The Dedication of the Temple(A)

62 Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices(B) before the Lord. 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated(C) the temple of the Lord.

64 On that same day the king consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings and the fat(D) of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar(E) that stood before the Lord was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.(F)

65 So Solomon observed the festival(G) at that time, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath(H) to the Wadi of Egypt.(I) They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all. 66 On the following day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good(J) things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.

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62 The king and all Israel with him were offering sacrifices in the Lord’s presence. 63 Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep.(A) In this manner the king and all the Israelites dedicated(B) the Lord’s temple.(C)

64 On the same day, the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was in front of the Lord’s temple because that was where he offered the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat of the fellowship offerings(D) since the bronze altar before the Lord was too small to accommodate the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the fellowship offerings.(E)

65 Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath[a](F) to the Brook of Egypt(G)—observed the festival at that time(H) in the presence of the Lord our God, seven days, and seven more days—14 days.[b](I) 66 On the fifteenth day[c] he sent the people away. So they blessed the king and went home to their tents rejoicing and with joyful hearts for all the goodness that the Lord had done for His servant David and for His people Israel.(J)

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Kings 8:65 Or from Lebo-hamath
  2. 1 Kings 8:65 Temple dedication lasted seven days, and the Festival of Tabernacles lasted seven days.
  3. 1 Kings 8:66 Lit the eighth day