| International Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then Solomon gathered together the elders of Israel, including all the heads of the tribes and the leaders of the ancestral households of the Israelis, to meet with him in Jerusalem so they could bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David. | 1At that time Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, all the tribal heads and the ancestral leaders of the Israelites before him at Jerusalem in order to bring the ark of the LORD's covenant from the city of David, that is Zion. |
| 2So all the men gathered together to meet with King Solomon at the Festival of Tents in the month Ethanim, the seventh month. | 2So all the men of Israel were assembled in the presence of King Solomon in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim, at the festival. |
| 3All the Elders of Israel showed up, and the priests picked up the ark | 3All the elders of Israel came, and the priests picked up the ark. |
| 4and brought it, the Tent of Meeting, and all the holy implements that were in the tent. The priests and descendants of Levi carried them up to Jerusalem. | 4The priests and the Levites brought the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and the holy utensils that were in the tent. |
| 5King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel that had assembled to be with him stood in front of the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they were neither counted nor inventoried. | 5King Solomon and the entire congregation of Israel, who had gathered around him and were with him in front of the ark, were sacrificing sheep and cattle that could not be counted or numbered, because there were so many. |
| 6After this, the priests brought the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD to the place prepared for it, into the inner sanctuary of the Temple, under the wings of the cherubim in the Most Holy Place. | 6The priests brought the ark of the LORD's covenant to its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the most holy place beneath the wings of the cherubim. |
| 7The wings of the cherubim spread over the resting place for the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering over the ark and its poles when viewed from above. | 7For the cherubim were spreading their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim covered the ark and its poles from above. |
| 8The poles extended so far that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside. They remain there to this day. | 8The poles were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they were not seen from outside the sanctuary; they are there to this day. |
| 9The ark was empty except for the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Horeb when the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelis after they had come out of the land of Egypt. | 9Nothing was in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt. |
| 10When the priests left the Holy Place after setting the ark in place, the cloud filled the LORD's Temple | 10When the priests came out of the holy place, the cloud filled the LORD's temple, |
| 11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, since the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's Temple. | 11and because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple. |
| 12Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he lives shrouded in darkness. | 12Then Solomon said: The LORD said that He would dwell in thick darkness. |
| 13Now I have been constructing a magnificent Temple dedicated to you that will serve as a place for you to inhabit forever." | 13I have indeed built an exalted temple for You, a place for Your dwelling forever. |
| 14Then the king turned to face the entire congregation of Israel while the congregation of Israel remained standing. | 14The king turned around and blessed the entire congregation of Israel while they were standing. |
| 15Then Solomon prayed: "Blessed is the LORD God of Israel, who made a commitment to my father David and then personally fulfilled what he had promised when he said: | 15He said: May the LORD God of Israel be praised! He spoke directly to my father David, and He has fulfilled the promise by His power. He said," |
| 16From the day I brought out my people Israel from Egypt I never chose a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple where my name might reside. I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.' | 16Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city to build a temple in among any of the tribes of Israel, so that My name would be there. But I have chosen David to rule My people Israel." |
| 17"My father David wanted to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. | 17It was in the desire of my father David to build a temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. |
| 18The LORD told my father David: 'Therefore, since you determined to build a temple for my name, you acted well, because it was your choice to do so. | 18But the LORD said to my father David," Since it was your desire to build a temple for My name, you have done well to have this desire. |
| 19Nevertheless, you are not to build the Temple, but your son who will be born to you is to build a temple for my name.' | 19Yet you are not the one to build it; instead, your son, your own offspring, will build it for My name." |
| 20"The LORD has brought to fulfillment what he promised, and now here I stand, 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. | 20The LORD has fulfilled what He promised. I have taken the place of my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. |
| 21I have placed there the ark in which the covenant is stored that the LORD made with our ancestors when he brought them out of the land of Egypt." | 21I have provided a place there for the ark, where the LORD's covenant is that He made with our ancestors when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. |
| 22Then Solomon took his place in front of the LORD's altar in the presence of the entire congregation of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven, | 22Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. |
| 23and said: "LORD God of Israel, there is no one like you, God in heaven above or on the earth below, who watches over his covenant, showing gracious love to your servants who live their lives in your presence with all their hearts. | 23He said: LORD God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping the gracious covenant with Your servants who walk before You with their whole heart. |
| 24It is you, LORD God, who have kept your promise to my father, your servant David, that you made to him. Indeed, you made a commitment to my father David and then personally fulfilled what you had promised today. | 24You have kept what You promised to Your servant, my father David. You spoke directly to him and You fulfilled Your promise by Your power as it is today. |
