11 So God said to him, “Since you have asked(A) for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment(B) in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked.(C) I will give you a wise(D) and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. 13 Moreover, I will give you what you have not(E) asked for—both wealth and honor(F)—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal(G) among kings. 14 And if you walk(H) in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”(I)

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11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14 And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days.

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The Lord said to him:

“I have heard(A) the prayer and plea you have made before me; I have consecrated this temple, which you have built, by putting my Name(B) there forever. My eyes(C) and my heart will always be there.

“As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart(D) and uprightness, as David(E) your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws,(F) I will establish(G) your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail(H) to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’

“But if you[a] or your descendants turn away(I) from me and do not observe the commands and decrees I have given you[b] and go off to serve other gods(J) and worship them, then I will cut off Israel from the land(K) I have given them and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name.(L) Israel will then become a byword(M) and an object of ridicule(N) among all peoples. This temple will become a heap of rubble. All[c] who pass by will be appalled(O) and will scoff and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’(P) People will answer,(Q) ‘Because they have forsaken(R) the Lord their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why the Lord brought all this disaster(S) on them.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  2. 1 Kings 9:6 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. 1 Kings 9:8 See some Septuagint manuscripts, Old Latin, Syriac, Arabic and Targum; Hebrew And though this temple is now imposing, all

And the Lord said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.

And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments:

Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.

But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them:

Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people:

And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and to this house?

And they shall answer, Because they forsook the Lord their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the Lord brought upon them all this evil.

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