God Appears to Solomon

Solomon, son of David, strengthened his position over the kingdom. Yahweh his Elohim was with him and made him very powerful.

Then Solomon and the entire assembly went to the place of worship in Gibeon because Elohim’s tent of meeting was there. Moses, Yahweh’s servant, had made the tent in the desert.

(However, David had already brought Elohim’s ark from Kiriath Jearim to a place he had prepared for it. He had put up a tent for it in Jerusalem.)

That night Elohim appeared to Solomon. He said, “What can I give you?”

Solomon responded to Elohim, “You’ve shown great love to my father David, and you’ve made me king in his place.

Now, Yahweh Elohim, you’ve kept the promise you made to my father David. You’ve made me king of people who are as numerous as specks of dust on the ground.

Elohim replied to Solomon, “I know this request is from your heart. You didn’t ask for riches, fortunes, honor, or the death of those who hate you. You didn’t even ask for a long life. Instead, you’ve asked for wisdom and knowledge to judge my people, over whom I made you king.

I want to build the temple for the name of Yahweh my Elohim. I want to dedicate it to him, burn sweet-smelling incense in his presence, and have rows of bread there continually. I want to sacrifice burnt offerings every morning and evening, on weekly worship days, New Moon Festivals, and during the annual festivals appointed by Yahweh our Elohim. (These festivals are always to be celebrated by Israel.)

The temple I am building will be great because our Elohim is greater than all other gods.

Huram added, “May Yahweh Elohim of Israel be praised. He made the heavens and the earth and has given King David a wise son who has insight and intelligence and can build Yahweh’s temple and a royal palace.

This is how Solomon laid the foundation to build Elohim’s temple. It was 90 feet long and 30 feet wide. (They used the old standard measurement.)

Huram also made the pots, shovels, and bowls. So Huram finished the work for King Solomon in Elohim’s temple:

Solomon made all the furnishings for Elohim’s temple: the gold altar, the gold tables on which the bread of the presence was placed,

All the work Solomon did on Yahweh’s temple was finished. He brought the holy things that had belonged to his father David—the silver, gold, and all the utensils—and put them in the storerooms of Elohim’s temple.

The priests couldn’t serve because of the cloud. Yahweh’s glory filled Elohim’s temple.

“Thanks be to Yahweh Elohim of Israel. With his mouth he made a promise to my father David; with his hand he carried it out. He said,

“My father David had his heart set on building a temple for the name of Yahweh Elohim of Israel.

Yahweh has kept the promise he made. I’ve taken my father David’s place, and I sit on the throne of Israel as Yahweh promised. I’ve built the temple for the name of Yahweh Elohim of Israel.

He said, “Yahweh Elohim of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth. You keep your promise of mercy to your servants, who obey you wholeheartedly.

“Now, Yahweh Elohim of Israel, keep your promise to my father David, your servant. You said, ‘You will never fail to have an heir sitting in front of me on the throne of Israel if your descendants are faithful to me as you have been faithful to me.’

“So now, Yahweh Elohim of Israel, may the promise you made to David, your servant, come true.

“Does Elohim really live on earth with people? If heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold you, then how can this temple that I have built?

Nevertheless, my Yahweh Elohim, please pay attention to my prayer for mercy. Listen to my cry for help as I pray to you.

“Finally, my Elohim, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

“Now arise, and come to your resting place, Yahweh Elohim— you and the ark of your power. Clothe your priests, Yahweh Elohim, with salvation. Let your godly ones rejoice in what is good.