1 Kings 8
1 Then King Salomon assembled the Elders of Israel, euen all the heads of the tribes, the chiefe fathers of the children of Israel vnto him in Ierusalem, for to bring vp the Arke of the couenant of the Lord from the citie of Dauid, which is Zion.
Solomon then summoned to Jerusalem all the elders of Israel, all the leaders of the tribes, and the leaders of the clans. He wanted them to join in bringing Yahweh’s Sacred Chest from Zion [Hill to the temple], where it was in the part of the city called ‘The City of David’.
2 And all the men of Israel assembled vnto King Salomon at the feast in the moneth of Ethanim, which is the seuenth moneth.
So all the Israeli leaders came to King Solomon during the Festival of [Living in Temporary] Shelters, in October.
3 And all the Elders of Israel came and the Priests tooke the Arke.
When they had all arrived, the priests lifted up the Sacred Chest
4 They bare the Arke of the Lord, and they bare the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tabernacle: those did the Priestes and Leuites bring vp.
and brought it to the temple. The descendants of Levi [who assisted the priests] helped them to carry to the temple the Sacred Tent and all the sacred things that had been in the tent.
5 And King Salomon and all the Congregation of Israel, that were assembled vnto him, were with him before the Arke, offering sheepe and beeues, which could not be tolde, nor nombred for multitude.
Then King Solomon and many of the Israeli people who had gathered in front of Yahweh’s Sacred Chest sacrificed a huge amount of sheep and oxen. No one was able to count the sacrifices [because there were so many].
6 So the Priestes brought the Arke of the couenant of the Lord vnto his place, into the oracle of the house, into the most holy place, euen vnder the wings of the Cherubims.
The the priests then brought the Sacred Chest into the Very Holy Place in the temple, and they placed it under the wings of the [statues of the] winged creatures.
7 For ye Cherubims stretched out their wings ouer the place of the Arke, and the Cherubims couered the Arke, and the barres thereof aboue.
The wings of those statues spread out over the Sacred Chest and over the poles by which it was carried.
8 And they drewe out the barres, that the endes of the barres might appeare out of the Sanctuarie before the oracle, but they were not seene without: and there they are vnto this day.
The poles were so long that the ends of the poles could be seen [by people who were standing] at the entrance to the Most Holy Place, but they could not be seen [by people standing] outside the temple. Those poles are still there.
9 Nothing was in the Arke saue the two tables of stone which Moses had put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a couenant with the children of Israel, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.
The only things that were in the Sacred Chest were the two stone tablets that Moses had put there at Sinai [Mountain], where Yahweh made an agreement with the people after they left Egypt.
10 And when the Priestes were come out of the Sanctuarie, the cloude filled the house of the Lord,
When the priests came out of the temple, [suddenly] it was filled with a cloud.
11 So that the Priestes could not stande to minister, because of the cloude: for the glorie of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
It was the glory/radiance of Yahweh that filled the temple, with the result that the priests were not able to continue their work.
12 Then spake Salomon, The Lord said, that he woulde dwell in the darke cloude.
Then Solomon prayed this: “Yahweh, you have placed the sun in the sky, but you have decided that you would live in very dark [clouds].
13 I haue built thee an house to dwell in, an habitation for thee to abide in for euer.
I have built for you a magnificent temple, a place for you to live in forever.”
14 And the King turned his face, and blessed all the Congregation of Israel: for all the Congregation of Israel stoode there.
Then, while all the people stood there, the king turned around and faced them, and he [asked God to] bless them.
15 And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who spake with his mouth vnto Dauid my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,
He said, “Praise Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis belong! By his own power he has done what he promised to give to my father David. What he promised was this:
16 Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no citie of all the tribes of Israel, to builde an house that my name might be there: but I haue chosen Dauid to be ouer my people Israel.
‘From the time that I brought my people out of Egypt, I have never chosen any city in Israel in which a temple should be built for my people to worship me there. But I chose you, David, to rule my people.”
17 And it was in ye heart of Dauid my father to builde an house to the Name of the Lord God of Israel.
[Then Solomon said], “My father David wanted to build a temple in order that we Israeli people could worship Yahweh our God there.
18 And the Lord said vnto Dauid my father, Where as it was in thine heart to build an house vnto my Name, thou diddest well, that thou wast so minded:
But Yahweh said to him, ‘You have wanted to build a temple for me, and what you wanted to do was good.
19 Neuerthelesse thou shalt not builde the house, but thy sonne that shall come out of thy loynes, he shall builde the house vnto my Name.
However, you are not the one [who I want] to build it. It is one of your sons, who [I want to] build a temple for me.’
20 And the Lord hath made good his worde that he spake: and I am risen vp in the roume of Dauid my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised, and haue built the house for the Name of the Lord God of Israel.
