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Then Solomon said, “Yahweh has said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. But I have built you a house and home, a place for you to dwell in forever.”

The king turned his face, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.

He said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with his mouth to David my father, and has with his hands fulfilled it, saying, ‘Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there and I chose no man to be prince over my people Israel; but now I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’ Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. But Yahweh 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; nevertheless you shall not build the house; but your son who will come out of your body, he shall build the house for my name.’

10 “Yahweh has performed his word that he spoke; for I have risen up in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 11 There I have set the ark, in which is Yahweh’s covenant, which he made with the children of Israel.”

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Solomon’s Dedication of the Temple

Then Solomon said:(A)

The Lord said he would dwell in total darkness,(B)
but I have built an exalted temple for you,
a place for your dwelling forever.

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

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel!
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)
My father David had his heart set
on building a temple for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.(F)
However, the Lord 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 the Lord has fulfilled what he promised.
I have taken the place of my father David
and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised.
I have built the temple for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
11 I have put the ark there,
where the Lord’s covenant is
that he made with the Israelites.(G)

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