Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication(A)

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands(B) toward heaven 23 and said:

Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like(C) you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love(D) with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. 24 You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you have promised and with your hand you have fulfilled it—as it is today.

25 “Now Lord, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises(E) you made to him when you said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.’ 26 And now, God of Israel, let your word that you promised(F) your servant David my father come true.

27 “But will God really dwell(G) on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven,(H) cannot contain(I) you. How much less this temple I have built! 28 Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 29 May your eyes be open(J) toward(K) this temple night and day, this place of which you said, ‘My Name(L) shall be there,’ so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place. 30 Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray(M) toward this place. Hear(N) from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.(O)

31 “When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath(P) before your altar in this temple, 32 then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by treating them in accordance with their innocence.(Q)

33 “When your people Israel have been defeated(R) by an enemy because they have sinned(S) against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,(T) 34 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

35 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(U) because your people have sinned(V) against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them, 36 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach(W) them the right way(X) to live, and send rain(Y) on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.

37 “When famine(Z) or plague(AA) comes to the land, or blight(AB) or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers,(AC) or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come, 38 and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—being aware of the afflictions of their own hearts, and spreading out their hands(AD) toward this temple— 39 then hear(AE) from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive(AF) and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know(AG) their hearts (for you alone know every human heart), 40 so that they will fear(AH) you all the time they live in the land(AI) you gave our ancestors.

41 “As for the foreigner(AJ) who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— 42 for they will hear(AK) of your great name and your mighty hand(AL) and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know(AM) your name and fear(AN) you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.(AO)

44 “When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray(AP) to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name, 45 then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.(AQ)

46 “When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin(AR)—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive(AS) to their own lands, far away or near; 47 and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead(AT) with you in the land of their captors and say, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly’;(AU) 48 and if they turn back(AV) to you with all their heart(AW) and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray(AX) to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple(AY) I have built for your Name;(AZ) 49 then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause. 50 And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;(BA) 51 for they are your people and your inheritance,(BB) whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.(BC)

52 “May your eyes be open(BD) to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you.(BE) 53 For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance,(BF) just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign Lord, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”

54 When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55 He stood and blessed(BG) the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:

56 “Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest(BH) to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises(BI) he gave through his servant Moses. 57 May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake(BJ) us. 58 May he turn our hearts(BK) to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 59 And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, 60 so that all the peoples(BL) of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.(BM) 61 And may your hearts(BN) be fully committed(BO) to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”

