1 Kings, 8

1. Solomon then summoned the elders of Israel to Jerusalem to bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh up from the City of David, that is, Zion.

1. Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.

2. All the men of Israel assembled round King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, at the time of the feast (that is, the seventh month).

2. And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Eth'anim, which is the seventh month.

3. When all the elders of Israel had arrived, the priests took up the ark

3. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.

4. and the Tent of Meeting and all the sacred utensils which were in the Tent.

4. And they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up.

5. King Solomon and all Israel, present with him before the ark, sacrificed countless, innumerable sheep and oxen.

5. And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.

6. The priests brought the ark of the covenant of Yahweh to its place, in the Debir of the Temple, that is, in the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the winged creatures

6. Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim.

7. for the winged creatures spread their wings over the place where the ark stood, forming a canopy over the ark and its shafts.

7. For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles.

8. These were so long, however, that the ends of the shafts could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the Debir, though they could not be seen from outside. They are still there today.

8. And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place before the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside; and they are there to this day.

9. There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets which Moses had placed in it at Horeb, the tablets of the covenant which Yahweh made with the Israelites when they came out of Egypt.

9. There was nothing in the ark except the two tables of stone which Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.

10. Now when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the Temple of Yahweh,

10. And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD,

11. and because of the cloud the priests could not stay and perform their duties. For the glory of Yahweh filled the Temple of Yahweh.

11. so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

12. Then Solomon said: Yahweh has chosen to dwell in thick cloud.

12. Then Solomon said, "The LORD has set the sun in the heavens, but has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.

13. I have built you a princely dwelling, a residence for you for ever.

13. I have built thee an exalted house, a place for thee to dwell in for ever."

14. The king then turned round and blessed the whole assembly of Israel, while the whole assembly of Israel stood.

14. Then the king faced about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood.

15. He said, 'Blessed be Yahweh, God of Israel, who has carried out by his hand what he promised with his mouth to my father David, when he said,

15. And he said, "Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying,

16. "From the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt I chose no city, in any of the tribes of Israel, to have a temple built where my name should be; but I did choose David to rule my people Israel."

16. `Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city in all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.'

17. My father David had set his heart on building a temple for the name of Yahweh, God of Israel,

17. Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

18. but Yahweh said to my father David, "You have set your heart on building a temple for my name, and in this you have done well;

18. But 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. and yet, you are not the man to build the temple; but your son, yet to be born to you, will be the one to build the temple for my name."

19. nevertheless you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.'

20. Yahweh has kept the promise which he made: I have succeeded my father David and am seated on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised; I have built the temple for the name of Yahweh, God of Israel,

20. Now the LORD has fulfilled his promise which he made; for I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

21. and in it I have made a place for the ark containing the covenant of Yahweh which he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.'

21. And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."

22. Then, in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, Solomon stood facing the altar of Yahweh and, stretching out his hands towards heaven,

22. Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven;

23. said, 'Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, as loyal to the covenant and faithful in love to your servants as long as they walk wholeheartedly in your way.

23. and said, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to thy servants who walk before thee with all their heart;

24. You have kept the promise you made to your servant, my father David, as you promised him you would. Today you have carried it out by your power.

24. who hast kept with thy servant David my father what thou didst declare to him; yea, thou didst speak with thy mouth, and with thy hand hast fulfilled it this day.

25. And now, Yahweh, God of Israel, keep the promise which you made to your servant David when you said, "You will never lack for a man to sit before me on the throne of Israel, provided that your sons are careful how they behave, walking before me as you yourself have done."

25. Now therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father what thou hast promised him, saying, `There shall never fail you a man before me to sit upon the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.'

26. So now, God of Israel, let the words come true which you spoke to your servant, my father David.

26. Now therefore, O God of Israel, let thy word be confirmed, which thou hast spoken to thy servant David my father.

27. Yet will God really live with human beings on earth? Why, the heavens, the highest of the heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple built by me!

27. "But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!

