1 Kings 8
8
The Ark Is Brought to the Temple
1Then King Solomon sent for the elders of Israel. He told them to come to him in Jerusalem. They included all the leaders of the tribes. They also included the chiefs of the families of Israel. Solomon wanted them to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Zion. Zion was the City of David. 2All the Israelites came together to where King Solomon was. It was at the time of the Feast of Booths. The feast was held in the month of Ethanim. That’s the seventh month.
3All the elders of Israel arrived. Then the priests picked up the ark and carried it. 4They brought up the ark of the Lord. They also brought up the tent of meeting and all the sacred things in the tent. The priests and Levites carried everything up. 5The entire community of Israel had gathered around King Solomon. All of them were in front of the ark. They sacrificed huge numbers of sheep and cattle. There were so many animals that they couldn’t be recorded. In fact, they couldn’t even be counted.
6The priests brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant law to its place in the Most Holy Room of the temple. They put it under the wings of the cherubim. 7Their wings were spread out over the place where the ark was. They covered the ark. They also covered the poles used to carry it. 8The poles were very long. Their ends could be seen from the Holy Room in front of the Most Holy Room. But they couldn’t be seen from outside the Holy Room. They are still there to this day. 9There wasn’t anything in the ark except the two stone tablets. Moses had placed them in it at Mount Horeb. That’s where the Lord had made a covenant with the Israelites. He made it after they came out of Egypt.
10The priests left the Holy Room. Then the cloud filled the temple of the Lord. 11The priests couldn’t do their work because of it. That’s because the glory of the Lord filled his temple.
12Then Solomon said, “Lord, you have said you would live in a dark cloud. 13As you can see, I’ve built a beautiful temple for you. You can live in it forever.”
14The whole community of Israel was standing there. The king turned around and gave them his blessing. 15Then he said,
“I praise the Lord. He is the God of Israel. With his own mouth he made a promise to my father David. With his own powerful hand he made it come true. He said, 16‘I brought my people Israel out of Egypt. Ever since, I haven’t chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a temple could be built for my Name. But I have chosen David to rule over my people Israel.’
17“With all his heart my father David wanted to build a temple. He wanted to do it so the Lord could put his Name there. The Lord is the God of Israel. 18But the Lord spoke to my father David. He said, ‘With all your heart you wanted to build a temple for my Name. It is good that you wanted to do that. 19But you will not build the temple. Instead, your son will build the temple for my Name. He is your own flesh and blood.’
20“The Lord has kept the promise he made. I’ve become the next king after my father David. Now I’m sitting on the throne of Israel. That’s exactly what the Lord promised would happen. I’ve built the temple where the Lord will put his Name. He is the God of Israel. 21I’ve provided a place for the ark there. The tablets of the Lord’s covenant law are inside it. He made that covenant with our people of long ago. He made it when he brought them out of Egypt.”
Solomon Prays to Set the Temple Apart to the Lord
22Then Solomon stood in front of the Lord’s altar. He stood in front of the whole community of Israel. He spread out his hands toward heaven. 23He said,
“Lord, you are the God of Israel. There is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep the covenant you made with us. You show us your love. You do that when we follow you with all our hearts. 24You have kept your promise to my father David. He was your servant. With your mouth you made a promise. With your powerful hand you have made it come true. And today we can see it.
25“Lord, you are the God of Israel. Keep the promises you made to my father David. Do it for him. He was your servant. Here is what you said to him. ‘A son from your family line will sit before me on the throne of Israel. This will always be true if your children after you are careful in everything they do. They must live in my sight faithfully the way you have lived.’ 26God of Israel, let your promise to my father David come true.
27“But will you really live on earth? After all, the heavens can’t hold you. In fact, even the highest heavens can’t hold you. So this temple I’ve built certainly can’t hold you! 28But please pay attention to my prayer. Lord my God, be ready to help me as I make my appeal to you. Listen to my cry for help. Hear the prayer I’m praying to you today. 29Let your eyes look toward this temple night and day. You said, ‘I will put my Name there.’ So please listen to the prayer I’m praying toward this place. 30Hear me when I ask you to help us. Listen to your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Listen to us from heaven. It’s the place where you live. When you hear us, forgive us.
