1 Kings 8

1 At that time Solomon assembled before him in Jerusalem the elders of Israel—all the tribal heads and family leaders of the Israelites—to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from Zion, the City of David.

Then, did Solomon call together the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, chiefs of the fathers of the sons of Israel, unto King Solomon in Jerusalem, —that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of Yahweh, out of the city of David, the same is Zion.

2 And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast in the seventh month, the month of Ethanim.

So all the men of Israel came together unto King Solomon, in the month of steady flowings, at the festival, —the same is the seventh month.

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

And all the elders of Israel came in, —and the priests took up the ark;

4 and they brought up the ark of the LORD and the Tent of Meeting with all its sacred furnishings. So the priests and Levites carried them up.

and they brought up the ark of Yahweh, and the Tent of Meeting, and all the hallowed vessels that were in the tent, —yea, the priests and the Levites, did bring them up.

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

And, King Solomon, and all the assembly of Israel who had assembled themselves unto him, were with him, before the ark, —sacrificing sheep and oxen, which could neither be recorded nor counted, for multitude.

6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, beneath the wings of the cherubim.

So the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Yahweh into its place, into the shrine of the house, into the holy of holies, —under the wings of the cherubim.

7 For the cherubim spread their wings over the place of the ark and overshadowed the ark and its poles.

For, the cherubim, were spreading forth their two wings, over the place of the ark, —and the cherubim made a covering over the ark and over the staves thereof, above.

8 The poles extended far enough that their ends were visible from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are there to this day.

And they drew out the staves, and the heads of the staves were seen from the holy place, in front of the shrine, although they were not seen on the outside, —and they have remained there until this day.

9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites after they had come out of the land of Egypt.

There was nothing in the ark, save the two tables of stone, which Moses deposited there in Horeb, —the tables of the covenant which Yahweh solemnised with the sons of Israel, when they came forth out of the land of Egypt.

10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD

And so it was, when the priests came forth out of the holy place, that, a cloud, filled the house of Yahweh;

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

so that the priests could not stand to minister, because of the cloud, —for, the glory of Yahweh, filled, the house of Yahweh.

12 Then Solomon declared: “The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud.

Then, said Solomon, —Yahweh, said, that he would make his habitation in thick gloom:

13 I have indeed built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever.”

I have, built, a house as a high abode for thee, —A settled place for thee to abide in, for ages.

14 And as the whole assembly of Israel stood there, the king turned around and blessed them all

And the king turned about his face, and blessed all the convocation of Israel, —while all the convocation of Israel was standing;

15 and said: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His own hand what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying,

and he said—Blessed, be Yahweh, God of Israel, who spake with his mouth, unto David my father, —that which with his hand he hath fulfilled, saying: —

16 ‘Since the day I brought My people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house so that My Name would be there. But I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.’

Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel, out of Egypt, I had chosen no city, out of all the tribes of Israel, for building a house, where my Name might be, —but I have chosen Jerusalem, that my Name should be there, and I have chosen David, to be over my people Israel:

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

And so it came to pass, that it was near the heart of David my father, —to build a house for the Name of Yahweh, God of Israel.

18 But the LORD said to my father David, ‘Since it was in your heart to build a house for My Name, you have done well to have this in your heart.

Then said Yahweh unto David my father, Because it was near thy heart to build a house for my Name, thou didst well that it was near thy heart;

19 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build it; but your son, your own offspring, will build the house for My Name.’

Only, thou thyself, must not build the house, —but, thine own son who hath proceeded out of thy loins, he, shall build the house, for my Name.

20 Now the LORD has fulfilled the word that He spoke. I have succeeded my father David, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised. I have built the house for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

So then Yahweh hath established his word which he spake, —and I have been raised up in the room of David my father, and have taken my seat upon the throne of Israel, as spake Yahweh, and have built the house for the Name of Yahweh, God of Israel;

21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, which contains the covenant of the LORD that He made with our fathers when He brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

and have appointed there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Yahweh, —which he solemnised with our fathers, when he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt.

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven,

And Solomon stood before the altar of Yahweh, in the presence of all the convocation of Israel, —and spread forth his hands towards the heavens;

23 and said: “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like You in heaven above or on earth below, keeping Your covenant of loving devotion with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts.

and said—O Yahweh, God of Israel! Not like thee, is there a God, in the heavens above, or upon the earth beneath, —keeping Covenant and Lovingkindness for thy servants who are walking before thee, with all their heart;

24 You have kept Your promise to Your servant, my father David. What You spoke with Your mouth You have fulfilled with Your hand this day.

who hast kept for thy servant David my father, that which thou didst promise him, —in that thou didst promise with thy mouth, and, with thy hand, hast fulfilled, as it is this day.

25 Therefore now, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for Your servant, my father David, what You promised when You said: ‘You will never fail to have a man to sit before Me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants guard their way to walk before Me as you have done.’

