Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

12And he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands:

13For Solomon had made a brazen scaffold, of five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court: and upon it he stood, and kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven,   bronze

14And said, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like You in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keeps covenant, and shows mercy to Your servants, that walk before You with all their hearts:

15You which have kept with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him; and spoke with Your mouth, and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day.

16Now therefore, O Lord God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him, saying, There shall not fail you a man in My sight to sit upon the throne of Israel; yet so that your children take heed to their way to walk in My law, as you have walked before Me.

17Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let Your word be verified, which You have spoken to Your servant David.

18But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built!   indeed

19Have respect therefore to the prayer of Your servant, and to his supplication, O Lord my God, to hearken to the cry and the prayer which Your servant prays before You:   appeal; listen

20That Your eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof You have said that You would put Your name there; to hearken to the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place.

21Hearken therefore to the supplications of Your servant, and of Your people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear You from Your dwelling place, even from heaven; and when You hear, forgive.   appeals

22If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to make him swear, and the oath come before Your altar in this house;

23Then hear You from heaven, and do, and judge Your servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.   punishing; repaying

24And if Your people Israel be put to the worse before the enemy, because they have sinned against You; and shall return and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this house;   defeated

25Then hear You from the heavens, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them again to the land which You gave to them and to their fathers.

26When the heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against You; yet if they pray toward this place, and confess Your name, and turn from their sin, when You do afflict them;

27Then hear You from heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, and of Your people Israel, when You have taught them the good way, wherein they should walk; and send rain upon Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

28If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillars; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be:   famine; plague; blight; pain, painful

29Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all Your people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:

30Then hear You from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to every man according to all his ways, whose heart You know; (for You only know the hearts of the children of men:)

31That they may fear You, to walk in Your ways, so long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.   reverence

32Moreover concerning the stranger, which is not of Your people Israel, but is come from a far country for Your great name’s sake, and Your mighty hand, and Your stretched out arm; if they come and pray in this house;

33Then hear You from the heavens, even from Your dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls to You for; that all people of the earth may know Your name, and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name.

34If your people go out to war against their enemies by the way that You shall send them, and they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen, and the house which I have built for Your name;

35Then hear You from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.   uphold

36If they sin against You, (for there is no man which sins not,) and You be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives to a land far off or near;

37Yet if they bethink themselves in the land where they are carried captive, and turn and pray to You in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly;   repent; wrong

38If they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which You gave to their fathers, and toward the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your name:

39Then hear You from the heavens, even from your dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people which have sinned against You.

40Now, my God, let, I beseech You, Your eyes be open, and let Your ears be attent to the prayer that is made in this place.   beg; attentive

41Now therefore arise, O Lord God, into Your resting place, You, and the ark of Your strength: let Your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your saints rejoice in goodness.

42O Lord God, turn not away the face of Your anointed: remember the mercies of David Your servant.   do not reject