31“Suppose someone does something wrong to their neighbor. And the person who has done something wrong is required to give their word. They must tell the truth about what they have done. They must come and do it in front of your altar in this temple. 32When they do, listen to them from heaven. Take action. Judge between the person and their neighbor. Punish the guilty one. Do to that person what they have done to their neighbor. Deal with the one who isn’t guilty in a way that shows they are free from blame. That will prove they aren’t guilty.
33“Suppose your people Israel have lost the battle against their enemies. And suppose they’ve sinned against you. But they turn back to you and praise your name. They pray to you in this temple. And they ask you to help them. 34Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Bring them back to the land you gave to their people who lived long ago.
35“Suppose your people have sinned against you. And because of that, the sky is closed up and there isn’t any rain. But your people pray toward this place. They praise you by admitting they’ve sinned. And they turn away from their sin because you have made them suffer. 36Then listen to them from heaven. Forgive the sin of your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live. Send rain on the land you gave them as their share.
37“Suppose there isn’t enough food in the land. And a plague strikes the land. The hot winds completely dry up our crops. Or locusts or grasshoppers come and eat them up. Or an enemy surrounds one of our cities and gets ready to attack it. Or trouble or sickness comes. 38But suppose one of your people prays to you. They ask you to help them. They are aware of how much their own heart is suffering. And they spread out their hands toward this temple to pray. 39Then listen to them from heaven. It’s the place where you live. Forgive them. Take action. Deal with everyone in keeping with everything they do. You know their hearts. In fact, you are the only one who knows every human heart. 40Your people will have respect for you. They will respect you as long as they are in the land you gave our people long ago.
41“Suppose there are outsiders who don’t belong to your people Israel. And they have come from a land far away. They’ve come because they’ve heard about your name. 42When they get here, they will find out even more about your great name. They’ll hear about how you reached out your mighty hand and powerful arm. So they’ll come and pray toward this temple. 43Then listen to them from heaven. It’s the place where you live. Do what those outsiders ask you to do. Then all the nations on earth will know you. They will have respect for you. They’ll respect you just as your own people Israel do. They’ll know that your Name is in this house I’ve built.
44“Suppose your people go to war against their enemies. It doesn’t matter where you send them. And suppose they pray to you toward the city you have chosen. They pray toward the temple I’ve built for your Name. 45Then listen to them from heaven. Listen to their prayer for your help. Stand up for them.
46“Suppose your people sin against you. After all, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t sin. And suppose you get angry with them. You hand them over to their enemies. They take them as prisoners to their own lands. It doesn’t matter whether those lands are near or far away. 47But suppose your people change their ways in the land where they are held as prisoners. They turn away from their sins. They beg you to help them in the land of those who won the battle over them. They say, ‘We have sinned. We’ve done what is wrong. We’ve done what is evil.’ 48And they turn back to you with all their heart and soul. Suppose it happens in the land of their enemies who took them away as prisoners. There they pray to you toward the land you gave their people long ago. They pray toward the city you have chosen. And they pray toward the temple I’ve built for your Name. 49Then listen to them from heaven. It’s the place where you live. Listen to their prayer. Listen to them when they ask you to help them. Stand up for them. 50Your people have sinned against you. Please forgive them. Forgive them for all the wrong things they’ve done against you. And make those who won the battle over them show mercy to them. 51After all, they are your people. They belong to you. You brought them out of Egypt. You brought them out of that furnace that melts iron down and makes it pure.
52“Let your eyes be open to me when I ask you to help us. Let them be open to your people Israel when they ask you to help them. Pay attention to them every time they cry out to you. 53After all, you chose them out of all the nations in the world. You made them your very own people. You did it just as you had announced through your servant Moses. That’s when you brought out of Egypt our people of long ago. You are our Lord and King.”
54Solomon finished praying. He finished asking the Lord to help his people. Then he got up from in front of the Lord’s altar. He had been down on his knees with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55He stood in front of the whole community of Israel. He blessed them with a loud voice. He said,
56“I praise the Lord. He has given peace and rest to his people Israel. That’s exactly what he promised to do. He gave his people good promises through his servant Moses. Every single word of those promises has come true. 57May the Lord our God be with us, just as he was with our people who lived long ago. May he never leave us. May he never desert us. 58May he turn our hearts to him. Then we will live the way he wants us to. We’ll obey the commands, rules and directions he gave our people of long ago. 59I’ve prayed these words to the Lord our God. May he keep them close to him day and night. May he stand up for me. May he also stand up for his people Israel. May he give us what we need every day. 60Then all the nations on earth will know that the Lord is God. They’ll know that there isn’t any other god. 61And may you commit your lives completely to the Lord our God. May you live by his rules. May you obey his commands. May you always do as you are doing now.”
