabras:
56 «Bendito sea el Señor, que le ha dado paz a su pueblo Israel, conforme a su promesa, sin dejar de cumplir(L) ninguna de las promesas que le hizo a Moisés. 57 Que el Señor nuestro Dios esté con nosotros, como estuvo con nuestros primeros padres, y que no nos desampare ni nos abandone. 58 Que nuestra voluntad se rinda ante él para que podamos andar por sus caminos y cumplamos sus mandamientos, estatutos y decretos, los cuales dio a nuestros primeros padres. 59 Que estas oraciones que he hecho delante del Señor, permanezcan ante su presencia en todo tiempo. Que él a su tiempo proteja la causa de este siervo suyo y de su pueblo Israel, 60 para que en todas las naciones de la tierra sepan que el Señor es Dios, y que no hay otro. 61 Que el corazón de todos ustedes sea totalmente sincero con el Señor nuestro Dios. Que siempre cumplan ustedes sus estatutos y obedezcan sus mandamientos, como lo han hecho hoy.»
62 A continuación, el rey y todo el pueblo de Israel ofrecieron sacrificios delante del Señor. 63 Salomón ofreció al Señor, como sacrificios de reconciliación, veintidós mil bueyes y ciento veinte mil ovejas. Así fue como Salomón y los israelitas dedicaron el templo del Señor. 64 Ese mismo día, Salomón consagró la parte central del atrio, frente al templo del Señor, porque allí ofreció los holocaustos, las ofrendas de cereales y la grasa de las ofrendas de reconciliación, pues en el altar de bronce que estaba delante del Señor no había espacio para los holocaustos ni para las ofrendas de cereales, ni para la grasa de los sacrificios de reconciliación.
65 Ese día, y en presencia del Señor, Salomón y los israelitas hicieron fiesta, a la que asistió una multitud que venía desde la entrada de Jamat hasta el río de Egipto. Esa fiesta en honor al Señor se prolongó durante siete días más, y en total duró catorce días. 66 Al octavo día, Salomón despidió al pueblo, y ellos bendijeron al rey; luego cada uno se fue a su ciudad, rebosando de gozo y alegría por todas las cosas buenas que el Señor había hecho a su siervo David y a su pueblo Israel.
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 Kings 8:2 Or Tishri, September or October
- 1 Kings 8:4 tent
- 1 Kings 8:8 heads
- 1 Kings 8:17 Lit. house, and so in vv. 18–20
- 1 Kings 8:20 risen in the place of
- 1 Kings 8:29 Lit. house
- 1 Kings 8:37 Lit. gates
- 1 Kings 8:45 justice
- 1 Kings 8:47 Lit. bring back to their heart
- 1 Kings 8:49 justice
- 1 Kings 8:56 peace
- 1 Kings 8:61 Lit. at peace with
- 1 Kings 8:66 thanked
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.
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
Copyright © 2009, 2011 by Sociedades Bíblicas Unidas
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
