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.
Currently Selected:
1 Kings 8: NIrV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV®
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
I Kings 8
8
The Ark Brought into the Temple
1Now #Num. 1:4; 7:2; 2 Chr. 5:2–14Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the chief fathers of the children of Israel, to King Solomon in Jerusalem, #2 Sam. 6:12–17; 1 Chr. 15:25–29that they might bring #2 Sam. 5:7; 6:12, 16up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the City of David, which is Zion. 2Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the #Lev. 23:34; 1 Kin. 8:65; 2 Chr. 7:8–10feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3So all the elders of Israel came, #Num. 4:15; 7:9; Deut. 31:9; Josh. 3:3, 6and the priests took up the ark. 4Then they brought up the ark of the Lord, #1 Kin. 3:4; 2 Chr. 1:3the tabernacle of meeting, and all the holy furnishings that were in the tabernacle. The priests and the Levites brought them up. 5Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, #2 Sam. 6:13; 2 Chr. 1:6sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude. 6Then the priests #2 Sam. 6:17brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to #Ex. 26:33, 34; 1 Kin. 6:19its place, into the inner sanctuary of the temple, to the Most Holy Place, #1 Kin. 6:27under the wings of the cherubim. 7For the cherubim spread their two wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8The poles #Ex. 25:13–15; 37:4, 5extended so that the ends of the poles could be seen from the holy place, in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9#Ex. 25:21; Deut. 10:2Nothing was in the ark #Ex. 25:16; Deut. 10:5; Heb. 9:4except the two tablets of stone which Moses #Ex. 24:7, 8; 40:20; Deut. 4:13put there at Horeb, #Ex. 34:27, 28when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud #Ex. 40:34, 35; 2 Chr. 7:1, 2filled the house of the Lord, 11so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the #2 Chr. 7:1, 2glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
12#2 Chr. 6:1Then Solomon spoke:
“The Lord said He would dwell #Lev. 16:2; Ps. 18:11; 97:2in the dark cloud.
13#2 Sam. 7:13I have surely built You an exalted house,
#(Ex. 15:17); Ps. 132:14And a place for You to dwell in forever.”
Solomon’s Speech at Completion of the Work
14Then the king turned around and #2 Sam. 6:18; 1 Kin. 8:55blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel was standing. 15And he said: #1 Chr. 29:10, 20; Neh. 9:5; Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who #2 Sam. 7:2, 12, 13, 25; 1 Chr. 22:10spoke with His mouth to my father David, and with His hand has fulfilled it, saying, 16‘Since the day that I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that #Deut. 12:5; 1 Kin. 8:29My name might be there; but I chose #1 Sam. 16:1; 2 Sam. 7:8; 1 Chr. 28:4David to be over My people Israel.’ 17Now #2 Sam. 7:2, 3; 1 Chr. 17:1, 2it was in the heart of my father David to build a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 18#2 Chr. 6:8, 9But the Lord said to my father David, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a temple for My name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19Nevertheless #2 Sam. 7:5, 12, 13; 1 Kin. 5:3, 5; 6:38; 1 Chr. 17:11, 12; 22:8–10; 2 Chr. 6:2you shall not build the temple, but your son who will come from your body, he shall build the temple for My name.’ 20So the Lord has fulfilled His word which He spoke; and I have filled the position of my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, #1 Chr. 28:5, 6as the Lord promised; and I have built a temple for the name of the Lord God of Israel. 21And there I have made a place for the ark, in which is #Deut. 31:26; 1 Kin. 8:9the covenant of the Lord which He made with our fathers, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
22Then Solomon stood before #1 Kin. 8:54; 2 Chr. 6:12the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and #Ex. 9:33; Ezra 9:5spread out his hands toward heaven; 23and he said: “Lord God of Israel, #Ex. 15:11; 2 Sam. 7:22there is no God in heaven above or on earth below like You, #(Deut. 7:9; Neh. 1:5; Dan. 9:4)who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who #(Gen. 17:1; 1 Kin. 3:6); 2 Kin. 20:3walk before You with all their hearts. 24You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day. 25Therefore, Lord God of Israel, now keep what You promised Your servant David my father, saying, #2 Sam. 7:12, 16; 1 Kin. 2:4; 9:5‘You shall not fail to have a man sit before Me on the throne of Israel, only if your sons take heed to their way, that they walk before Me as you have walked before Me.’ 26#2 Sam. 7:25And now I pray, O God of Israel, let Your word come true, which You have spoken to Your servant David my father.
27“But #(2 Chr. 2:6; Is. 66:1; Acts 7:49; 17:24)will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the #2 Cor. 12:2heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built! 28Yet regard the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O Lord my God, and listen to the cry and the prayer which Your servant is praying before You today: 29that Your eyes may be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, #Deut. 12:11‘My name shall be #1 Kin. 9:3; 2 Chr. 7:15there,’ that You may hear the prayer which Your servant makes #Dan. 6:10toward this place. 30#Neh. 1:6And may You hear the supplication of Your servant and of Your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven Your dwelling place; and when You hear, forgive.
