1 Kings 8
8
The Ark Brought into the Temple
1 # For ver. 1-9, see 2 Chr. 5:2-10 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, #Num. 1:16 the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, #[2 Sam. 6:17] to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of #See 2 Sam. 5:7the city of David, which is Zion. 2And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at #ver. 65; Lev. 23:34; See 2 Chr. 7:8-10the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3And all the elders of Israel came, and #[Num. 4:15; Deut. 31:9; Josh. 3:3, 6; 1 Chr. 15:14, 15]the priests took up the ark. 4And they brought up the ark of the Lord, #[ch. 3:4; 2 Chr. 1:3]the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, #[2 Sam. 6:13]sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6#2 Sam. 6:17 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord #Ex. 26:33, 34 to its place in #See ch. 6:5the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 7For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8#Ex. 25:13-15 And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before #[See ver. 6 above]the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9There was nothing in the ark except #Ex. 25:21; 40:20; Deut. 10:2, 5; Heb. 9:4 the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where #Ex. 34:27, 28; Deut. 4:13the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, #Ex. 40:34, 35; 2 Chr. 5:13, 14; 7:1, 2; [Ezek. 10:3, 4]a cloud filled the house of the Lord, 11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.
Solomon Blesses the Lord
12 # For ver. 12-50, see 2 Chr. 6:1-39 Then Solomon said, “The Lord#8:12 Septuagint The Lord has set the sun in the heavens, but has said that he would dwell #Ps. 18:11; 97:2; [Lev. 16:2]in thick darkness. 13#2 Sam. 7:13 I have indeed built you an exalted house, #Ex. 15:17; [Ps. 132:14]a place for you to dwell in forever.” 14Then the king turned around and #ver. 55; 2 Sam. 6:18blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 15And he said, #Luke 1:68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled #ch. 6:12what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 16#See 2 Sam. 7:4-16, 25 ‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, #ver. 29; Deut. 12:11 that my name might be there. #1 Sam. 16:1; 2 Sam. 7:8; 1 Chr. 28:4But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ 17#2 Sam. 7:2, 3; 1 Chr. 17:1, 2Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 18But the Lord said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19#ch. 5:3, 5; 2 Sam. 7:5, 12, 13Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 20Now the Lord has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, #1 Chr. 28:5, 6as the Lord promised, and I have built the house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 21And there I have provided a place for the ark, #ver. 9; Deut. 31:26in which is the covenant of the Lord that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”
Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication
22Then Solomon #ver. 54; 2 Chr. 6:12, 13 stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and #[Ex. 9:33; Ezra 9:5; Isa. 1:15]spread out his hands toward heaven, 23and said, “O Lord, God of Israel, #Ex. 15:11; 2 Sam. 7:22 there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, #See Deut. 7:9keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart; 24you have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. #[See ver. 15 above]You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day. 25Now therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father what you have promised him, saying, #See ch. 2:4‘You shall not lack a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ 26#2 Sam. 7:25Now therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you have spoken to your servant David my father.
27“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, #2 Chr. 2:6; [Isa. 66:1; Jer. 23:24; Acts 7:49; 17:24]heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! 28Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day, 29#ver. 52; [2 Chr. 7:15; Neh. 1:6] that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, #ver. 16; ch. 9:3; Deut. 12:11‘My name shall be there,’ that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. 30And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
31“If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take #[Ex. 22:11]an oath and comes and swears his oath before your altar in this house, 32then hear in heaven and act and judge your servants, #Deut. 25:1condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct on his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.
33 #
Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:45 “When your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against you, and #Lev. 26:40; [Neh. 1:9]if they turn again to you and acknowledge your name and pray and plead with you in this house, 34then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them again to the land that you gave to their fathers.
35 #
Deut. 11:17; Luke 4:25; [Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:25] “When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict them, 36then hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when #[Ps. 25:4; 27:11; 86:11] you teach them #1 Sam. 12:23the good way in which they should walk, and grant rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.
37 # [Lev. 26:16, 25, 26; Deut. 28:21, 22, 37, 38, 42, 52; 2 Chr. 20:9] “If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence or blight or mildew or locust or caterpillar, if their enemy besieges them in the land at their gates,#8:37 Septuagint, Syriac in any of their cities whatever plague, whatever sickness there is, 38whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house, 39then hear in heaven your dwelling place and forgive and act and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (#1 Chr. 28:9; Acts 1:24; [1 Sam. 16:7; Jer. 17:10]for you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind), 40that they may fear you #Deut. 12:1all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers.
41“Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for your name’s sake 42(for they shall hear of your great name #Deut. 3:24; 2 Chr. 6:32and your mighty hand, and of your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house, 43hear in heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order #ver. 60; [Josh. 4:24] that all the 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 house that I have built is called by your name.