And now Yahweh has done what he promised to do. I have become the king of Israel to succeed my father, and I am ruling my people, like Yahweh promised. I have [arranged for] this temple [to be] built for us Israelis to worship Yahweh, the God, to whom we Israelis belong.
21 And I haue prepared therein a place for the Arke, wherein is the couenant of the Lord which he made with our fathers, whe he brought them out of the lande of Egypt.
I have also provided a place [in the temple] for the Sacred Chest in which are the two stone tablets [on which are engraved the Ten Commandments of] the agreement that Yahweh made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”
22 Then Salomon stoode before the altar of the Lord in the sight of all the Congregation of Israel, and stretched out his handes towarde heauen,
Then Solomon stood in front of the altar which was facing the Israeli people who had gathered there. He spread out his arms toward heaven,
23 And sayd, O Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath, thou that keepest couenant and mercie with thy seruants that walke before thee with all their heart,
and he prayed, “Yahweh, the God whom we Israeli people [belong to/worship], there is no god like you up in heaven or down here on the earth. You solemnly promised that you would faithfully love us. And that is what you have done for us who earnestly do what you want us to do.
24 Thou that hast kept with thy seruant Dauid my father, that thou hast promised him: for thou spakest with thy mouth and hast fulfilled it with thine hande, as appeareth this day.
You have done the things that you promised my father David, who served you [very well], that you would do. Truly, you promised to do these things for him, and today we see that by your power you have done them.
25 Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keepe with thy seruant Dauid my father that thou hast promised him, saying, Thou shalt not want a man in my sight to sit vpon ye throne of Israel: so that thy childre take heed to their way, that they walke before me; as thou hast walked in my sight
So now, Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [belong to/worship], please do the things that you promised my father that you would do. You told him that there would always be some of his descendants who would rule Israel, if they would conduct their lives as he did.
26 And nowe, O God of Israel, I pray thee, let thy worde be verified, which thou spakest vnto thy seruant Dauid my father.
So now, God of us Israeli people, cause what you promised to do for my father David, who served you [well], to happen.
27 Is it true in deede that God will dwell on the earth? beholde, the heauens, and the heauens of heauens are not able to conteine thee: howe much more vnable is this house that I haue built?
But God, you cannot really live on the earth. There is surely not enough space for you in the sky, or even in the heaven. So there is surely not enough space for you to live in this temple that my workers have built.
28 But haue thou respect vnto the prayer of thy seruant, and to his supplication, O Lord, my God, to heare the cry and prayer which thy seruant prayeth before thee this day:
But Yahweh, my God, please listen to me while I am praying to you this day,
29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house, night and day, euen towarde the place whereof thou hast said, My Name shalbe there: that thou mayest hearken vnto the prayer which thy seruant prayeth in this place.
Please keep protecting this temple night and day. This is the place about which you have said, ‘I will always be there.’ I request that you listen to me whenever I turn toward this temple and pray.
30 Heare thou therefore the supplication of thy seruant, and of thy people Israel, which pray in this place, and heare thou in the place of thine habitation, euen in heauen, and when thou hearest, haue mercie.
I request that when I pray to you and your people pray to you while they turn toward this place, that in your home in heaven you will hear us and forgive us [for the sins that we have committed].
31 When a man shall trespasse against his neighbour, and he lay vpon him an othe to cause him to sweare, and the swearer shall come before thine altar in this house,
If someone is accused of doing something wrong to another person, and they bring him to your altar outside this holy temple, and if he says, ‘I did not do that; may God punish me if I am not telling the truth,’
32 Then heare thou in heauen, and doe and iudge thy seruants, that thou condemne the wicked to bring his way vpon his head, and iustifie the righteous, to giue him according to his righteousnesse.
then you listen from heaven, and decide who is telling the truth. Then punish the person who is guilty as he deserves to be punished, and declare that the other person is innocent.
33 When thy people Israel shall be ouerthrowen before the enemie, because they haue sinned against thee, and turne againe to thee, and confesse thy Name, and pray and make supplication vnto thee in this house,
And when your Israeli people are defeated by their enemies [in a battle] because they have sinned against you, [and if they are forced to go to some distant country, ] if they turn away from their sinful behavior and turn toward this temple and admit that you [have justly punished them], and if they plead [that you will forgive them],
34 Then heare thou in heauen, and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel, and bring them againe vnto the lande, which thou gauest vnto their fathers.
listen to them from heaven, and forgive your Israeli people for the sins that they [have committed], and bring them back to this land that you gave to our ancestors.
