Beginning

6 Then said Sh’lomo, Hashem hath said that He would dwell in a dark cloud.

² But I have built Thee a lofty Beis, even a place for Thee to dwell olamim.

³ And HaMelech turned his face, v’yevarech at kol Kehal Yisroel, and all the Kehal Yisroel stood.

⁴ And he said, Baruch Hashem Elohei Yisroel, Who hath with His hands fulfilled that which He spoke with His mouth to Dovid Avi, saying,

⁵ Since HaYom when I brought forth Ami out of Eretz Mitzrayim I chose no city among all the Shivtei Yisroel to build a Bais in, that Shmi might be there; neither chose I any ish to be a Nagid over Ami Yisroel,

⁶ But I chose Yerushalayim, that Shmi might be there; and chose Dovid to be over Ami Yisroel.

⁷ Now it was in the levav Dovid Avi to build a Bais for the Shem of Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

⁸ But Hashem said to Dovid Avi, Because it was in levavcha to build a Bais for Shmi, thou didst well in that it was in levavcha.

⁹ Nevertheless thou shalt not build HaBeis; but bincha (your Son) which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build HaBeis for Shmi.

¹⁰ Hashem therefore hath performed His Devar that He hath spoken; for I am risen up after Dovid Avi, and I sit on the kisse Yisroel, just as Hashem promised, and I built HaBeis for the Shem of Hashem Elohei Yisroel.

¹¹ And in it have I put the Aron, wherein is the Brit Hashem that He cut with the Bnei Yisroel.

¹² And he stood before the Mizbe’ach Hashem in front kol Kehal Yisroel, and spread forth his hands;

¹³ For Sh’lomo had made a kiyyor nechoshet (bronze platform) five cubits long, and five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the Azarah [see 4:9], and upon it he stood, and knelt down upon his knees before kol Kehal Yisroel, and spread forth his hands toward Shomayim.

¹⁴ And said, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, ein kmocha Elohim (there is no G-d like Thee) in Shomayim, nor in Ha’aretz; shomer HaBrit, who showest chesed unto Thy avadim, that walk before Thee with all their hearts.

¹⁵ Thou which has been shomer over Thy eved Dovid Avi over that which Thou hast promised him; and spoke with Thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with Thine hand, as it is this day.

¹⁶ Now therefore, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, be shomer over Dovid Avi to keep that which Thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee an ish in My sight to sit upon the Kisse Yisroel; if only Banecha are shomer over their way to walk in My torah, as thou hast walked before Me.

¹⁷ Now then, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, let Thy Davar come true, which Thou hast spoken unto Thy eved Dovid.

¹⁸ But will Elohim really dwell with HaAdam on ha’aretz? Hinei, Shomayim and the Shmei HaShomayim cannot contain Thee; how much less this Beis which I built!

¹⁹ Yet give attention to the tefillah of Thy eved, and to his techinnah (supplication), O Hashem Elohai, to pay heed unto the cry and the tefillah which Thy eved prayeth before Thee;

²⁰ That Thine eyes may be open toward this Beis yomam valailah, toward the makom (place) whereof Thou hast said that Thou wouldest put Shimcha there; to pay heed unto the tefillah which Thy eved prayeth toward this makom.

²¹ Pay heed therefore unto the tachanunei Avdecha (suppplications of Thy servant), and of Thy people Yisroel, which they shall daven toward this place; hear Thou from Thy dwelling place, even from Shomayim; and when Thou hearest, salachta (forgive).

²² If an ish sin against his neighbor, and he is made to swear under oath and he swears an oath before Thine Mizbe’ach in this Beis,

²³ Then hear Thou from Shomayim, and act, and judge Thy avadim, by requiting the guilty, by recompensing his way upon his own rosh; and by justifying the tzaddik, by giving him according to his tzedakah.

²⁴ And if thy people Yisroel be defeated before the oyev (enemy), because they have sinned against Thee; and shall return and confess Shmecha, and pray and make techinnah before Thee in this Beis,

²⁵ Then hear Thou from Shomayim, and forgive the sin of Thy people Yisroel, and bring them back to HaAdamah which Thou gave to them and to Avoteichem.

²⁶ When Shomayim is shut up, and there is no matar (rain), because they have sinned against Thee; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess Shmecha, and turn from their sin, when Thou dost afflict them;

²⁷ Then hear Thou from Shomayim, and forgive the sin of Thy avadim, and of Thy people Yisroel, when Thou hast taught them the Derech HaTovah, wherein they should walk; and send matar upon Thy land, which Thou hast given unto Thy people for a nachalah.

²⁸ If there be ra’av (hunger, famine) in the land, if there be dever, if there be blight, or mildew, locust, or grasshopper; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever nega or machalah there be,

²⁹ Then what tefillah or what techinnah soever shall be made of kol ha’adam, or of all Thy people Yisroel, when every one shall know his own nega and his own pain, and shall spread forth his hands in this Beis,

³⁰ Then hear Thou from Shomayim Thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose lev Thou knowest; (for Thou only knowest the hearts of the Bnei HaAdam),

³¹ That they may fear Thee, to walk in Thy ways, so long as they live in HaAdamah which Thou gavest unto Avoteinu.