The Temple Is Set Apart to the Lord
62Then the king and the whole community of Israel offered sacrifices to the Lord. 63Solomon sacrificed friendship offerings to the Lord. He sacrificed 22,000 oxen. He also sacrificed 120,000 sheep and goats. So the king and the whole community set the temple of the Lord apart to him.
64On that same day the king set the middle area of the courtyard apart to the Lord. It was in front of the Lord’s temple. There Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and grain offerings. He also sacrificed the fat of the friendship offerings there. He did it there because the bronze altar that stood in front of the Lord was too small. It wasn’t big enough to hold all the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the friendship offerings.
65At that time Solomon celebrated the Feast of Booths. The whole community of Israel was with him. It was a huge crowd. People came from as far away as Lebo Hamath and the Wadi of Egypt. For seven days they celebrated in front of the Lord our God. The feast continued for seven more days. That made a total of 14 days. 66On the following day Solomon sent the people away. They asked the Lord to bless the king. Then they went home. The people were glad. Their hearts were full of joy. That’s because the Lord had done so many good things for his servant David and his people Israel.
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1 Kings 8: NIrV
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Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Melachim Alef 8
8
1Then Sh'lomo assembled the Zekenim of Yisroel, and all the Rashei HaMattot, the Nesi'ei HaAvot of the Bnei Yisroel, unto HaMelech Sh'lomo in Yerushalayim, that they might bring up the Aron Brit Hashem out of Ir Dovid, which is Tziyon.
2And all the Ish Yisroel assembled themselves unto HaMelech Sh'lomo at the Chag#8:2 Sukkot in the month Etanim,#8:2 Tishri which is the seventh month.
3And all the Zekenim of Yisroel came, and the Kohanim took up the Aron.
4And they brought up the Aron Hashem, and the Ohel Mo'ed and all the kelei hakodesh that were in the Ohel, even those did the Kohanim and the Levi'im carry up.
5And Sh'lomo HaMelech, and all the Adat Yisroel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the Aron, sacrificing tzon and bakar, that could not be told nor numbered for multitude.
6And the Kohanim brought in the Aron Brit Hashem unto its makom, in the Devir HaBayit, the Kodesh HaKodashim, even under the wings of the keruvim.
7For the keruvim spread forth their kenafayim (wings) over the place of the Aron, and the keruvim overshadowed the Aron and the poles thereof.
8They drew out the poles, that the ends of the poles were seen out in the Kodesh before the Devir, but they were not seen from the outside; there they are unto this day.
9There was nothing in the Aron except the two Luchot HaAvanim (Tablets of Stone), which Moshe placed there at Chorev, when Hashem cut a Brit with the Bnei Yisroel, when they came out of Eretz Mitzrayim.
10And it came to pass, when the Kohanim were come out of the Kodesh, that the anan filled the Beis Hashem,
11So that the Kohanim could not stand up to minister because of the anan; for the Kavod Hashem had filled the Beis Hashem.
12Then spoke Sh'lomo, Hashem said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.
13I have surely built Thee a Beis of habitation, a Makhon for Thee to abide olamim.
14And HaMelech turned his face about, and made a brocha upon Kol Kehal Yisroel; (and Kol Kehal Yisroel were standing);
15And he said, Baruch Hashem Elohei Yisroel, which spoke with His mouth unto Dovid Avi, and hath with His yad fulfilled it, saying,
16Since the yom that I brought forth My people Yisroel out of Mitzrayim, I chose no ir out of all the Shivtei Yisroel to build a Beis, that Shemi might be therein; but I chose Dovid to be over My people Yisroel.
17It was in the levav Dovid Avi to build Bayit for Shem Hashem Elohei Yisroel.
18And Hashem said unto Dovid Avi, Whereas it was in thine lev to build a Beis unto Shemi, thou didst well that it was in thine lev.
19Nevertheless thou shalt not build the Bayit; but thy ben that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the Bayit unto Shemi.