31“When anyone sins against his neighbor, and is forced to take #Ex. 22:8–11an oath, and comes and takes an oath before Your altar in this temple, 32then hear in heaven, and act, and judge Your servants, #Deut. 25:1condemning the wicked, bringing his way on his head, and justifying the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
33#Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:25“When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and #Lev. 26:39, 40when they turn back to You and confess Your name, and pray and make supplication to You in this temple, 34then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your people Israel, and bring them back to the land which You gave to their #(Lev. 26:40–42; Deut. 30:1–3)fathers.
35#Lev. 26:19; Deut. 28:23“When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, when they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them, 36then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, that You may #Ps. 25:4; 27:11; 94:12teach them #1 Sam. 12:23the good way in which they should walk; and send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
37#Lev. 26:16, 25, 26; Deut. 28:21, 22, 27, 38, 42, 52“When there is famine in the land, pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemy besieges them in the land of their cities; whatever plague or whatever sickness there is; 38whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows the plague of his own heart, and spreads out his hands toward this temple: 39then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone #(1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Chr. 28:9; Jer. 17:10); Acts 1:24know the hearts of all the sons of men), 40#(Ps. 130:4)that they may fear You all the days that they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.
41“Moreover, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel, but has come from a far country for Your name’s sake 42(for they will hear of Your great name and Your #Ex. 13:3; Deut. 3:24strong hand and Your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this temple, 43hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, #(Ex. 9:16; 1 Sam. 17:46; 2 Kin. 19:19)that all peoples of the earth may know Your name and #Ps. 102:15fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this temple which I have built is called by Your name.
44“When Your people go out to battle against their enemy, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name, 45then hear in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.
46“When they sin against You #2 Chr. 6:36; Ps. 130:3; Prov. 20:9; Eccl. 7:20; (Rom. 3:23; 1 John 1:8, 10)(for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive #Lev. 26:34, 44; Deut. 28:36, 64; 2 Kin. 17:6, 18; 25:21to the land of the enemy, far or near; 47#(Lev. 26:40–42); Neh. 9:2yet when they come to themselves in the land where they were carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of those who took them captive, #Ezra 9:6, 7; Neh. 1:6; Ps. 106:6; Dan. 9:5saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong, we have committed wickedness’; 48and when they #Jer. 29:12–14return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and #Dan. 6:10; Jon. 2:4pray to You toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen and the temple which I have built for Your name: 49then hear in heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause, 50and forgive Your people who have sinned against You, and all their transgressions which they have transgressed against You; and #(2 Chr. 30:9); Ezra 7:6; Ps. 106:46; Acts 7:10grant them compassion before those who took them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51(for #Ex. 32:11, 12; Deut. 9:26–29; Neh. 1:10; (Rom. 11:28, 29)they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out of Egypt, #Deut. 4:20; Jer. 11:4out of the iron furnace), 52#1 Kin. 8:29that Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant and the supplication of Your people Israel, to listen to them whenever they call to You. 53For You separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be Your inheritance, #Ex. 19:5, 6as You spoke by Your servant Moses, when You brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”
Solomon Blesses the Assembly
54#2 Chr. 7:1And so it was, when Solomon had finished praying all this prayer and supplication to the Lord, that he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. 55Then he stood #Num. 6:23–26; 2 Sam. 6:18; 1 Kin. 8:14and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying: 56“Blessed be the Lord, who has given #1 Chr. 22:18rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. #Deut. 12:10; Josh. 21:45; 23:14There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses. 57May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. #Deut. 31:6; Josh. 1:5; 1 Sam. 12:22; (Rom. 8:31–37); Heb. 13:5May He not leave us nor forsake us, 58that He may #Ps. 119:36; Jer. 31:33incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers. 59And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the Lord, be near the Lord our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day may require, 60#Josh. 4:24; 1 Sam. 17:46; 1 Kin. 8:43; 2 Kin. 19:19that all the peoples of the earth may know that #Deut. 4:35, 39; 1 Kin. 18:39; (Jer. 10:10–12)the Lord is God; there is no other. 61Let your #Deut. 18:13; 1 Kin. 11:4; 15:3, 14; 2 Kin. 20:3heart therefore be loyal to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon Dedicates the Temple
62Then #2 Chr. 7:4–10the king and all Israel with him offered sacrifices before the Lord. 63And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered to the Lord, twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64On #2 Chr. 7:7the same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the Lord; for there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the #2 Chr. 4:1bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
65At that time Solomon held #Lev. 23:34; 1 Kin. 8:2a feast, and all Israel with him, a great assembly from #Num. 34:8; Josh. 13:5; Judg. 3:3; 2 Kin. 14:25the entrance of Hamath to #Gen. 15:18; Ex. 23:31; Num. 34:5the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, #2 Chr. 7:8seven days and seven more days—fourteen days. 66#2 Chr. 7:9On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the good that the Lord had done for His servant David, and for Israel His people.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.