³² Also concerning the nokhri, who is not of Thy people Yisroel, but is come from a far country for the sake of Shimcha Hagadol, Thy yad hachazakeh, and Thy zero’a stretched out; if they come and pray toward this Beis,

³³ Then hear Thou from Shomayim, even from Thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the nokhri calleth for to Thee, that kol Amei Ha’aretz may know Shmecha, and fear Thee, as doth Thy people Yisroel, and may know that this Beis which I have built is called by Shimcha.

³⁴ If Thy people go out to milchamah against their enemies by the derech that Thou shalt send them, and they pray unto Thee toward this city which Thou hast chosen, and the Beis which I have built for Shmecha,

³⁵ Then hear Thou from Shomayim their tefillah and their techinnah, and uphold their mishpat.

³⁶ If they sin against Thee, (for there is no adam which sinneth not), and Thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captive unto an Eretz rechokah or kerovah,

³⁷ Yet if they change in their heart in the land where they are carried captive, and repent and supplicate unto Thee in the land of their captivity, saying, Chatanu (we have sinned), he’evnu (we have done wrong), and rashanu (we acted wickedly);

³⁸ If they return to Thee with all their lev and with all their nefesh in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captive, and pray toward their land, which Thou gavest unto Avotam, and toward HaIr which Thou hast chosen, and toward the Beis which I have built for Thy Shem,

³⁹ Then hear Thou from Shomayim, even from Thy dwelling place, their tefillah and their techinnah, and uphold their mishpat, and forgive Thy people which have sinned against Thee.

⁴⁰ Now, Elohai, may Thine eyes be open, and let Thine ears be attentive unto the tefillah that is davened in this place.

⁴¹ Now therefore arise, Hashem Elohim, into Thy resting place, Thou, and the Aron of Thy might; let Thy Kohanim, Hashem Elohim, be clothed with Teshu’ah, and let Thy Chasidim rejoice in goodness.

⁴² Hashem Elohim, turn not away the face of Thine Moshiach. Remember the Chasdei Dovid Avdecha.

7 Now when Sh’lomo had made an end of davening, the eish came down from Shomayim, and consumed the olah and the zevakhim; and the kavod Hashem filled HaBeis.

² And the Kohanim could not enter into the Beis Hashem, because the kavod Hashem had filled the Beis Hashem.

³ And when all the Bnei Yisroel saw how the eish came down, and the kavod Hashem upon HaBeis, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the ritzpah (floor, pavement) and worshiped, and gave thanks to Hashem, saying, Ki tov ki l’olam chasdo (For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever).

⁴ Then HaMelech and kol HaAm offered zevach before Hashem.

⁵ And HaMelech Sh’lomo offered zevach of 22,000 bakar, and 120,000 tzon; so HaMelech and kol HaAm dedicated the Beis HaElohim.

⁶ And the Kohanim stood at their mishmerot (watches); the Levi’im also with kelei shir Hashem, (musical instruments of Hashem) which Dovid HaMelech had made to give thanks to Hashem‖ki l’oham chasdo (for His mercy endureth forever)‖whenever Dovid praised by their means; and the Kohanim sounded khatzotzrot (trumpets) opposite them, and kol Yisroel stood.

⁷ Moreover Sh’lomo set apart as kodesh the toch hekhatzer (center of the courtyard) that was in front of the Beis Hashem; for there he offered HaOlot and the chelvei hashelamim (fat of peace offerings), because the Mizbe’ach hanechoshet which Sh’lomo had made was not able to receive the Olot, and the Mincha, and HaChalavim (the fats).

⁸ Also at the same time Sh’lomo kept the Chag (see v. 9) shivat yamim, and kol Yisroel with him, a Kahal Gadol Me’od, from the Levo (Approach) Chamat unto the Wadi Mitzrayim.

⁹ And on the Yom HaShemini they held an Atzeret (solemn assembly); for they kept the chanukat HaMizbe’ach (dedication of the altar, i.e., the Beis Hamikdash) shivat yamim, and the chag [Sukkot] shivat yamim.

¹⁰ And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent HaAm away into their ohalim joyful and tovei lev for the goodness that Hashem had showed unto Dovid, and to Sh’lomo, and to Yisroel His Am.

¹¹ Thus Sh’lomo finished the Beis Hashem, and the Beis HaMelech; and all that came into the lev Sh’lomo to do in the Beis Hashem, and in his own palace, he prosperously effected.

¹² And Hashem appeared to Sh’lomo balailah, and said unto him, I have heard thy tefillah, and have chosen this makom for Myself for a Beis Zevach.