28. Even so, listen favourably to the prayer and entreaty of your servant, Yahweh my God; listen to the cry and to the prayer which your servant makes to you today:

28. Yet have regard to the prayer of thy servant and to his supplication, O LORD my God, hearkening to the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prays before thee this day;

29. day and night may your eyes watch over this temple, over this place of which you have said, "My name will be there." Listen to the prayer which your servant offers in this place.

29. that thy eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which thou hast said, `My name shall be there,' that thou mayest hearken to the prayer which thy servant offers toward this place.

30. 'Listen to the entreaty of your servant and of your people Israel; whenever they pray in this place, listen from the place where you reside in heaven; and when you hear, forgive.

30. And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant and of thy people Israel, when they pray toward this place; yea, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place; and when thou hearest, forgive.

31. 'If someone has wronged his neighbour and a curse is laid on him to make him swear an oath here before your altar in this Temple,

31. "If a man sins against his neighbor and is made to take an oath, and comes and swears his oath before thine altar in this house,

32. then listen from the place where you reside in heaven and do justice between your servants: condemning the guilty one by making him suffer for his conduct, and acquitting the upright by rewarding him as his uprightness deserves.

32. then hear thou in heaven, and act, and judge thy servants, condemning the guilty by bringing his conduct upon his own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

33. 'When your people Israel are defeated by the enemy because they have sinned against you, but then return to you and acknowledge your name, and pray and seek your favours in this Temple,

33. "When thy people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against thee, if they turn again to thee, and acknowledge thy name, and pray and make supplication to thee in this house;

34. then listen from the place where you reside in heaven; forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the country which you gave to their ancestors.

34. then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again to the land which thou gavest to their fathers.

35. 'When the heavens are shut and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray in this place and praise your name and, having been humbled by you, desist from their sin,

35. "When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against thee, if they pray toward this place, and acknowledge thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them,

36. then listen from the place where you reside in heaven and forgive the sin of your servant and your people Israel -- for you are constantly showing them the good way which they must follow -- and send rain on your country, which you have given to your people as their heritage.

36. then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, thy people Israel, when thou dost teach them the good way in which they should walk; and grant rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people as an inheritance.

37. 'Should there be famine in the country, or pestilence, wind-blast or mildew, locust or caterpillar; should their enemy lay siege to one of their gates; should there be any plague or any disease:

37. "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 any of their cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness there is;

38. whatever be the prayer or entreaty of any individual aware of a particular affliction: when that person stretches out the hands towards this Temple,

38. whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by any man or by all thy people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and stretching out his hands toward this house;

39. then listen from heaven where you reside; forgive and, since you know what is in the heart, deal with each as their conduct deserves -- for you alone know what is in every human heart-

39. then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and act, and render to each whose heart thou knowest, according to all his ways (for thou, thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men);

40. so that they may reverence you throughout their lives in the country which you gave to our ancestors.

40. that they may fear thee all the days that they live in the land which thou gavest to our fathers.

41. 'Even the foreigner, not belonging to your people Israel but coming from a distant country, attracted by your name-

41. "Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of thy people Israel, comes from a far country for thy name's sake

42. for they too will hear of your name, of your mighty hand and outstretched arm -- if a foreigner comes and prays in this Temple,

42. (for they shall hear of thy great name, and thy mighty hand, and of thy outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house,

43. listen from heaven where you reside, and grant all that the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may acknowledge your name and, like your people Israel, revere you and know that this Temple, which I have built, bears your name.

43. hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to thee; in order that all the peoples of the earth may know thy name and fear thee, as do thy people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by thy name.

44. 'If your people go out to war against the enemy, on whatever missions you send them, and they pray to Yahweh, turning towards the city which you have chosen and towards the Temple which I have built for your name,

44. "If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way thou shalt send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city which thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy name,

45. then listen from heaven to their prayer and their entreaty, and uphold their cause.

45. then hear thou in heaven their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause.

