2 Chronicles 6:1-11

New International Reader's Version

6 Then Solomon said, “Lord, you have said you would live in a dark cloud. ² I’ve built a beautiful temple for you. You can live in it forever.”

³ The whole community of Israel was standing there. The king turned around and gave them his blessing. ⁴ Then he said,

“I praise the Lord. He is the God of Israel. With his mouth he made a promise to my father David. With his powerful hands he made it come true. He said, ⁵ ‘I brought my people out of Egypt. Since then, a temple for my Name has not been built. I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel for that purpose. And I have not chosen anyone to be ruler over my people Israel. ⁶ But now I have chosen Jerusalem. I will put my Name there. And I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.’

⁷ “With all his heart my father David wanted to build a temple. He wanted to do it so the Name of the Lord could be there. The Lord is the God of Israel. ⁸ But the Lord spoke to my father David. He said, ‘With all your heart you wanted to build a temple for my Name. It is good that you wanted to do that. ⁹ But you will not build the temple. Instead, your son will build the temple for my Name. He is your own flesh and blood.’

¹⁰ “The Lord has kept the promise he made. I’ve become the next king after my father David. Now I’m sitting on the throne of Israel. That’s exactly what the Lord promised would happen. I’ve built the temple for the Name of the Lord. He is the God of Israel. ¹¹ I’ve placed the ark there. The tablets of the Lord’s covenant are inside it. He made that covenant with the people of Israel.”