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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 Dedicates the Temple(A)

Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives shrouded in darkness. Now I have constructed a magnificent temple dedicated to you that will serve as a place for you to inhabit forever.”

Then the king turned to face the entire congregation of Israel while the congregation of Israel remained standing. Then Solomon[a] prayed:

“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, who made a commitment[b] to my father David and then personally[c] fulfilled what he had promised when he said:[d]

‘From the day I brought out my people from the land of Egypt I never chose a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple where my name might reside. And I never chose any man to become Commander-in-Chief[e] over my people Israel. But I have chosen Jerusalem, where my name will reside. And I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’

“My father David wanted to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. The Lord told my father David:

‘Therefore, since you determined[f] to build a temple for my name, you acted well, because it was your choice[g] to do so. Nevertheless, you are not to build the Temple, but your son who will be born[h] to you is to build a temple for my name.’

10 “The Lord has brought to fulfillment[i] what he promised, and now here I stand,[j] having succeeded my father David to sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built the Temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 11 I have placed in it the ark in which the covenant that the Lord made with the Israelis is stored.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 6:4 Lit. He
  2. 2 Chronicles 6:4 Lit. who spoke by his mouth
  3. 2 Chronicles 6:4 Lit. and by his hand
  4. 2 Chronicles 6:4 Cf. 1Chr 17:5ff
  5. 2 Chronicles 6:5 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and management authority
  6. 2 Chronicles 6:8 Lit. since it was in your heart
  7. 2 Chronicles 6:8 Lit. because it was in your heart
  8. 2 Chronicles 6:9 Lit. will come from your loins
  9. 2 Chronicles 6:10 Lit. has caused to stand up
  10. 2 Chronicles 6:10 MT verb is a pun on the verb brought to fulfillment