35 When heauen shalbe shut vp, and there shalbe no raine because they haue sinned against thee, and shall pray in this place, and confesse thy Name, and turne from their sinne, when thou doest afflict them,
And when you do not allow any rain to fall on the land because your people have sinned against you, if they turn toward this temple and admit that you [have justly punished them], if they turn away from their sinful behavior and [humbly] pray to you,
36 Then heare thou in heauen, and pardon the sinne of thy seruants and of thy people Israel (when thou hast taught the the good way wherein they may walke) and giue raine vpon the land that thou hast giuen to thy people to inherite.
listen to them from heaven, and forgive your Israeli people for the sins [that they have committed]. Teach them the right way to conduct their lives. Then send rain on this land that you have given to your people to belong to them [permanently].
37 When there shalbe famine in the land, when there shalbe pestilence, when there shall be blasting, mildewe, grashopper or caterpiller, when their enemie shall besiege them in the cities of their lande, or any plague, or any sickenesse,
And when the people of this land experience famines, or if there is a plague/illness that causes many people to become sick, or if [their crops are destroyed by] very hot winds or [by] mildew or [by] locusts or grasshoppers, or when their enemies surround any of their cities [in order to attack them], if any of those bad things happen to them,
38 Then what prayer, and supplication so euer shalbe made of any man or of all thy people Israel, when euery one shall knowe the plague in his owne heart, and stretch foorth his handes in this house,
when your Israeli people earnestly plead with you knowing that they are suffering because they [have sinned], and if they stretch out their arms toward this temple and pray,
39 Heare thou then in heauen, in thy dwelling place, and be mercifull, and doe, and giue euery man according to all his wayes, as thou knowest his heart, (for thou only knowest the heartes of all the children of men)
listen to them from your home in heaven, and forgive them, and help them. You are the only one who knows what people are thinking, so act toward everyone as they deserve,
40 That they may feare thee as long as they liue in ye lad, which thou gauest vnto our fathers.
in order that your people may then have an awesome respect for you, all the years that they live in this land that you gave to our ancestors.
41 Moreouer as touching the stranger that is not of thy people Israel, who shall come out of a farre countrey for thy Names sake,
There will be some foreigners who do not belong to your Israeli people who have come here from countries far away because they have heard that you are very great and that you perform great miracles. If they come here to this temple to worship you and pray,
42 (When they shall heare of thy great name, and of thy mightie hande, and of thy stretched out arme) and shall come and pray in this house,
43 Heare thou in heauen thy dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calleth for vnto thee: that all the people of the earth may know thy Name, and feare thee, as do thy people Israel: and that they may know, that thy Name is called vpon in this house which I haue built.
in your home in heaven, listen to their prayers, and do for them what they request you to do. Do that so that all the people-groups in the world will know about you and revere you, like we your Israeli people do. And then they will know that this temple that I have [caused to be] built to honor you, is where you [should be worshiped].
44 When thy people shall go out to battell against their enemie by the way that thou shalt sende them, and shall pray vnto the Lord towarde the way of the citie which thou hast chosen, and toward the house that I haue built for thy Name,
And if you send your people to go to fight against their enemies, if they pray to you, wherever they are, if they turn toward this city that you have chosen and toward this temple that I have caused to be built for you,
45 Heare thou then in heauen their prayer and their supplication, and iudge their cause.
listen in heaven to their prayers; listen to what they plead for you to do, and assist them.
46 If they sinne against thee, (for there is no man that sinneth not) and thou be angry with them, and deliuer them vnto the enemies, so that they cary them away prisoners vnto the land of the enemies, either farre or neere,
[It is true that] everyone sins. So, if your people sin against you, and you become angry with them, you may allow their enemies to defeat them and capture them and take them away to their enemies’ country, even to countries that are far away.
47 Yet if they turne againe vnto their heart in the lande (to the which they be caryed away captiues) and returne and pray vnto thee in the lande of them that caryed them away captiues, saying, We haue sinned, we haue transgressed, and done wickedly,
If that happens, while they are in those countries to which they were forced to go, if they sincerely repent and plead with you there saying ‘We have sinned and have done things that are very wicked,’
48 If they turne againe vnto thee with all their heart, and with all their soule in the lande of their enemies, which led them away captiues, and pray vnto thee toward the way of their land, which thou gauest vnto their fathers, and toward the citie which thou hast chosen, and the house, which I haue built for thy Name,
if they very sincerely repent, and turn toward this land that you gave to our ancestors, and toward this city that you have chosen [to be the place where we should worship you], and toward this temple that I have [caused to be] built for you, and if they pray,
49 Then heare thou their prayer and their supplication in heauen thy dwelling place, and iudge their cause,
then from your home in heaven listen to them while they plead [for your help], and assist them.
