1 Kings 8:22-61
Expanded Bible
Solomon’s Prayer
22 Then Solomon stood ·facing [before] the Lord’s altar, and all the ·Israelites [L congregation/community/assembly of Israel] were standing behind him. He spread out his hands toward the sky 23 and said:
“Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep your ·agreement [treaty; covenant] ·of love [and steadfast love/lovingkindness] with your servants who ·truly follow you [L walk before you with all their heart]. 24 You have kept the ·promise [covenant; solemn pact] you made to your servant David, my father. You spoke it with your own mouth and ·finished [fulfilled] it with your hands today. 25 Now Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You said, ‘If your sons are careful to ·obey [L walk before] me as you have ·obeyed me [L walked], ·there will always be someone from your family [L you will never lack a man] ·ruling [to sit on the throne of] Israel [2 Sam. 7:16].’ 26 Now, God of Israel, ·please continue to keep that promise [confirm the word] you made to your servant David, my father.
27 “But, God, ·can [will] you really ·live [dwell] here on the earth? [L Look; T Behold] ·The sky [Even heaven] and the highest ·place in heaven [heavens] cannot contain you. Surely this ·house [Temple] which I have built cannot contain you. 28 But please ·listen to [regard] my prayer and my ·request [plea; supplication], because I am your servant. Lord my God, hear this prayer your servant prays to you today. 29 Night and day please watch over this ·Temple [L house] where you have said, ‘·I will be worshiped [L My name will be] there.’ Hear the prayer I pray facing this ·Temple [L house]. 30 Hear my ·prayers [pleas; supplications] and the prayers of your people Israel when we pray ·facing [toward] this place. Hear from your home in heaven, and when you hear, forgive us.
31 “If someone ·wrongs another person [sins against a neighbor], he will be brought to the altar in this ·Temple [L house]. If he swears an oath that he is not guilty, 32 then hear in heaven. ·Judge the case [Act and judge between your servants], ·punish [condemn] the guilty ·as they deserve [L by bringing his conduct on his own head], but ·declare that the innocent person is not guilty [acquit/vindicate the righteous/innocent in accordance with their righteousness/innocence].
33 “When your people, the Israelites, sin against you, their enemies will defeat them. But if they ·come back [turn] to you and ·praise you [L confess your name] and pray and ·plead [make supplication] to you in this ·Temple [L house], 34 then hear them in heaven. Forgive the ·sins [or sin] of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.
35 “When they sin against you, ·you will stop the rain from falling on their land [L the heavens will be shut and there will be no rain]. Then they will pray, facing this place and ·praising you [L confess your name]; they will stop sinning when you ·make them suffer [afflict them]. 36 ·When this happens [Then], please hear their prayer in heaven, and forgive the ·sins [or sin] of your servants, ·the Israelites [L your people Israel]. Teach them ·to do what is right [L the good way they should walk]. Then please send rain to this land you have given ·particularly to them [L your people for an inheritence].
37 “·At times the land will become so dry that no food will grow [If there is a famine in the land], or ·a great sickness will spread among the people [pestilence]. ·Sometimes all the crops will be destroyed by […or blight or mildew or] locusts or grasshoppers. ·Your people will be attacked in […or the people are besieged in the land of] their cities by their enemy or ·will become sick [struck by plague or sickness…]. 38 When any of these things happen, ·the people will become truly sorry [L each will know the affliction of his own heart]. ·If your people spread their hands in prayer [L …and spread his hands] toward this ·Temple [L house], 39 then hear their prayers from your ·home [dwelling place] in heaven. Forgive and ·treat [L act and give to] each person ·as he should be treated [L according to his ways/conduct] because you know what is in a person’s heart. Only you know what is in everyone’s heart. 40 Then your people will ·respect [fear] you ·as long as [L all the days] they live in this land you gave to our ancestors.
44 “When your people go out to fight their enemies ·along some [by whatever] road on which you send them, your people will pray to you, facing the city which you have chosen and the ·Temple [L house] I have built for ·you [L your name]. 45 Then hear in heaven their prayer and their ·plea [supplication], and ·do what is right [uphold/maintain their cause].
46 “When ·your people [L they] sin against you (for there is no one who does not sin), you will become angry with them and ·hand them over [abandon/give them] to their enemies. Their enemies will capture them and take them away to their countries far or near. 47 But if they ·become sorry for their sins [or come to their senses; or have a change of heart; L return to their heart] and ·are sorry [repent] and ·pray [plead; make supplications] to you in the land ·where they are held as prisoners [of their captors], saying, ‘We have sinned; we have ·done wrong [committed iniquity] and acted wickedly.’ 48 If they ·truly turn back to you [L repent with all their heart and all their soul] in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive and pray to you, ·facing this [toward their] land you gave their ancestors, this city you have chosen, and the ·Temple [L house] I have built for ·you [L your name], 49 then hear their prayers and their ·requests [pleas; supplications] from your ·home [dwelling place] in heaven, and ·do what is right [act with justice/judgment; or uphold/maintain their cause].
50 Forgive your people of all their sins and for ·turning [L all their transgressions/offenses they have committed] against you. Make those who have captured them show them ·mercy [compassion]. 51 Remember, they are your ·special people [L inheritance]. You brought them out of Egypt, ·as if you were pulling them out of a blazing [L from the midst of the iron-smelting] furnace.
52 “·Give your attention to my prayers and [L May your eyes be open to] the ·prayers [pleas; requests; supplications] of your people Israel. Listen to them anytime they ·ask you for help [call/cry out to you]. 53 You ·chose them [set them apart; separated them; singled them out] from all the ·nations [peoples] on earth to be your ·very own people [inheritance]. This is what you ·promised [spoke] through Moses your servant when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord God.”
54 Solomon prayed this prayer and ·plea [request; supplication] to the Lord, kneeling in front of the altar with his ·arms raised [hands spread] toward heaven. When he finished praying, he got up. 55 Then, in a loud voice, he stood and blessed ·all the people [L the whole assembly/congregation] of Israel, saying: 56 “·Praise [Blessed be] the Lord! He promised he would give rest to his people Israel, and he has given us rest. ·The Lord has kept [Not one word has failed/L fallen of] all the ·good [wonderful] promises 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 or ·abandon [forsake] us, 58 and may he ·turn us [L incline/stretch out our hearts/desires] to himself so we will ·follow him [L walk in his ways]. Let us obey all the ·laws [commandments], ·rules [statutes; decrees] and ·commands [regulations; judgments] he gave our ancestors. 59 May the Lord our God ·remember [L keep near] ·this prayer [these words of mine that I have prayed/pleaded] day and night and ·do what is right [act with justice/judgment; or uphold/maintain their cause] for his servant and his people Israel ·day by day [according to the needs of each day]. 60 Then all the people of the ·world [earth] will know the Lord is ·the only true God [L God and there is no one else]. 61 ·You must fully obey [Devote your heart completely to] the Lord our God and ·follow all his laws [walk in his statutes/decrees] and [L keep his] commands. ·Continue to obey in the future as you do now [L …as to this day].”
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