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Solomon’s Prayer

22 Then Solomon stood(A) before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.(B) 23 He said:

Lord God of Israel,
there is no God like you
in heaven above or on earth below,(C)
who keeps the gracious covenant
with your servants who walk before you
with all their heart.(D)
24 You have kept what you promised
to your servant, my father David.
You spoke directly to him
and you fulfilled your promise by your power
as it is today.(E)
25 Therefore, Lord God of Israel,
keep what you promised
to your servant, my father David:
You will never fail to have a man
to sit before me on the throne of Israel,(F)
if only your sons take care to walk before me
as you have walked before me.(G)
26 Now Lord[a] God of Israel,
please confirm what you promised
to your servant, my father David.(H)
27 But will God indeed live on earth?
Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain you,
much less this temple I have built.(I)
28 Listen[b] to your servant’s prayer and his petition,(J)
Lord my God,
so that you may hear the cry and the prayer
that your servant prays before you today,
29 so that your eyes may watch over this temple night and day,(K)
toward the place where you said,
“My name will be there,”(L)
and so that you may hear the prayer
that your servant prays toward this place.
30 Hear the petition of your servant(M)
and your people Israel,
which they pray toward this place.(N)
May you hear in your dwelling place in heaven.
May you hear and forgive.
31 When a man sins against his neighbor
and is forced to take an oath,[c](O)
and he comes to take an oath
before your altar in this temple,
32 may you hear in heaven and act.
May you judge your servants,
condemning the wicked man by bringing
what he has done on his own head
and providing justice for the righteous
by rewarding him according to his righteousness.(P)
33 When your people Israel are defeated before an enemy,
because they have sinned against you,(Q)
and they return to you and praise your name,
and they pray and plead with you
for mercy in this temple,
34 may you hear in heaven
and forgive the sin of your people Israel.
May you restore them to the land
you gave their ancestors.(R)
35 When the skies are shut and there is no rain,
because they have sinned against you,(S)
and they pray toward this place
and praise your name,
and they turn from their sins
because you are afflicting them,(T)
36 may you hear in heaven
and forgive the sin of your servants
and your people Israel,
so that you may teach them to walk on the good way.(U)
May you send rain on your land
that you gave your people for an inheritance.(V)
37 When there is famine in the land,
when there is pestilence,
when there is blight or mildew, locust or grasshopper,(W)
when their enemy besieges them
in the land and its cities,[d]
when there is any plague or illness,
38 every prayer or petition
that any person or that all your people Israel may have—
they each know their own affliction[e](X)
as they spread out their hands toward this temple,(Y)
39 may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,
and may you forgive, act, and give to everyone
according to all their ways, since you know each heart,
for you alone know every human heart,(Z)
40 so that they may fear(AA) you
all the days they live on the land(AB)
you gave our ancestors.
41 Even for the foreigner who is not of your people Israel
but has come from a distant land(AC)
because of your name—
42 for they will hear of your great name,
strong hand,(AD) and outstretched arm,
and will come(AE) and pray toward this temple—
43 may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,
and do according to all the foreigner asks.
Then all peoples of earth will know(AF) your name,
to fear you as your people Israel do
and to know that this temple I have built
bears your name.
44 When your people go out to fight against their enemies,[f]
wherever you send them,
and they pray to the Lord
in the direction of the city you have chosen(AG)
and the temple I have built for your name,
45 may you hear their prayer and petition in heaven
and uphold their cause.(AH)
46 When they sin against you—
for there is no one who does not sin(AI)
and you are angry with them
and hand them over to the enemy,
and their captors deport them to the enemy’s country(AJ)
whether distant or nearby—
47 and when they come to their senses[g]
in the land where they were deported
and repent and petition you in their captors’ land:
“We have sinned and done wrong;
we have been wicked,”(AK)
48 and when they return to you with all their heart and all their soul
in the land of their enemies who took them captive,(AL)
and when they pray to you in the direction of their land
that you gave their ancestors,
the city you have chosen,(AM)
and the temple I have built for your name,
49 may you hear in heaven, your dwelling place,
their prayer and petition and uphold their cause.
50 May you forgive your people
who sinned against you
and all their rebellions[h] against you,
and may you grant them compassion
before their captors,
so that they may treat them compassionately.(AN)
51 For they are your people and your inheritance;(AO)
you brought them out of Egypt,
out of the middle of an iron furnace.(AP)
52 May your eyes be open to your servant’s petition
and to the petition of your people Israel,
listening to them whenever they call to you.
53 For you, Lord God, have set them apart as your inheritance
from all peoples of the earth,
as you spoke through your servant Moses
when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.(AQ)

Solomon’s Blessing

54 When Solomon finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the Lord, he got up from kneeling before the altar of the Lord, with his hands spread out toward heaven,(AR) 55 and he stood and blessed the whole congregation of Israel(AS) with a loud voice: 56 “Blessed be the Lord! He has given rest(AT) to his people Israel according to all he has said. Not one of all the good promises he made through his servant Moses has failed.(AU) 57 May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave us(AV) 58 so that he causes us to be devoted[i] to him,(AW) to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commands, statutes, and ordinances, which he commanded our ancestors. 59 May my words with which I have made my petition before the Lord be near the Lord our God day and night. May he uphold his servant’s cause and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires.(AX) 60 May all the peoples of the earth know that the Lord is God. There is no other!(AY) 61 Be wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord our God(AZ) to walk in his statutes and to keep his commands, as it is today.”

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Footnotes

  1. 8:26 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg, Vg, 2Ch 6:16; other Hb mss omit Lord
  2. 8:28 Lit Turn
  3. 8:31 Lit and he lifts a curse against him to curse him
  4. 8:37 Lit land of its gates
  5. 8:38 Lit know in his heart of a plague
  6. 8:44 Some Hb mss, some ancient versions, 2Ch 6:34; other Hb mss read enemy
  7. 8:47 Lit they return to their heart
  8. 8:50 Lit rebellions that they have rebelled
  9. 8:58 Lit causes our hearts to be inclined