2 Chronicles 6:1-13 ▼

1 Then Solomon said, |The LORD has said that he lives in thick darkness.

2 O LORD, I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.|

3 Then the king turned around and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.

4 He said, |The LORD God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David.

5 He told David, 'Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live. Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel.

6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live, and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.'

7 Now my father David had a strong desire to build a temple to honor the LORD God of Israel.

8 The LORD told my father David, 'It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.

9 But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.'

10 The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David's place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built this temple for the honor of the LORD God of Israel

11 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the LORD made with the Israelites.|

12 He stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands.

13 Solomon had made a bronze platform and had placed it in the middle of the enclosure. It was seven and one-half feet long, seven and one-half feet wide, and four and one-half feet high. He stood on it and then got down on his knees in front of the entire assembly of Israel. He spread out his hands toward the sky,