Solomon’s Dedication of the Temple

Then Solomon said:(A)

The Lord said He would dwell in thick darkness,(B)
but I have built an exalted temple for You,
a place for Your residence forever.

Then the king turned and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing. He said:

May the Lord God of Israel be praised!
He spoke directly to my father David,
and He has fulfilled the promise
by His power.
He said,
“Since the day I brought My people Israel
out of the land of Egypt,(C)
I have not chosen a city to build a temple in
among any of the tribes of Israel,
so that My name would be there,
and I have not chosen a man
to be ruler over My people Israel.
But I have chosen Jerusalem
so that My name will be there,(D)
and I have chosen David
to be over My people Israel.”(E)

Now it was in the heart of my father David
to build a temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.(F)
However, Yahweh said to my father David,
“Since it was your desire to build a temple for My name,
you have done well to have this desire.
Yet, you are not the one to build the temple,
but your son, your own offspring,
will build the temple for My name.”
10 So Yahweh has fulfilled what He promised.
I have taken the place of my father David
and I sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised.
I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel.
11 I have put the ark there,
where Yahweh’s covenant is
that He made with the Israelites.(G)

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Then Solomon said, “The Lord said that he would live in a dark cloud; but God, I have built you a lofty temple—a place where you can live forever.”

The king turned around, and while the entire assembly of Israel was standing there, he blessed them, saying:

Bless the Lord, the God of Israel, who spoke directly to my father David and now has kept his promise: “From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I haven’t selected a city from any Israelite tribe as a site for the building of a temple for my name. Neither have I chosen anyone as prince over my people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place for my name, and David as prince over my people Israel.”

My father David wanted to build a temple for the name of the Lord, Israel’s God. But the Lord said to my father David: “It is very good that you thought to build a temple for my name. Nevertheless, you yourself won’t build that temple. Instead, your very own son will build the temple for my name.” 10 The Lord has kept his promise—I have succeeded my father David on Israel’s throne, just as the Lord said, and I have built the temple for the name of the Lord, Israel’s God. 11 There I’ve placed the chest that contains the covenant that the Lord made with the Israelites.

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