^aThen Solomon said,“The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick darkness.

3 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 4 He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David, and fulfilled it with His hands, saying, 5 ‘Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, so that My name might be there, nor did I choose a man to be the leader over My people Israel; 6 but ^aI have chosen Jerusalem so that My name might be there, and I ^bhave chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 7 ^aNow it was ¹in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 8 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was ¹in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was ²in your heart. 9 Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who ¹will be born to you, he shall build the house for My name.’ 10 Now the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD ¹promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the ark ^ain which is the covenant of the LORD, which He made with the sons of Israel.”

12 Then he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 ^aFor Solomon had made a bronze platform, ¹five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the courtyard; and he stood on it, ^bknelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said, “LORD, God of Israel, ^athere is no god like You in heaven or on earth, ^bkeeping ¹Your covenant and ²Your faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart; 15 ^aYou who have kept with Your servant, my father David, that which You ¹promised him; You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 16 Now then, LORD, God of Israel, keep to Your servant David, my father, that which You ¹promised him, saying, ‘^2aYou shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay attention to their way, to walk in My Law as you have walked before Me.’ 17 Now then, LORD, God of Israel, let Your word be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant David.

18 “But ^awill God really dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, ^bheaven and the ¹highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built! 19 Nevertheless, turn Your attention to the prayer of Your servant and to his plea, LORD, my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You; 20 that Your ^aeye will be open toward this house day and night, toward ^bthe place of which You have said that You would put Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. 21 Listen to the pleadings of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place; hear from Your dwelling place, from heaven; ^ahear and forgive.

22 “If someone sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven and take action and judge Your servants, ^1apunishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head, and justifying the righteous by ²repaying him according to his righteousness.

24 “If Your people Israel are ¹defeated before an enemy because ^athey have sinned against You, and they return to You and praise Your name, and pray and plead before You in this house, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You have given to them and to their fathers.

26 “When the ^aheavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and praise Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them, 27 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel; indeed, ^ateach them the good way in which they are to walk. And provide rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.

28 “If there is a ^afamine in the land, if there is a plague, if there is blight or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their ¹cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, 29 whatever prayer or plea is made by anyone or by all Your people Israel, ¹each knowing his own affliction and his own pain, and spreading his hands toward this house, 30 then hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know—^afor You alone know the hearts of the sons of mankind— 31 so that they may ¹fear You, to walk in Your ways ²as long as they live in the land which You have given to our fathers.

32 “Also concerning ^athe foreigner who is not from Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country on account of Your great name and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house, 33 then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, so that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, and ¹fear You as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that ²this house which I have built is ^acalled by Your name.

34 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way You send them, and they pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and the house which I have built for Your name, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their pleading, and maintain their cause.

36 “When they sin against You ^a(for there is no one who does not sin), and You are angry with them and turn them over to an enemy, so that ¹they take them away captive to a land far off or near, 37 if they ¹take it to heart in the land where they are taken captive, and repent and plead to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have done wrong and have acted wickedly’; 38 ^aif they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been taken captive, and pray toward their land which You have given to their fathers and the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your name, 39 then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, their prayer and pleadings, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.

40 “Now, my God, please, ^alet Your eyes be open and ^bYour ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

41 “^aNow then arise, LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might; let Your priests, LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good.

42 “LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; ^aremember Your faithfulness to Your servant David.”

^aThen Solomon said,“The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.

3 Then the king ¹faced about and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 4 He said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it with His hands, saying, 5 ‘Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man for a leader over My people Israel; 6 but ^aI have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I ^bhave chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 7 ^aNow it was ¹in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 8 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Because it was ¹in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was ²in your heart. 9 Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who ¹will be born to you, he shall build the house for My name.’ 10 Now the LORD has fulfilled His word which He spoke; for I have risen in the place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD ¹promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 11 There I have set the ark ^ain which is the covenant of the LORD, which He made with the sons of Israel.”

12 Then he stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 ^aNow Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, ^bknelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 He said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, ^athere is no god like You in heaven or on earth, ^bkeeping covenant and showing lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart; 15 ^awho has kept with Your servant David, my father, that which You have ¹promised him; indeed You have spoken with Your mouth and have fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 16 Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David, my father, that which You have ¹promised him, saying, ‘^2aYou shall not lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way, to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ 17 Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, let Your word be confirmed which You have spoken to Your servant David.

18 “But ^awill God indeed dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, ^bheaven and the ¹highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built. 19 Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant prays before You; 20 that Your ^aeye may be open toward this house day and night, toward ^bthe place of which You have said that You would put Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your servant shall pray toward this place. 21 Listen to the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place; hear from Your dwelling place, from heaven; ^ahear and forgive.

22 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 23 then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, ^1apunishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.

24 “If Your people Israel ¹are defeated before an enemy because ^athey have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this house, 25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You have given to them and to their fathers.

26 “When the ^aheavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them; 27 then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants and Your people Israel, indeed, ^ateach them the good way in which they should walk. And send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

28 “If there is ^afamine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their ¹cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, 29 whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, ¹each knowing his own affliction and his own pain, and spreading his hands toward this house, 30 then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know ^afor You alone know the hearts of the sons of men, 31 that they may ¹fear You, to walk in Your ways ²as long as they live in the land which You have given to our fathers.