¹³ When I shut up Shomayim that there be no matar, or when I command the locusts to devour HaAretz, or when I send dever among Ami (My People)

¹⁴ If Ami, which are called by Shmi, shall humble themselves, and daven, and seek my face, and turn from their derakhim hara’im (wicked ways), then will I hear from Shomayim, and will forgive their chattat, and will heal their land.

¹⁵ Now Mine eyes shall be open, and Mine ears attentive unto the tefillah that is made in Makom HaZeh.

¹⁶ For now have I chosen and set apart as kodesh HaBeis HaZeh, that Shmi may be there ad olam, and Mine eyes and Mine lev shall be there kol hayamim.

¹⁷ And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before Me, as Dovid Avicha walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe My chukkot and My mishpatim;

¹⁸ Then will I establish the kisse of thy Malchut, just as I have covenanted with Dovid Avicha, saying, Lo yikaret lecha ish moshel b’Yisroel.

¹⁹ But if ye turn away, and forsake My chukkot and My mitzvot, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve elohim acherim, and worship them,

²⁰ Then will I uproot them out of My Adamah which I have given them; and HaBeis HaZeh, which I have set apart as kodesh for Shmi, will I cast out of My sight, and will make it to be a Mashal (byword) and an object of ridicule among Kol haAmim.

²¹ And HaBeis HaZeh, which is elyon, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath Hashem done thus unto HaAretz HaZot, and unto HaBeis Hazeh?

²² And it shall be answered, Because they forsook Hashem Elohei Avoteihem, Who brought them forth out of Eretz Mitzrayim, and they laid hold on elohim acherim, and worshiped them, and served them; therefore hath He brought all this ra’ah upon them.

8 And it came to pass at the end of esrim shanah, wherein Sh’lomo had built the Beis Hashem, and his own bais (palace),

² That the cities which Churam had restored to Sh’lomo, Sh’lomo rebuilt them, and caused the Bnei Yisroel to dwell there.

³ And Sh’lomo went to Chamat Tzovah, and captured it.

⁴ And he built Tadmor in the midbar, and all the storage towns, which he built in Chamat.

⁵ Also he rebuilt Upper Beit Choron, and Lower Beit Choron, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars,

⁶ And Ba’alat, and all the storage towns that Sh’lomo had, and all the towns for the chariots, and the towns for the parashim (horsemen, cavalry) all the cheshek Sh’lomo (desire of Solomon) that he desired to build in Yerushalayim, and in the Levanon, and throughout all the eretz of his Memshalet.

⁷ As for kol haAm that were left of the Chitti, and HaEmori, and the Perizzi, and the Chivi, and the Yevusi, who were not of Yisroel,

⁸ From their banim, who were left after them in HaAretz, whom the Bnei Yisroel consumed not, them did Sh’lomo conscript for forced labor until yom hazeh.

⁹ But of the Bnei Yisroel did Sh’lomo make no avadim for his melachah; for they were anshei milchamah, and commanders of his officers, and commanders of his chariots and parash.

¹⁰ And these were the chief of the officials of Sh’lomo HaMelech, even two hundred and fifty, that exercised authority over HaAm.

¹¹ And Sh’lomo brought up the Bat Pharaoh out of Ir Dovid unto the palace that he had built for her, for he said, Isha li (wife for me) shall not dwell in the Bais Dovid Melech Yisroel, because the places whereunto the Aron Hashem hath come are Kodesh.

¹² Then Sh’lomo offered up Olot unto Hashem on the Mizbe’ach Hashem, which he had built before the Ulam,

¹³ Even according to the requirement of each day on its day, offering according to the mitzvat Moshe, on the Shabbatot, and on Rosh Chodesh, and on the Mo’adot, three times in the year, even in the Chag HaMatzot, and in the Chag HaShavuot, and in the Chag HaSukkot.

¹⁴ And he appointed, according to the mishpat Dovid Aviv, the machlekot (divisions) of the Kohanim to their avodah service, and the Levi’im to their mishmerot (watches), to praise and minister before the Kohanim, as the requirement of every yom required; the Sho’arim (Gatekeepers) also by their machlekot (divisions) at every sha’ar; for thus was the mitzvot Dovid Ish HaElohim.

¹⁵ And they deviated not from the mitzvat HaMelech unto the Kohanim and Levi’im concerning any matter, or concerning the otzarot.

¹⁶ Now all the work of Sh’lomo was carried out from the yom musad (day of the foundation) of the Beis Hashem until its completion. So the Beis Hashem was perfected.

¹⁷ Then went Sh’lomo to Etzyon-Gever, and to Eilat, on the seacoast of Eretz Edom. [T.N. See Ep 2:20 in connection with the musad (foundation in 2Chr 8:16) where the OJBC speaks about Shluchim and Nevi’im and Moshiach as the Rosh Pinah]

¹⁸ And Churam sent him by the hands of his avadim oniyot, and avadim that were experienced seamen; and they went with the avadim of Sh’lomo to Ophir, and took from there four hundred and fifty talents of zahav, and brought them to Sh’lomo HaMelech.