6Then Solomon said, GOD said he would dwell in a cloud,H559H8010H3068H559H7931H6205 2But I've built a temple most splendid, A place for you to live in forever.H1129H1004H2073H4349H3427H5769 3The king then turned to face the congregation that had come together and blessed them:H4428H5437H6440H1288H6951H3478H6951H3478H5975 4"Blessed be GOD, the God of Israel, who spoke personally to my father David. Now he has done what he promised when he said,H559H1288H3068H430H3478H3027H4390H1696H6310H1H1732H559 5'From the day I brought my people Israel up from Egypt, I haven't set apart one city among the tribes of Israel in which to build a temple to honor my Name, or chosen one person to be the leader.H3117H3318H5971H776H4714H977H5892H7626H3478H1129H1004H8034H977H376H5057H5971H3478 6But now I have chosen both a city and a person: Jerusalem for honoring my Name and David to lead my people Israel.'H977H3389H8034H977H1732H5971H3478 7"My father David very much wanted to build a temple honoring the Name of GOD, the God of Israel,H3824H1732H1H1129H1004H8034H3068H430H3478 8but GOD told him, 'It was good that you wanted to build a temple in my honor—most commendable!H3068H559H1732H1H3824H1129H1004H8034H2895H3824 9But you are not the one to do it. Your son, who will carry on your dynasty, will build it for my Name.'H7535H1129H1004H1121H3318H2504H1129H1004H8034 10"And now you see the promise completed. GOD has done what he said he would do; I have succeeded David my father and now rule Israel; and I have built a temple to honor GOD, the God of Israel,H3068H6965H1697H1696H6965H1732H1H3427H3678H3478H3068H1696H1129H1004H8034H3068H430H3478 11and have secured a place for the Chest that holds the Covenant of GOD, the covenant he made with the people of Israel."H8033H7760H727H1285H3068H3772H1121H3478 12Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took his position at the Altar of GOD and stretched out his hands.H5975H6440H4196H3068H6951H3478H6566H3709 13Solomon had made a bronze dais seven and a half feet square and four and a half feet high and placed it inside the court; that's where he now stood. Then he knelt in full view of the whole congregation, stretched his hands to heaven,H8010H6213H5178H3595H2568H520H753H2568H520H7341H7969H520H6967H5414H8432H5835H5975H1288H1290H6951H3478H6566H3709H8064 14and prayed: GOD, O God of Israel, there is no God like you in the skies above or on the earth below, who unswervingly keeps covenant with his servants and unfailingly loves them while they sincerely live in obedience to your way.H559H3068H430H3478H430H8064H776H8104H1285H2617H5650H1980H6440H3820 15You kept your word to David my father, your promise. You did exactly what you promised—every detail. The proof is before us today!H8104H5650H1732H1H1696H1696H6310H4390H3027H3117 16Keep it up, GOD, O God of Israel! Continue to keep the promises you made to David my father when you said, "You'll always have a descendant to represent my rule on Israel's throne, on the one condition that your sons are as careful to live obediently in my presence as you have."H3068H430H3478H8104H5650H1732H1H1696H559H3772H376H6440H3427H3678H3478H7535H1121H8104H1870H3212H8451H1980H6440 17O GOD, God of Israel, let this all happen— confirm and establish it!H3068H430H3478H1697H539H1696H5650H1732 18Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn't large enough to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I've built.H430H552H3427H120H776H8064H8064H8064H3557H1004H1129 19Even so, I'm bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O GOD, my God. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I'm setting before you right now.H6437H8605H5650H8467H3068H430H8085H7440H8605H5650H6419H6440 20Keep your eyes open to this Temple day and night, this place you promised to dignify with your Name. And listen to the prayers that I pray in this place.H5869H6605H1004H3119H3915H4725H559H7760H8034H8085H8605H5650H6419H4725 21And listen to your people Israel when they pray at this place. Listen from your home in heaven and when you hear, forgive.H8085H8469H5650H5971H3478H6419H4725H8085H3427H4725H8064H8085H5545 22When someone hurts a neighbor and promises to make things right, and then comes and repeats the promise before your Altar in this Temple,H376H2398H7453H423H5375H422H423H935H6440H4196H1004 23Listen from heaven and act; judge your servants, making the offender pay for the offense And set the offended free, dismissing all