| 25"Now therefore, LORD God of Israel, keep your promise that you made to my father, your servant David, when you said, 'You will not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants will watch their lives, to live in my presence just as you have lived in my presence.' | 25Therefore, LORD God of Israel, keep what You promised to Your servant, my father David: You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons guard their walk before Me as you have walked before Me. |
| 26"Now therefore, God of Israel, may your promise that you made to your servant David my father be fulfilled… | 26Now LORD God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant, my father David. |
| 27and yet, will God truly reside on earth? Look! Neither the sky nor the highest heaven can contain you! How much less this Temple that I have built! | 27But will God indeed live on earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built. |
| 28Pay attention to the prayer of your servant and to his request, LORD my God, and listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying in your presence today. | 28Listen to Your servant's prayer and his petition, LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant prays before You today, |
| 29Let your eyes always look toward this Temple night and day, toward the location where you have said 'My name will reside there.' Listen to the prayer that your servant prays in this direction. | 29so that Your eyes may watch over this temple night and day, toward the place where You said: My name will be there, and so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place. |
| 30Listen to the requests from your servant and from your people Israel as they pray in this direction, listen from the place where you reside in heaven, then hear and forgive. | 30Hear the petition of Your servant and Your people Israel, which they pray toward this place. May You hear in Your dwelling place in heaven. May You hear and forgive. |
| 31"If a man should sin against his neighbor and he is required to take an oath, and he then comes to take an oath in front of your altar in this Temple, | 31When a man sins against his neighbor and is forced to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple, |
| 32then listen in heaven, act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked by bringing back to him the consequences of his choices and by justifying the righteous by recompensing him according to his righteousness. | 32may You hear in heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing what he has done on his own head and providing justice for the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness. |
| 33"If your people Israel are defeated in a battle with their enemy because they have sinned against you, when they return to you and confess to you, pray, and in this Temple they ask you to show grace to them, | 33When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy, because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and praise Your name, and they pray and plead with You for mercy in this temple, |
| 34then hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and return them to the soil that you gave to their ancestors. | 34may You hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave their ancestors. |
| 35"When heaven remains closed, and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and they pray in the direction of this place, confessing your name and turning from their sin when you afflict them, | 35When the skies are shut and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and they turn from their sins because You are afflicting them, |
| 36then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Israel. Indeed, teach them the best way to live and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as an inheritance. | 36may You hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way they should walk in. May You send rain on Your land that You gave Your people for an inheritance. |
| 37"If a famine comes to the land, or if plant diseases, mildew, locust, or grasshoppers appear, or if their enemies attack them in their settlements of the land, no matter what the epidemic or illness is, | 37When there is famine on the earth, when there is pestilence, when there is blight, mildew, locust, or grasshopper, when their enemy besieges them in the region of their fortified cities, when there is any plague or illness, |
| 38whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it's made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple, | 38whatever prayer or petition anyone from Your people Israel might have-- each man knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple-- |
| 39then hear from heaven, the place where you reside, and forgive, repaying each person according to all of his ways, since you know their hearts—for you alone know the hearts of all human beings— | 39may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and may You forgive, act, and repay the man, according to all his ways, since You know his heart, for You alone know every human heart, |
| 40so they will fear you every day and live on the surface of the land that you have given to our ancestors. | 40so that they may fear You all the days they live on the land You gave our ancestors. |
| 41"Now concerning the foreigner who is not from your people Israel, when he comes from a land far away for the sake of your name | 41Even for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your name-- |
| 42(for people will hear of your great name, your mighty acts, and your obvious power ), when he comes and prays facing this Temple, | 42for they will hear of Your great name, mighty hand, and outstretched arm, and will come and pray toward this temple-- |
| 43then hear in heaven where you reside, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the people of the earth may know your name, fear you as do your people Israel, and so they may know that this Temple that I have built is called by your name. | 43may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all the foreigner asks You for. Then all the people on earth will know Your name, to fear You as Your people Israel do and know that this temple I have built is called by Your name. |
| 44"When your people go out to war against their enemies, no matter what way you send them, and they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city that you have chosen and in the direction of the Temple that I have built for your name, | 44When Your people go out to fight against their enemies, wherever You send them, and they pray to Yahweh in the direction of the city You have chosen and the temple I have built for Your name, |
| 45then hear their prayer and their request in heaven, and fight for their cause. | 45may You hear their prayer and petition in heaven and uphold their cause. |