Now, therefore, O Yahweh, God of Israel, keep thou for thy servant David my father, that which thou didst promise him, saying, There shall not be cut off to thee a man from before me, to sit upon the throne of Israel, —if only, thy sons take heed to their way, by walking before me, as thou hast walked before me.

26 And now, O God of Israel, please confirm what You promised to Your servant, my father David.

Now, therefore, O God of Israel, —verified be thy word, I pray thee, which thou didst speak to thy servant, David my father.

27 But will God indeed dwell upon the earth? Even heaven, the highest heaven, cannot contain You, much less this temple I have built.

But, in very deed, will God dwell, upon the earth? Lo! the heaven, yea the heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee, how much less this house which I have built?

28 Yet regard the prayer and plea of Your servant, O LORD my God, so that You may hear the cry and the prayer that Your servant is praying before You today.

Yet wilt thou turn unto the prayer of thy servant, and unto his supplication, O Yahweh my God, —to hearken unto the cry, and unto the prayer, wherewith thy servant doth pray before thee to-day;

29 May Your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward the place of which You said, ‘My Name shall be there,’ so that You may hear the prayer that Your servant prays toward this place.

that thine eye may be opened toward this house, night and day, toward the place of which thou hast said, My Name shall be, there; hearkening unto the prayer which thy servant shall offer toward this place.

30 Hear the plea of Your servant and of Your people Israel when they pray toward this place. May You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place. May You hear and forgive.

Wilt, thou, therefore, hearken unto the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, whensoever they shall pray toward this place, —yea wilt, thou thyself, hear, in thine own dwelling-place, in the heavens, and, when thou hearest, then wilt thou forgive?

31 When a man sins against his neighbor and is required to take an oath, and he comes to take an oath before Your altar in this temple,

When a man shall sin against his neighbour, and there shall be taken up against him an oath, to put him on oath, —and he shall come in and swear before thine altar, in this house,

32 then may You hear from heaven and act. May You judge Your servants, condemning the wicked man by bringing down on his own head what he has done, and justifying the righteous man by rewarding him according to his righteousness.

then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, and act, and judge thy servants, condemning the lawless, by setting his way upon his own head, —and justifying the righteous, by giving to him, according to his righteousness?

33 When Your people Israel are defeated before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they return to You and confess Your name, praying and pleading with You in this temple,

When thy people Israel are smitten before an enemy, because they have been sinning against thee, —and they turn again unto thee, and confess thy Name, and pray and make supplication unto thee, in this house,

34 then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your people Israel. May You restore them to the land You gave to their fathers.

then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them back unto the soil, which thou gavest unto their fathers?

35 When the skies are shut and there is no rain because Your people have sinned against You, and they pray toward this place and confess Your name, and they turn from their sins because You have afflicted them,

When the heavens are shut up, and there is no rain, because they have been sinning against thee, —and they shall pray toward this place, and confess thy Name, and, from their sin, shall return, because thou hast been afflicting them,

36 then may You hear from heaven and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Israel, so that You may teach them the good way in which they should walk. May You send rain on the land that You gave Your people as an inheritance.

then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou mayest teach them the good way, wherein they should walk, —and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given unto thy people, for an inheritance?

37 When famine or plague comes upon the land, or blight or mildew or locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemy besieges them in their cities, whatever plague or sickness may come,

When there shall be, famine, in the land, when there shall be, pestilence, when there shall be, blasting, mildew locust, caterpillar, when their enemy shall besiege them in one of their own gates, —whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness;

38 then may whatever prayer or petition Your people Israel make—each knowing his own afflictions and spreading out his hands toward this temple—

any prayer, any supplication which, any son of earth, may have, of all thy people Israel, —who will certainly know every man the plague of his own heart, and so he shall spread abroad his hands towards this house,

39 be heard by You from heaven, Your dwelling place. And may You forgive and act, and repay each man according to all his ways, since You know his heart—for You alone know the hearts of all men—

then wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, in the settled place of thine abode, and forgive and act, and give unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou wilt know, —for, thou thyself alone, knowest the heart of all the sons of men;

40 so that they may fear You all the days they live in the land that You gave to our fathers.

to the end they may revere thee, all the days which they do live, upon the face of the soil, —which thou gavest unto our fathers?

41 And as for the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of Your name—

Moreover also, unto the stranger, who is, not of thy people Israel, —but hath come in out of a far country, for the sake of thy Name, —

42 for they will hear of Your great name and mighty hand and outstretched arm—when he comes and prays toward this temple,

(for they will certainly hear of thy great Name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched-out arm, —and so will come in and pray towards this house),

43 then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You. Then all the peoples of the earth will know Your name and fear You, as do Your people Israel, and they will know that this house I have built is called by Your Name.

wilt, thou thyself, hear in the heavens, the settled place of thine abode, and act, according to all for which, the stranger, shall cry unto thee, —to the end that all the peoples of the earth may truly know thy Name, so as to revere thee, like thy people Israel, and to know that, thine own Name, hath been given unto this house, which I have built?