20And Hashem hath fulfilled His Davar that He spoke, and I am risen up in the place of Dovid Avi, and sit on the Kisse Yisroel, just as Hashem promised, and have built Bayit for the Shem Hashem Elohei Yisroel.
21And I have set there a Makom for the Aron, wherein is the Brit Hashem, which He cut with Avoteinu, when He brought them out of Eretz Mitzrayim.
22And Sh'lomo stood before the Mizbe'ach Hashem in the presence of all the Kahal Yisroel, and spread forth his palms toward Shomayim;
23And he said, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, there is no Elohim like Thee, in Shomayim above, or on HaAretz beneath, who is shomer HaBrit and keeps chesed with Thy avadim that walk before Thee with all their lev;
24Who hast been shomer with Thy eved Dovid Avi that Thou promised him; Thou spoke also with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with Thine yad, as it is this day.
25Therefore now, Hashem Elohei Yisroel, be shomer with Thy eved Dovid Avi that Thou promised him, saying, There shall not Yikaret (be cut off, fail) thee an ish in My sight to sit on the Kisse Yisroel; so that thy banim be shomer over their derech, that they walk before Me as thou hast walked before Me.
26And now, O Elohei Yisroel, let Thy davar now come true, which Thou spoke unto Thy eved Dovid Avi.
27But will Elohim indeed dwell on ha'aretz? Hinei, the Shomayim and the Shemei HaShomayim cannot contain Thee; how much less this Bayit that I have built?
28Yet turn Thou unto the tefillah of Thy eved, and to his techinnah, Hashem Elohai, to pay heed unto the cry and to the tefillah, which Thy eved is davening before Thee today;
29That Thine eyes may be open toward this Bayit lailah va'yom, even toward the Makom of which Thou hast said, Shemi shall be there; that Thou mayest pay heed unto the tefillah which Thy eved shall make toward Makom Hazeh.
30And pay heed Thou to the techinnah of Thy eved, and of Thy people Yisroel, when they shall daven toward Makom Hazeh; and hear Thou from Shomayim Thy dwelling place; and when Thou hearest, forgive.
31If any ish trespass against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and the oath come before Thine Mizbe'ach in this Bayit;
32Then hear Thou in Shomayim, and do, and judge Thy avadim, condemning the rasha, to bring his derech upon his rosh; and lehatzeddik (justifying, declaring innocent and acquitted) the tzaddik, to give him according to his tzedakah.
33When Thy people Yisroel be struck down before the oyev, because they have sinned against Thee, and shall turn back to Thee, and confess Thy Shem, and daven, and make supplication unto Thee in this Bayit:
34Then hear Thou in Shomayim, and forgive the chattat of Thy people Yisroel, and bring them back unto HaAdamah which Thou gavest unto their Avot.
35When Shomayim is shut up, and there is no matar (rain), because they have sinned against Thee; if they daven toward this Makom, and confess Thy Shem, and turn from their chattat, when Thou afflictest them;
36Then hear Thou in Shomayim, and forgive the chattat of Thy avadim, and of Thy people Yisroel, that Thou teach them the Derech Hatovah wherein they should walk, and give matar (rain) upon Thy Land, which Thou hast given to Thy people for a nachalah.
37If there be in HaAretz ra'av, if there be dever, blight, mildew, arbeh, or if there be grasshopper; if their oyev besiege them in the eretz of their she'arim; whatsoever nega (plague), whatsoever machalah (disease) there be;
38What tefillah and techinnah be made by any adam, or by all Thy people Yisroel, which shall know every man the nega of his own levav, and spread forth his palms toward this Bayit;
39Then hear Thou in Shomayim the Makom of Thy dwelling, and forgive, and do, and give to every ish according to his derech, whose lev Thou knowest; (for Thou, even Thou only, knowest levav kol Bnei HaAdam);
40That they may fear Thee all hayamim that they are chayyim in the adamah which Thou gavest unto Avoteinu.
41Moreover concerning a nokhri (foreigner), that is not of Thy people Yisroel, but cometh out of a far country for Thy Nameʼs sake;
42 (For they shall hear of Thy Shem HaGadol, and of Thy Yad HaChazakah, and of Thy stretched out zero'a;) and shall come and daven toward this Bayit;
43Hear Thou in Shomayim the Makom of Thy dwelling, and do according to all that the nokhri calleth to Thee for; that all peoples of ha'aretz may know Thy Shem, to fear Thee, as do Thy people Yisroel; that they may know that this Bayit, which I have built, is called by Thy Shem.