46. 'When they sin against you -- for there is no one who does not sin -- and you are angry with them and abandon them to the enemy, and their captors carry them off to a hostile country, be it far away or near,

46. "If they sin against thee -- for there is no man who does not sin -- and thou art angry with them, and dost give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near;

47. if they come to their senses in the country to which they have been taken as captives and repent and entreat you in the country of their captors, saying, "We have sinned, we have acted perversely and wickedly,"

47. yet if they lay it to heart in the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent, and make supplication to thee in the land of their captors, saying, `We have sinned, and have acted perversely and wickedly';

48. and turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the country of the enemies who have taken them captive, and pray to you, turning towards the country which you gave to their ancestors, towards the city which you have chosen and towards the Temple which I have built for your name,

48. if they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray to thee toward their land, which thou gavest to their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name;

49. listen to their prayer and their entreaty from the place where you reside in heaven, uphold their case,

49. then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause

50. forgive your people for having sinned against you and for all the crimes against you of which they have been guilty, and allow them to arouse the pity of their captors so that these may have pity on them:

50. and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions which they have committed against thee; and grant them compassion in the sight of those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them

51. for they are your people and your heritage whom you brought out of Egypt, that iron foundry!

51. (for they are thy people, and thy heritage, which thou didst bring out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron furnace).

52. 'May your eyes be open to the entreaty of your servant and the entreaty of your people Israel, to listen to them, whatever they ask of you.

52. Let thy eyes be open to the supplication of thy servant, and to the supplication of thy people Israel, giving ear to them whenever they call to thee.

53. For you it was who set them apart from all the peoples of the earth to be your heritage, as you declared through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh.'

53. For thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be thy heritage, as thou didst declare through Moses, thy servant, when thou didst bring our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord GOD."

54. When Solomon had finished offering to Yahweh this whole prayer and entreaty, he rose from where he was kneeling with hands stretched out towards heaven before the altar of Yahweh,

54. Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven;

55. and stood upright. And in a loud voice he blessed the whole assembly of Israel.

55. and he stood, and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying,

56. 'Blessed be Yahweh,' he said, 'who has granted rest to his people Israel, keeping all his promises. Of all the promises of good that he made through his servant Moses, not one has failed.

56. "Blessed be the LORD who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised; not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he uttered by Moses his servant.

57. May Yahweh our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors; may he never desert us or cast us off.

57. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our fathers; may he not leave us or forsake us;

58. May he turn our hearts towards him so that we may follow all his ways and keep the commandments and laws and ordinances which he gave to our ancestors.

58. that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our fathers.

59. May these words of mine, of my entreaty before Yahweh, be present with Yahweh our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of Israel his people, as each day requires,

59. Let these words of mine, wherewith I have made supplication 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;

60. so that all the peoples of the earth may come to know that Yahweh is God indeed and that there is no other.

60. that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other.

61. May your hearts be wholly with Yahweh our God, following his laws and keeping his commandments as at this present day.'

61. Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day."

62. The king and all Israel with him offered sacrifice before Yahweh.

62. Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD.

63. Solomon offered a communion sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep to Yahweh; and thus the king and all the Israelites dedicated the Temple of Yahweh.

63. Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.

64. On the same day the king consecrated the middle part of the court in front of the Temple of Yahweh; for that was where he presented the burnt offerings, oblations and fatty parts of the communion sacrifices, since the bronze altar which stood before Yahweh was too small to hold the burnt offering, oblation and the fatty parts of the communion sacrifice.

64. The 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 cereal offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to receive the burnt offering and the cereal offering and the fat pieces of the peace offerings.

65. And then Solomon and with him all Israel from the Pass of Hamath to the Torrent of Egypt -- a great assembly -- celebrated the feast before Yahweh our God for seven days.

65. So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the LORD our God, seven days.

66. On the eighth day he dismissed the people, who bade farewell to the king and went home joyful and happy of heart over all the goodness which Yahweh had shown to his servant and his people Israel.

66. On 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.