44“If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the Lord #[ver. 48]toward the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, 45then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.
46“If they sin against you—#Prov. 20:9; Eccles. 7:20; Rom. 3:23; James 3:2; 1 John 1:8, 10 for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive #Lev. 26:34, 44; Deut. 28:36, 64to the land of the enemy, far off or near, 47yet #Lev. 26:40 if they turn their heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, #Neh. 1:6; Ps. 106:6; Dan. 9:5‘We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly,’ 48#1 Sam. 7:3; Jer. 29:12-14 if they repent with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to you #Dan. 6:10; [ver. 44; Ps. 5:7; Jonah 2:4]toward their land, which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, 49then hear in heaven your dwelling place their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause 50and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you, and #Ps. 106:46grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them 51(#Deut. 9:29; [Neh. 1:10] for they are your people, and your heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, #Deut. 4:20; Jer. 11:4from the midst of the iron furnace). 52#[ver. 29]Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to you. 53For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, #Ex. 19:5, 6; Deut. 9:26, 29; 14:2as you declared through Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.”
Solomon’s Benediction
54 #
2 Chr. 7:1 Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had #[2 Chr. 6:13]knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. 55And he stood and #ver. 14blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying, 56“Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. #Josh. 21:45; 23:14Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. 57The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. #[Deut. 31:6; Josh. 1:5; 1 Sam. 12:22]May he not leave us or forsake us, 58that he may #Ps. 119:36incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. 59Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, 60that #ver. 43 all the peoples of the earth may know that #Deut. 4:35, 39; [ch. 18:39]the Lord is God; there is no other. 61#2 Kgs. 20:3; [ch. 11:4; 15:3, 14]Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
Solomon’s Sacrifices
62 # For ver. 62-66, see 2 Chr. 7:4-10 Then #[Ezra 6:16, 17]the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the Lord. 63Solomon offered as peace offerings to the Lord 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord. 64The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because #See 2 Chr. 4:1the bronze altar that was before the Lord was too small to receive the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.
65So Solomon held #ver. 2; Lev. 23:34 the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from #Num. 13:21; 34:8 Lebo-hamath to #Num. 34:5; 2 Kgs. 24:7the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seven days.#8:65 Septuagint; Hebrew seven days and seven days, fourteen days 66On the eighth day he sent the people away, and they blessed the king and went to their homes joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the Lord had shown to David his servant and to Israel his people.
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1 Kings 8
8
The Ark Is Brought into the Temple
1King Solomon called for the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the families to come to him in Jerusalem. He wanted them to bring the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord from the older part of the city. 2So all the Israelites came together with King Solomon during the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.
3When all the elders of Israel arrived, the priests lifted up the Ark. 4They carried the Ark of the Lord, the Meeting Tent, and the holy utensils; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5King Solomon and all the Israelites gathered before the Ark and sacrificed so many sheep and cattle no one could count them all. 6Then the priests put the Ark of the Agreement with the Lord in its place inside the Most Holy Place in the Temple, under the wings of the golden creatures. 7The wings of these creatures were spread out over the place for the Ark, covering it and its carrying poles. 8The carrying poles were so long that anyone standing in the Holy Place in front of the Most Holy Place could see the ends of the poles, but no one could see them from outside the Holy Place. The poles are still there today. 9The only things inside the Ark were two stone tablets that Moses had put in the Ark at Mount Sinai. That was where the Lord made his agreement with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
10When the priests left the Holy Place, a cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. 11The priests could not continue their work, because the Temple was filled with the glory of the Lord.
Solomon Speaks to the People
12Then Solomon said, “The Lord said he would live in a dark cloud. 13Lord, I have truly built a wonderful Temple for you—a place for you to live forever.”
14While all the Israelites were standing there, King Solomon turned to them and blessed them.
15Then he said, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel. He has done what he promised to my father David. The Lord said, 16‘Since the time I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city in any tribe of Israel where a temple will be built for me. But I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’
17“My father David wanted to build a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 18But the Lord said to my father David, ‘It was good that you wanted to build a temple for me. 19But you are not the one to build it. Your son, who comes from your own body, is the one who will build my temple.’
20“Now the Lord has kept his promise. I am the king now in place of David my father. Now I rule Israel as the Lord promised, and I have built the Temple for the Lord, the God of Israel. 21I have made a place there for the Ark, in which is the Agreement the Lord made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”
Solomon’s Prayer
22Then Solomon stood facing the Lord’s altar, and all the Israelites were standing behind him. He spread out his hands toward the sky 23and said:
“Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep your agreement of love with your servants who truly follow you. 24You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You spoke it with your own mouth and finished it with your hands today. 25Now Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You said, ‘If your sons are careful to obey me as you have obeyed me, there will always be someone from your family ruling Israel.’ 26Now, God of Israel, please continue to keep that promise you made to your servant David, my father.