| 46"When they sin against you—because there isn't a single human being who doesn't sin—and you become angry with them and deliver them over to their enemy, who takes them away captive to the land that belongs to their enemy, whether near or far away, | 46When they sin against You-- for there is no one who does not sin-- and You are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, and their captors deport them to the enemy's country-- whether distant or nearby-- |
| 47if they turn their hearts back to you in the land where they have been taken captive, repent, and pray to you—even if they do so in the land of their captivity—confessing, 'We have sinned, we have committed abominations, and practiced wickedness,' | 47and when they come to their senses in the land where they were deported and repent and petition You in their captors' land:" We have sinned and done wrong; we have been wicked," |
| 48if they return to you with all of their heart and with all of their soul in the land of their enemies who have taken them captive, as they pray to you in the direction of their land that you have given to their ancestors and to the city that you have chosen, and to the Temple that I have built for your name, | 48and when they return to You with their whole mind and heart in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of their land that You gave their ancestors, the city You have chosen, and the temple I have built for Your name, |
| 49then hear their prayer and requests in heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause, | 49may You hear in heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition and uphold their cause. |
| 50forgiving your people who have sinned against you, along with their transgressions by which they have transgressed against you. "Show your compassion in the presence of those who have taken them captive, so they may show compassion on them, | 50May You forgive Your people who sinned against You and all their rebellions against You, and may You give them compassion in the eyes of their captors, so that they may be compassionate to them. |
| 51since they are your people and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from an iron fire furnace. | 51For they are Your people and Your inheritance; You brought them out of Egypt, out of the middle of an iron furnace. |
| 52Do this so your eyes may remain open to the requests of your servant and to the requests of your people's prayers, to listen to them whenever they call out to you, | 52May Your eyes be open to Your servant's petition and to the petition of Your people Israel, listening to them whenever they call to You. |
| 53because you have separated them to yourself as your heritage from all the people of the earth, as you spoke through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord GOD. | 53For You, Lord GOD, have set them apart as Your inheritance from all the people on earth, as You spoke through Your servant Moses when You brought their ancestors out of Egypt. |
| 54When Solomon had completed saying this entire prayer to the LORD, he got up from kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven in the presence of the LORD's altar, | 54When Solomon finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the LORD, he got up from kneeling before the altar of the LORD, with his hands spread out toward heaven, |
| 55stood up, and blessed all of the assembly of Israel in a loud voice. He said: | 55and he stood and blessed the whole congregation of Israel with a loud voice: " |
| 56"Blessed is the LORD, who has given security to his people Israel, just as he promised. Not one of his promises has failed to come about that he gave through his servant Moses. | 56May the LORD be praised! He has given rest to His people Israel according to all He has said. Not one of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses has failed. |
| 57May the LORD our God be with us, just as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us or abandon us, | 57May the LORD our God be with us as He was with our ancestors. May He not abandon us or leave us |
| 58so that he may turn our hearts toward him, so that we may live life his way, keeping his commands, statutes, and ordinances that he gave to our ancestors. | 58so that He causes us to be devoted to Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commands, statutes, and ordinances, which He commanded our ancestors. |
| 59And may what I've had to say to the LORD remain with the LORD our God both day and night, so that he may defend the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as the need of the day may require it, | 59May my words I have made my petition with before the LORD be near the LORD our God day and night, so that He may uphold His servant's cause and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires, |
| 60so that, in turn, all the people of the earth may know that the LORD is God—there is no one else. | 60and so that all the peoples of the earth may know that Yahweh is God. There is no other! |
| 61Now let your heart be completely devoted to the LORD our God, to live according to his statutes and to keep his commands, as we are doing today." | 61Let your heart be completely devoted to the LORD our God to walk in His statutes and to keep His commands, as it is today." |
| 62Then the king and all of Israel with him offered sacrifices to the LORD. | 62The king and all Israel with him were offering sacrifices in the LORD's presence. |
| 63Solomon offered peace offerings to the LORD consisting of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelis dedicated the LORD's Temple. | 63Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the LORD: 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. In this manner the king and all the Israelites dedicated the LORD's temple. |
| 64That same day, the king consecrated the middle court that stood in front of the LORD's Temple, because that was where he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and fat from the peace offerings and because the bronze altar that was in the LORD's presence was too small to hold the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and fat from the peace offerings. | 64On 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 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. |
| 65So Solomon observed the Festival of Tents at that time, as did all of Israel with him. A large assembly came up from as far away as Lebo-hamath and the Wadi of Egypt to appear in the presence of the LORD our God, not just for seven days, but for seven days after that, a total of fourteen days. | 65Solomon and all Israel with him--a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt--observed the festival at that time in the presence of the LORD our God, seven days, and seven more days--14 days. |
| 66The following day, Solomon sent the people away as they blessed the king. Then they went back to their tents, rejoicing and glad for all the good things that the LORD had done for his servant David and to his people Israel. | 66On the fifteenth day 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. |
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