| International Standard Version | Berean Study 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 before him in Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites—to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David. |
| 2So all the men gathered together to meet with King Solomon at the Festival of Tents in the month Ethanim, the seventh month. | 2And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim. |
| 3All the Elders of Israel showed up, and the priests picked up the ark | 3When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took 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. | 4and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the Tent of Meeting with all its sacred furnishings. So the priests and Levites carried them up. |
| 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. | 5There, before the ark, King Solomon and the whole congregation of Israel who had assembled with him sacrificed so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. |
| 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. | 6Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, 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 spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles. |
| 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 extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and 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. | 9There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come 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 | 10And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD |
| 11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, since the glory of the LORD filled the LORD's Temple. | 11so that the priests could not stand there to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. |
| 12Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he lives shrouded in darkness. | 12Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud. |
| 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 You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.” |
| 14Then the king turned to face the entire congregation of Israel while the congregation of Israel remained standing. | 14And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all |
| 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: | 15and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying, |
| 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.' | 16‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ |
| 17"My father David wanted to build a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel. | 17Now it was in the heart of my father David to build a house for the Name of the LORD, 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 in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart. |
| 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.' | 19Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house 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. | 20Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, 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." | 21And there I have provided a place for the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD that He made with our fathers 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 whole assembly of Israel, 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. | 23and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. |
| 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 Your promise to Your servant, my father David. What You spoke with Your mouth You have fulfilled with Your hand this day. |
| 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 now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk before Me as you have done.’ |
| 26"Now therefore, God of Israel, may your promise that you made to your servant David my father be fulfilled… | 26And now, O 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 dwell upon the 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. | 28Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying 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. | 29May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ 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 plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. 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 required 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. | 32then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man 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 confess Your name, praying and pleading with You 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. | 34then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave to their fathers. |
| 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 Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted 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. | 36then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk. May You send rain on the land that You gave Your people as 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 famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemy besieges them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come, |
| 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, | 38then may whatever prayer or petition Your people Israel make—each 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— | 39be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and act, and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of all men— |
| 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 in the land that You gave to our fathers. |
| 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 | 41And as 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 and mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays 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. | 43then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house 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 to war against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city You have chosen and the house I have built for Your Name, |
| 45then hear their prayer and their request in heaven, and fight for their cause. | 45then may You hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and may You 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 become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to his own land, whether far or near, |
| 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 to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’ |
| 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 all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name, |
| 49then hear their prayer and requests in heaven, where you reside, and fight for their cause, | 49then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You 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 have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them mercy. |
| 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 furnace for iron. |
| 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 the pleas of Your servant and of Your people Israel, and may You listen 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, O Lord GOD, as Your inheritance, have set them apart from all the peoples of the earth, as You spoke through Your servant Moses when You brought our fathers 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, | 54Now when Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the LORD, he got up before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling 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 assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying: |
| 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. | 56“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel according to all that He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses. |
| 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 fathers. May He never leave us nor forsake 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. | 58May He incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep the commandments and statutes and ordinances He commanded our fathers. |
| 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, | 59And may these words with which I have made my petition before the LORD be near to the LORD our God day and night, so that He may uphold the cause of His servant and 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. | 60so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD 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." | 61So let your heart be fully devoted to the LORD our God, as it is this day, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments.” |
| 62Then the king and all of Israel with him offered sacrifices to the LORD. | 62Then the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the LORD. |
| 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. | 63And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD. |
| 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 that same day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, and there he offered the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar before the LORD was too small to contain all these 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. | 65So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days—fourteen days in all. |
| 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 Solomon sent the people away. So they blessed the king and went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things that the LORD had done for His servant David and for His people Israel. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
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