charges.H8085H8064H6213H8199H5650H7725H7563H5414H1870H7218H6663H6662H5414H6666 24When your people Israel are beaten by an enemy because they've sinned against you, but then turn to you and acknowledge your rule in prayers desperate and devout in this Temple,H5971H3478H5062H6440H341H2398H7725H3034H8034H6419H2603H6440H1004 25Listen from your home in heaven; forgive the sin of your people Israel, return them to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.H8085H8064H5545H2403H5971H3478H7725H127H5414H1 26When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quit their sins because you have scourged them,H8064H6113H4306H2398H6419H4725H3034H8034H7725H2403H6031 27Listen from your home in heaven, forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Then start over with them; train them to live right and well; Send rain on the land you gave as inheritance to your people.H8085H8064H5545H2403H5650H5971H3478H3384H2896H1870H3212H5414H4306H776H5414H5971H5159 28When disasters strike, famine or catastrophe, crop failure or disease, locust or beetle, or when an enemy attacks their defenses—calamity of any sort—H7458H776H1698H7711H3420H697H2625H341H6887H8179H776H5061H4245 29any prayer that's prayed from anyone at all among your people Israel, their hearts penetrated by disaster, hands and arms thrown out for help to this Temple,H8605H8467H120H5971H3478H376H3045H5061H4341H6566H3709H1004 30Listen from your home in heaven, forgive and reward us: reward each life and circumstance, For you know each life from the inside, (you're the only one with such inside knowledge!),H8085H8064H3427H4349H5545H5414H376H1870H3824H3045H3045H3824H1121H120 31So they'll live before you in lifelong reverence and believing obedience on this land you gave our ancestors.H3372H3212H1870H3117H2416H6440H127H5414H1 32And don't forget the foreigner who is not a member of your people Israel but has come from a far country because of your reputation—people are going to be attracted here by your great reputation, your wonderworking power—and who come to pray to this Temple.H5237H5971H3478H935H7350H776H1419H8034H2389H3027H5186H2220H935H6419H1004 33Listen from your home in heaven and honor the prayers of the foreigner, So that people all over the world will know who you are and what you're like, And live in reverent obedience before you, just as your own people Israel do, So they'll know that you personally make this Temple that I've built what it is.H8085H8064H3427H4349H6213H5237H7121H5971H776H3045H8034H3372H5971H3478H3045H1004H1129H7121H8034 34When your people go to war against their enemies at the time and place you send them and they pray to GOD toward the city you chose and The Temple I've built to honor your Name,H5971H3318H4421H341H1870H7971H6419H1870H5892H977H1004H1129H8034 35Listen from heaven to what they pray and ask for and do what is right for them.H8085H8064H8605H8467H6213H4941 36When they sin against you—and they certainly will; there's no one without sin!—and in anger you turn them over to the enemy and they are taken off captive to the enemy's land, whether far or near,H2398H120H2398H599H5414H6440H341H7617H7617H776H7350H7138 37but then repent in the country of their captivity and pray with changed hearts in their exile, "We've sinned; we've done wrong; we've been most wicked,"H7725H3824H776H7617H7725H2603H776H7628H559H2398H5753H7561 38and they turn back to you heart and soul in the land of the enemy who conquered them, and pray to you toward their homeland, the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you chose, and this Temple I have built to the honor of your Name,H7725H3820H5315H776H7628H7617H6419H1870H776H5414H1H5892H977H1004H1129H8034 39Listen from your home in heaven to their prayers desperate and devout; Do what is best for them. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.H8085H8064H3427H4349H8605H8467H6213H4941H5545H5971H2398 40And now, dear God, be alert and attentive to prayer, all prayer, offered in this place.H430H5869H6605H241H7183H8605H4725 41Up, GOD, enjoy your new place of quiet repose, you and your mighty covenant Chest; Dress your priests up in salvation clothes, let your holy people celebrate goodness.H6965H3068H430H5118H727H5797H3548H3068H430H3847H8668H2623H8055H2896 42And don't, GOD, back out on your anointed ones, keep in mind the love promised to David your servant.H3068H430H7725H6440H4899H2142H2617H1732H5650
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