32 “Also concerning ^athe foreigner who is not from Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your great name’s sake and Your mighty hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray toward this house, 33 then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, and ¹fear You as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that ²this house which I have built is ^acalled by Your name.

34 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way 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, 35 then hear from heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

36 “When they sin against You ^a(for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and deliver them to an enemy, so that ¹they take them away captive to a land far off or near, 37 if they ¹take thought in the land where they are taken captive, and repent and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have committed iniquity and have acted wickedly’; 38 ^aif they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been taken captive, and pray toward their land which You have given to their fathers and the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your name, 39 then hear from heaven, from Your dwelling place, their prayer and supplications, and maintain their cause and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.

40 “Now, O my God, I pray, ^alet Your eyes be open and ^bYour ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

41 “^aNow therefore arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might; let Your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation and let Your godly ones rejoice in what is good.

42 “O LORD God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; ^aremember Your lovingkindness to Your servant David.”

^aThen Solomon said,“Yahweh has said that He would dwell in the cloud of dense gloom.

3 Then the king turned his face around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 4 And he said, “Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who spoke with His mouth to my father David and has fulfilled it by His hands, saying, 5 ‘Since the day that I brought My people from the land of Egypt, I did not choose a city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man for a ruler over My people Israel; 6 but ^aI have chosen Jerusalem that My name might be there, and I ^bhave chosen David to be over My people Israel.’ 7 ^aAnd it was ¹in the heart of my father David to build a house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 8 But Yahweh said to my father David, ‘Because it was ¹in your heart to build a house for My name, you did well that it was ²in your heart. 9 Nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who will ^acome forth from your loins, he shall build the house for My name.’ 10 And Yahweh has established His word which He spoke; and I have been established in place of my father David and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh ¹promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. 11 And there I have set the ark ^ain which is the covenant of Yahweh, which He cut with the sons of Israel.”

12 Then he stood before the altar of Yahweh before all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. 13 ^aNow Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide and three cubits high, and had put it in the midst of the court; and he stood on it, ^bknelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven. 14 And he said, “O Yahweh, the God of Israel, ^athere is no god like You in heaven or on earth, ^bkeeping covenant and lovingkindness to Your slaves who walk before You with all their heart; 15 ^awho have kept with Your ¹servant David, my father, that which You have ²promised him; indeed You have promised with Your mouth and have fulfilled it by Your hand, as it is this day. 16 So now, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father, that which You have promised him, saying, ‘^aYou shall not have a man cut off from before Me who is to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons keep their way to walk in My law as you have walked before Me.’ 17 So now, O Yahweh, the God of Israel, let Your word truly ¹endure which You have spoken to Your servant David.

18 “But ^awill God truly dwell with mankind on the earth? Behold, ^bheaven and the ¹highest heaven cannot contain You; how much less this house which I have built. 19 Yet have regard to the prayer of Your slave and to his supplication, O Yahweh my God, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your slave prays before You; 20 that Your ^aeyes may be open toward this house day and night, toward ^bthe place of which You have said that You would place Your name there, to listen to the prayer which Your slave shall pray toward this place. 21 And listen to the supplications of Your slave and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place; listen from Your dwelling place, from heaven; ^alisten and forgive.

22 “If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and he comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this house, 23 then listen from heaven and act and judge Your slaves, ^1apunishing the wicked by ²bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous by ³bringing him reward according to his righteousness.

24 “And if Your people Israel are ¹defeated before an enemy because ^athey have sinned against You, and they turn to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication before You in this house, 25 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You have given to them and to their fathers.

26 “When the ^aheavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin when You afflict them; 27 then listen in heaven and forgive the sin of Your slaves and of Your people Israel; indeed, ^ateach them the good way in which they should walk. And give rain on Your land, which You have given to Your people for an inheritance.

28 “If there is ^afamine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is scorching wind or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their ¹cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is, 29 whatever prayer or supplication is made by any man or by all Your people Israel, who know his own affliction and his own pain, and spread his hands toward this house, 30 then listen from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to each according to all his ways, whose heart You know, ^afor You alone know the hearts of the sons of men, 31 that they may ¹fear You, to walk in Your ways all the days they live upon the face of the land which You have given to our fathers.

32 “Also concerning ^athe foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, if he comes from a far country for Your great name’s sake and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm, so if they come and pray toward this house, 33 then listen from heaven, from Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name even to ¹fear You, as do Your people Israel, and to know that Your name is ^acalled upon this house which I have built.

34 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way 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, 35 then listen from heaven to their prayer and their supplication, and do justice.

36 “When they sin against You ^a(for there is no man who does not sin) and You are angry with them and give them over to an enemy, so that ¹they take them away captive to a land far off or near, 37 and if they ^acause these things to return to their heart in the land where they have been taken captive, and ¹return and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have committed iniquity and have acted wickedly’; 38 ^aand if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been taken captive, and pray toward their land which You have given to their fathers and the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your name, 39 then listen from heaven, from Your dwelling place, to their prayer and supplications, and do justice for them and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.

40 “Now, O my God, I pray, ^alet Your eyes be open and ^bYour ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.

41 “^aSo now, arise, O Yahweh God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength; let Your priests, O Yahweh God, be clothed with salvation and let Your holy ones be glad in what is good.

42 “O Yahweh God, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; ^aremember Your lovingkindness to Your servant David.”