1 Kings 8

1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the princes of the fathers’housesof the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of Jehovah out of the city of David, which is Zion.

1Then Solomon gathered the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes and the leaders of the families of Israel to come to him in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the City of David, which is Zion.

2And all the men of Israel assembled themselves unto king Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

2All the men of Israel gathered before King Solomon at the festival in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.

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

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

4And they brought up the ark of Jehovah, and the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the Tent; even these did the priests and the Levites bring up.

4They brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy items that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites carried them all up.

5And king Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, that were assembled unto him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen, that could not be counted nor numbered for multitude.

5King Solomon and the whole community of Israel gathered with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and cattle that they could not be recorded or counted.

6And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah unto its place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim.

6The priests brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim.

7For the cherubim spread forth their wings over the place of the ark, and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above.

7The cherubim spread their wings over the place where the ark sat, covering both the ark and its carrying poles from above.

8And the staves were so long that the ends of the staves were seen from the holy place before the oracle; but they were not seen without: and there they are unto this day.

8The poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside; they are still there to this day.

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

9There was nothing inside the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.

10And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of Jehovah,

10When the priests stepped out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the temple of the Lord.

11so that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud; for the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah.

11The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.

12Then spake Solomon, Jehovah hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

12Then Solomon said, 'The Lord has said that he would live in a thick, dark cloud.'

13I have surely built thee a house of habitation, a place for thee to dwell in for ever.

13'I have truly built a magnificent temple for you, a place for you to live forever.'

14And the king turned his face about, and blessed all the assembly of Israel: and all the assembly of Israel stood.

14While the whole assembly of Israel was standing there, the king turned around and blessed them.

15And he said, Blessed be Jehovah, the God of Israel, who spake with his mouth unto David my father, and hath with his hand fulfilled it, saying,

15He said: 'Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has fulfilled with his own hand what he promised with his mouth to my father David.'

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

16'He said, "Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I did not choose a city in any tribe of Israel to build a temple for my Name to be there, but I chose David to lead my people Israel."'

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

17'My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel.'

18But Jehovah said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thy heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well that it was in thy heart:

18'But the Lord said to my father David, "You did well to have it in your heart to build a temple for my Name."'

19nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name.

19'"However, you are not the one to build the temple. Instead, your son, your own flesh and blood, will be the one to build the temple for my Name."'

20And Jehovah hath established his word that he spake; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Jehovah promised, and have built the house for the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel.

20'The Lord has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded my father David and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the Lord promised. I have built the temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of Israel.'

21And there have I set a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of Jehovah, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.

21'I have provided a place there for the ark, which contains the covenant of the Lord that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.'

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

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

23and he said, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, there is no God like thee, in heaven above, or on earth beneath; who keepest covenant and lovingkindness with thy servants, that walk before thee with all their heart;

23and said: 'Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.'

24who hast kept with thy servant David my father that which thou didst promise him: yea, thou spakest with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thy hand, as it is this day.

24'You have kept your promise to your servant David my father; with your mouth you promised it and with your hand you have fulfilled it, as it is today.'

25Now therefore, O Jehovah, the God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel, if only thy children take heed to their way, to walk before me as thou hast walked before me.

25'Now, Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promise you made to him when you said, "You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me as you have done."'

26Now therefore, O God of Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.

26'And now, God of Israel, please let the word you spoke to your servant David my father come true.'

27But will God in very deed dwell on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded!

27'But will God really live on earth? The heavens, even the highest heavens, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!'

28Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Jehovah my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee this day;

28'Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence today.'

29that thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place whereof thou hast said, My name shall be there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall pray toward this place.

29'May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, toward this place of which you said, "My Name shall be there," so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.'

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

30'Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.'

31If a man sin against his neighbor, and an oath be laid upon him to cause him to swear, and he come and swear before thine altar in this house;

31'When anyone wrongs their neighbor and is required to take an oath and they come and swear the oath before your altar in this temple,'

32then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his own head, and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

32'then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing down on their own heads what they have done, and vindicating the innocent by rewarding them in accordance with their innocence.'

33When thy people Israel are smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee; if they turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray and make supplication unto thee in this house:

33'When your people Israel have been defeated by an enemy because they have sinned against you, and when they turn back to you and give praise to your name, praying and making supplication to you in this temple,'

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

34'then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.'