44 When Your people go to war against their enemies, wherever You send them, and when they pray to the LORD in the direction of the city You have chosen and the house I have built for Your Name,

When thy people go forth to war against their enemy, whithersoever thou mayest send them, —and shall pray unto Yahweh, in the direction of the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name,

45 then may You hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and may You uphold their cause.

then wilt thou hear, in the heavens, 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 become angry with them and deliver them to an enemy who takes them as captives to his own land, whether far or near,

When they sin against thee—for there is, no son of earth, that sinneth not, and thou shalt be angry with them, and deliver them up before an enemy, —who shall carry them away as their captives, into the land of the enemy, far or near;

47 and when they come to their senses in the land to which they were taken, and they repent and plead with You in the land of their captors, saying, ‘We have sinned and done wrong; we have acted wickedly,’

and they come back to their right mind, in the land whither they have been taken captive, —and so turn and make supplication unto thee, in the land of their captors, saying, We have sinned and done perversely, we have been lawless;

48 and when they return to You with all their heart and soul in the land of the enemies who took them captive, and when they pray to You in the direction of the land that You gave to their fathers, the city You have chosen, and the house I have built for Your Name,

and so they turn unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies, who have carried them away captive, —and pray unto thee in the direction of their own land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy Name,

49 then may You hear from heaven, Your dwelling place, their prayer and petition, and may You uphold their cause.

then wilt thou hearken in the heavens, the settled place of thine abode, unto their prayer, and unto their supplication, —and maintain their cause;

50 May You forgive Your people who have sinned against You and all the transgressions they have committed against You, and may You grant them compassion in the eyes of their captors to show them mercy.

and grant forgiveness to thy people, who have sinned against thee, even as to all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, —and grant them compassion before their captors, so that they may have compassion upon them;

51 For they are Your people and Your inheritance; You brought them out of Egypt, out of the furnace for iron.

because, thy people and thine inheritance, they are, —whom thou didst bring forth out of Egypt, out of the midst of the smelting-pot of iron;

52 May Your eyes be open to the pleas of Your servant and of Your people Israel, and may You listen to them whenever they call to You.

that thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, —to hearken unto them, in all their crying unto thee;

53 For You, O Lord GOD, as Your inheritance, have set them apart from all the peoples of the earth, as You spoke through Your servant Moses when You brought our fathers out of Egypt.”

because, thou thyself, didst separate them unto thee, for an inheritance, out of all the peoples of the earth, —as thou spakest by the hand of Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest forth our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Yahweh.

54 Now when Solomon had finished praying this entire prayer and petition to the LORD, he got up before the altar of the LORD, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.

And it came to pass, when Solomon had made an end of praying unto Yahweh all this prayer and supplication, that he arose from before the altar of Yahweh, from kneeling on his knees, with his hands outspread to the heavens;

55 And he stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:

and stood and blessed all the convocation 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. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He made through His servant Moses.

Blessed, be Yahweh, who hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised, —there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

57 May the LORD our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He never leave us nor forsake us.

Yahweh our God be with us, as he was with our fathers, —let him not leave us, nor forsake us;

58 May He incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep the commandments and statutes and ordinances He commanded our fathers.

but bow our heart unto himself, —to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes, and his regulations, which he commanded our fathers.

59 And may these words with which I have made my petition before the LORD be near to the LORD our God day and night, so that He may uphold the cause of His servant and of His people Israel as each day requires,

And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before Yahweh, be near unto Yahweh our God, day and night, —that he may maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as any need ariseth:

60 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God. There is no other!

To the end that all the peoples of the earth may know, that, Yahweh, is God, —there is none else.

61 So let your heart be fully devoted to the LORD our God, as it is this day, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments.”

So shall your heart be sound with Yahweh our God, —to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

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

And, the king, and all Israel with him, were offering sacrifice before Yahweh.

63 And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD.

So Solomon offered as a sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he offered unto Yahweh—Oxen, two and twenty thousand, and Sheep, a hundred and twenty thousand, —Thus did, the king and all the sons of Israel, dedicate the house of Yahweh.

64 On that same day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard in front of the house of the LORD, and there he offered the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, since the bronze altar before the LORD was too small to contain all these offerings.

On that day, did the king hallow the middle of the court, that was before the house of Yahweh, —for he offered there the ascending-sacrifice, and the meal-offering, and the fat portions of the peace-offerings, because, the altar of bronze that was before Yahweh, was too small to receive the ascending-sacrifice and the meal-offering, and the fat portions of the peace-offerings.

65 So at that time Solomon and all Israel with him—a great assembly of people from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt—kept the feast before the LORD our God for seven days and seven more days—fourteen days in all.

And Solomon made, at that time, a festival—and all Israel with him—a great convocation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the ravine of Egypt, before Yahweh our God, seven days, and seven days, —fourteen days.

66 On the fifteenth day Solomon sent the people away. So they blessed the king and went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things that the LORD had done for His servant David and for His people Israel.

And on the eighth day, he sent the people away, and they blessed the king, —and departed to their homes, rejoicing and glad of heart, over all the goodness which Yahweh had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.