27“But, God, can you really live here on the earth? The sky and the highest place in heaven cannot contain you. Surely this house which I have built cannot contain you. 28But please listen to my prayer and my request, because I am your servant. Lord my God, hear this prayer your servant prays to you today. 29Night and day please watch over this Temple where you have said, ‘I will be worshiped there.’ Hear the prayer I pray facing this Temple. 30Hear my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel when we pray facing this place. Hear from your home in heaven, and when you hear, forgive us.
31“If someone wrongs another person, he will be brought to the altar in this Temple. If he swears an oath that he is not guilty, 32then hear in heaven. Judge the case, punish the guilty, but declare that the innocent person is not guilty.
33“When your people, the Israelites, sin against you, their enemies will defeat them. But if they come back to you and praise you and pray to you in this Temple, 34then hear them in heaven. Forgive the sins of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.
35“When they sin against you, you will stop the rain from falling on their land. Then they will pray, facing this place and praising you; they will stop sinning when you make them suffer. 36When this happens, please hear their prayer in heaven, and forgive the sins of your servants, the Israelites. Teach them to do what is right. Then please send rain to this land you have given particularly to them.
37“At times the land will become so dry that no food will grow, or a great sickness will spread among the people. Sometimes all the crops will be destroyed by locusts or grasshoppers. Your people will be attacked in their cities by their enemy or will become sick. 38When any of these things happen, the people will become truly sorry. If your people spread their hands in prayer toward this Temple, 39then hear their prayers from your home in heaven. Forgive and treat each person as he should be treated because you know what is in a person’s heart. Only you know what is in everyone’s heart. 40Then your people will respect you as long as they live in this land you gave to our ancestors.
41-42“People who are not Israelites, foreigners from other lands, will hear about your greatness and power. They will come from far away to pray at this Temple. 43Then hear from your home in heaven, and do whatever they ask you. Then people everywhere will know you and respect you, just as your people in Israel do. Then everyone will know I built this Temple as a place to worship you.
44“When your people go out to fight their enemies along some road on which you send them, your people will pray to you, facing the city which you have chosen and the Temple I have built for you. 45Then hear in heaven their prayers, and do what is right.
46“Everyone sins, so your people will also sin against you. You will become angry with them and hand them over to their enemies. Their enemies will capture them and take them away to their countries far or near. 47Your people will be sorry for their sins when they are held as prisoners in another country. They will be sorry and pray to you in the land where they are held as prisoners, saying, ‘We have sinned. We have done wrong and acted wickedly.’ 48They will truly turn back to you in the land of their enemies. They will pray to you, facing this land you gave their ancestors, this city you have chosen, and the Temple I have built for you. 49Then hear their prayers from your home in heaven, and do what is right. 50Forgive your people of all their sins and for turning against you. Make those who have captured them show them mercy. 51Remember, they are your special people. You brought them out of Egypt, as if you were pulling them out of a blazing furnace.
52“Give your attention to my prayers and the prayers of your people Israel. Listen to them anytime they ask you for help. 53You chose them from all the nations on earth to be your very own people. This is what you promised through Moses your servant when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord God.”
54Solomon prayed this prayer to the Lord, kneeling in front of the altar with his arms raised toward heaven. When he finished praying, he got up. 55Then, in a loud voice, he stood and blessed all the people of Israel, saying: 56“Praise the Lord! He promised he would give rest to his people Israel, and he has given us rest. The Lord has kept all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us, 58and may he turn us to himself so we will follow him. Let us obey all the laws and commands he gave our ancestors. 59May the Lord our God remember this prayer day and night and do what is right for his servant and his people Israel day by day. 60Then all the people of the world will know the Lord is the only true God. 61You must fully obey the Lord our God and follow all his laws and commands. Continue to obey in the future as you do now.”
Sacrifices Are Offered
62Then King Solomon and all Israel with him offered sacrifices to the Lord . 63Solomon killed twenty-two thousand cattle and one hundred twenty thousand sheep as fellowship offerings. So the king and all the people gave the Temple to the Lord.
64On that day King Solomon made holy the middle part of the courtyard which is in front of the Temple of the Lord. There he offered whole burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat of the fellowship offerings. He offered them in the courtyard, because the bronze altar before the Lord was too small to hold all the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the fellowship offerings.
65Solomon and all the Israelites celebrated the other festival that came at that time. People came from as far away as Lebo Hamath and the brook of Egypt. A great many people celebrated before the Lord for seven days, then seven more days, for a total of fourteen days. 66On the following day Solomon sent the people home. They blessed the king as they went, happy because of all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.