50 And be mercifull vnto thy people that haue sinned against thee, and vnto all their iniquities (wherein they haue transgressed against thee) and cause that they, which led them away captiues, may haue pitie and compassion on them:
Forgive them for all the sins that they [have committed] against you, and cause their enemies to be kind to them.
51 For they be thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out of Egypt from the middes of the yron fornace.
Do not forget that the Israelis are your people; they are your special possession; you brought [our ancestors] out of Egypt where [they were greatly suffering as though] they were in a blazing furnace.
52 Let thine eyes be open vnto the prayer of thy seruant, and vnto the prayer of thy people Israel, to hearken vnto them, in all that they call for vnto thee.
I request that you always listen to your Israeli people and to me, their king, and heed their prayers whenever they call out to you [to help them].
53 For thou diddest separate them to thee from among all people of the earth for an inheritance, as thou saidest by the hand of Moses thy seruant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.
You chose them from all the other people-groups in the world to belong to you, which is what you told Moses to tell them when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”
54 And when Salomon had made an ende of praying all this prayer and supplication vnto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees, and stretching of his handes to heauen,
After Solomon had finished praying and pleading to Yahweh [for his help], he stood up in front of the altar where he had been kneeling. He lifted up his arms.
55 And stoode and blessed all the Congregation of Israel with a loud voyce, saying,
Then he [asked God to] bless all the Israeli people. [He prayed] loudly, saying,
56 Blessed be the Lord that hath giuen rest vnto his people Israel, according to all that hee promised: there hath not fayled one word of all his good promise which he promised by the hand of Moses his seruant.
“Praise Yahweh, who has given us his people peace, like he promised that he would do. He has done every one of the good things that he promised to Moses, the man who served him [very well].
57 The Lord our God be with vs, as he was with our fathers, that he forsake vs not, neither leaue vs,
I pray that our God will be with us like he was with our ancestors, and that he will never abandon us.
58 That he may bow our heartes vnto him, that we may walke in all his waies, and keepe his commandements, and his statutes, and his lawes, which he commanded our fathers.
I pray that he will cause us to loyally serve him, to conduct our lives as he wants us to, and to obey all his commandments and statutes and laws that he gave to our ancestors.
59 And these my wordes, which I haue prayed before the Lord, be neere vnto the Lord our God day and night, that he defende the cause of his seruant, and the cause of his people Israel alway as the matter requireth,
I pray that Yahweh our God will never forget these words that I have prayed, pleading for his help; I pray that he will think about them by day and by night. I pray that he will always help [us] Israeli people and me, giving us the things that we need day by day.
60 That all the people of ye earth may knowe, that the Lord is God, and none other.
If he does that, all the people-groups in the world will know that he is the only one who is God, and that there is no other one who is God.
61 Let your heart therefore be perfit with the Lord our God to walke in his statutes, and to keepe his commandements, as this day.
I pray that you, [his people, ] will always be fully committed to Yahweh, and that you will obey all his statutes and commands, like you are doing now.”
62 Then the King and all Israel with him offred sacrifice before the Lord.
Then the king and all the Israeli people who were there offered sacrifices to Yahweh.
63 And Salomon offered a sacrifice of peace offrings which he offered vnto the Lord, to wit, two and twentie thousande beeues, and an hundreth and twentie thousande sheepe: so the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.
They sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. Then the king and all the people dedicated the temple.
64 The same day did the King halowe the middle of the court, that was before the house of the Lord: for there he made burnt offerings, and the meate offrings, and the fat of the peace offeringes, because the brasen altar that was before the Lord, was too litle to receiue the burnt offerings, and the meate offerings, and the fat of the peace offrings.
On that day, the king also dedicated/set apart the middle part of the courtyard that was in front of the temple. Then he offered sacrifices that would be completely burned [in the courtyard], the offerings of grain and the fat of the animals that were sacrificed to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. They sacrificed them there because the bronze altar was not big enough for all those sacrifices to be burned on it [that day].
65 And Salomon made at that time a feast and all Israel with him, a very great Congregation, euen from the entring in of Hamath vnto the riuer of Egypt, before the Lord our God, seuen dayes and seuen dayes, euen fourteene dayes.
Then Solomon and all the Israeli people celebrated the Festival of [Living in Temporary] Shelters for seven days. There was a huge crowd of people there, some of whom had come from [distant places like] Hamath [in the far north] and the border of Egypt [in the far south].
66 And the eight day he sent the people away: and they thanked the King and went vnto their tentes ioyous and with glad heart, because of al the goodnesse that the Lord had done for Dauid his seruant, and for Israel his people.
On the eighth day, Solomon sent the people to their homes. They all praised him and went home happy because of all the things that Yahweh had done to bless [King] David and his Israeli people.