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

35'When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,'

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

36'then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the right way to live, and send rain on the land you gave your people for an inheritance.'

37If there be in the land famine, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting or mildew, locust or caterpillar; if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities; whatsoever plague, whatsoever sickness there be;

37'When famine or plague comes to the land, or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers, or when an enemy besieges them in any of their cities, whatever disaster or disease may come,'

38what prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, who shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:

38'and when a prayer or plea is made by anyone among your people Israel—each being aware of the afflictions of their own heart, and spreading out their hands toward this temple—'

39then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and render unto every man according to all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)

39'then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Forgive and act; deal with everyone according to all they do, since you know their hearts (for you alone know every human heart),'

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

40'so that they will fear you all the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.'

41Moreover concerning the foreigner, that is not of thy people Israel, when he shall come out of a far country for thy name’s sake

41'As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name—'

42(for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy mighty hand, and of thine outstretched arm); when he shall come and pray toward this house;

42'for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple,'

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

43'then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your Name.'

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

44'When your people go to war against their enemies, wherever you send them, and when they pray to the Lord toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name,'

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

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

46If they sin against thee (for there is no man that sinneth not), and thou be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captive unto the land of the enemy, far off or near;

46'When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you become angry with them and give them over to their enemies, who take them captive to their own lands, far away or near;'

47yet if they shall bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn again, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captive, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have dealt wickedly;

47'and if they have a change of heart in the land where they are held captive, and repent and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, "We have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly";'

48if they return unto thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their enemies, who carried them captive, and pray unto thee toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name:

48'and if they turn back to you with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies who took them captive, and pray to you toward the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I have built for your Name;'

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

49'then from heaven, your dwelling place, hear their prayer and their plea, and uphold their cause.'

50and forgive thy people who have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee; and give them compassion before those who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them

50'And forgive your people, who have sinned against you; forgive all the offenses they have committed against you, and cause their captors to show them mercy;'

51(for they are thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest forth out of Egypt, from the midst of the furnace of iron);

51'for they are your people and your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of that iron-smelting furnace.'

52that thine eyes may be open unto the supplication of thy servant, and unto the supplication of thy people Israel, to hearken unto them whensoever they cry unto thee.

52'May your eyes be open to your servant’s plea and to the plea of your people Israel, and may you listen to them whenever they cry out to you.'

53For thou didst separate them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be thine inheritance, as thou spakest by Moses thy servant, when thou broughtest our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord Jehovah.

53'For you singled them out from all the nations of the world to be your own inheritance, just as you declared through your servant Moses when you, Sovereign Lord, brought our ancestors out of Egypt.'

54And it was so, that, when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto Jehovah, he arose from before the altar of Jehovah, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread forth toward heaven.

54'When Solomon had finished all these prayers and pleas to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven.'

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

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

56Blessed be Jehovah, that 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 Moses his servant.

56'Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.'

57Jehovah our God be with us, as he was with our fathers: let him not leave us, nor forsake us;

57'May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us.'

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

58'May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors.'

59And let these my words, wherewith I have made supplication before Jehovah, be nigh unto Jehovah our God day and night, that he maintain the cause of his servant, and the cause of his people Israel, as every day shall require;

59'And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, so that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need,'

60that all the peoples of the earth may know that Jehovah, he is God; there is none else.

60'so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other.'

61Let your heart therefore be perfect with Jehovah our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.

61'And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.'

62And the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before Jehovah.

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

63And Solomon offered for the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which he offered unto Jehovah, two and twenty thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of Jehovah.

63'Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the temple of the Lord.'

64The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of Jehovah; for there he offered the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat of the peace-offerings, because the brazen altar that was before Jehovah was too little to receive the burnt-offering, and the meal-offering, and the fat of the peace-offerings.

64'On that same day the king consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord, and there he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar before the Lord was too small to hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat of the fellowship offerings.'

65So Solomon held the feast at that time, and all Israel with him, a great assembly, from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of Egypt, before Jehovah our God, seven days and seven days, even fourteen days.

65'So Solomon observed the festival at that time, and all Israel with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. They celebrated it before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days more, fourteen days in all.'

66On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that Jehovah had showed unto David his servant, and to Israel his people.

66'On the eighth day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and then went home, joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.'