44If Thy people go out to milchamah against their oyev (enemy), in the derech that Thou shalt send them, and shall daven unto Hashem in the Derech HaIr which Thou hast chosen, and toward the Bayit that I have built for Thy Shem;
45Then hear Thou in Shomayim their tefillah and their techinnah, and uphold their mishpat.
46If they sin against Thee, (for there is no adam that sinneth not), and Thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the oyev (enemy), so that they carry them away captives unto the eretz of the oyev, far or near;
47Yet if they make in their lev teshuvah in HaAretz where they were carried captives, and turn, and make techinnah unto Thee in the eretz of them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness;
48And so return unto Thee with all their lev, and with all their nefesh, in the eretz of their enemies, which led them away captive, and daven unto Thee in the derech (direction) of their land, which Thou gavest unto their Avot, the Ir which Thou hast chosen, and the Bayit which I have built for Thy Shem;
49Then hear Thou their tefillah and their techinnah in Shomayim, the Makom of Thy dwelling, and uphold their cause,
50And forgive Thy people that have sinned against Thee, and all their peysha'im wherein they have rebelled against Thee, and give them rachamim before them who carried them captive, that they may have rachamim on them;
51For they are Thy people, and Thine nachalah, which Thou broughtest forth out of Mitzrayim, from the midst of the Kur HaBarzel (Furnace of Iron):
52That Thine eyes may be open unto the techinnah of Thy eved, and unto the techinnah of Thy people Yisroel, to pay heed unto them in all that they call for unto Thee.
53For Thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of HaAretz, to be Thine nachalah, as Thou spoke by the yad Moshe Thy Eved, when Thou broughtest Avoteinu out of Mitzrayim, Adonoi Hashem,
54And it was so, that when Sh'lomo had completed davening all this tefillah and techinnah unto Hashem, he arose from before the Mizbe'ach Hashem, from having knelt on his knees with his palms spread up to Shomayim.
55And he stood, and made on Kol Kehal Yisroel a brocha with a kol gadol (loud voice), saying,
56Baruch Hashem, that hath given menuchah unto His people Yisroel, according to all that He promised: there hath not failed one davar of all His good promise, which He promised by yad Moshe His Eved.
57 Hashem Eloheinu be immanu (with us), as He was with Avoteinu; let Him not leave us, nor forsake us;
58That He may incline levavenu (our hearts) unto Him, to walk in all his ways, and to be shomer over His mitzvot, and His chukkot, and His mishpatim, which He commanded Avoteinu.
59And let these my words, wherewith I have made techinnah before Hashem, be kerovim (near ones) unto Hashem Eloheinu yomam valailah that He maintain the mishpat (cause) of His eved, and the mishpat of His people Yisroel at all times, as each day requires;
60That all the peoples of ha'aretz may know that Hashem hu HaElohim and that there is none else.
61Let your lev therefore be shalem with Hashem Eloheinu, to walk in His chukkot, to be shomer over His mitzvot, as at this day.
62And HaMelech, and kol Yisroel with him, offered zevach (sacrifice) before Hashem.
63And Sh'lomo offered a zevach hashelamim (sacrifice of peace offerings), which he offered unto Hashem, two and twenty thousand bakar, and a hundred and twenty thousand tzon (sheep). So HaMelech and kol Bnei Yisroel dedicated the Beis Hashem.
64The same day did HaMelech consecrate as kodesh the interior of the Khatzer (Court) that was before the Beis Hashem; for there he offered olah and minchah, and the chelvei hashelamim because the Mitzbe'ach HaNechoshet that was before Hashem was too katon (small) to receive the olah, and minchah, and the chelvei hashelamim.
65And at that time Sh'lomo observed a Chag, and kol Yisroel with him, a Kahal Gadol, from the Approach of Chamat unto the Wadi Mitzrayim, before Hashem Eloheinu, shivat yamim and shivat yamim, even arba'a asar yom.
66On the Yom HaShemini he sent away the people and they made on HaMelech a brocha, and went unto their ohalim joyful and glad of lev for all hatovah (the goodness) that Hashem had done for Dovid His Eved and for Yisroel His People.
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THE ORTHODOX JEWISH BIBLE
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