7 When King Solomon had finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven. It destroyed the burnt offerings and the other sacrifices. The Lord 's bright glory filled the temple. 2 The priests could not go into the Lord 's temple because the Lord 's glory had completely filled it. 3 All the Israelites saw the fire come down. They also saw the Lord 's glory above the temple. They went down on their knees on the flat stones of the yard, with their faces towards the ground. They worshipped the Lord and they thanked him. They said, ‘He is good. His faithful love continues for ever.’
4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices to the Lord . 5 King Solomon offered 22,000 cows and 120,000 sheep and goats as sacrifices. In this way the king and all the people offered the temple as a gift to God. 6 The priests and the Levites stood in their places. The Levites held the musical instruments that King David had made to thank the Lord . They sang these words to praise the Lord : ‘His faithful love continues for ever.’ The priests stood on the other side and they made music with their trumpets. All the Israelites were standing up while this was happening.
7 On the same day, Solomon gave to the Lord the yard that was in front of the temple. He offered burnt offerings and grain offerings to the Lord . He also offered the fat from the friendship offerings there. The bronze altar that Solomon had made was too small to contain all these offerings, so he made these sacrifices in the middle of the yard instead.
8 At that time, Solomon and the big crowd of Israelites who were with him had a festival for seven days. There were people from everywhere in Israel, from Hamath in the north to the Stream of Egypt in the south. [ a ] 9 On the day after the festival, they all met together. For seven days, they had given offerings to make the altar holy for God. For another seven days, they had enjoyed the festival. 10 Then Solomon sent the people away to their homes. That was on the 23rd day of the seventh month. The people were very happy and full of joy because the Lord had done many good things for King David, for King Solomon and for his people, the Israelites.
11 Solomon had finished building the Lord 's temple and the king's palace. He had done everything that he wanted to do for the temple and his palace. 12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night. He said to Solomon, ‘I have heard your prayer. I have chosen this place as my temple where people can offer sacrifices to me.
13 Sometimes I may stop the rain falling from the sky. I may send locusts to destroy your crops. Or I may send a bad disease to hurt my people. 14 If that happens, my people who belong to me should be humble and they should pray to me. They should turn away from their sins and try to please me. Then I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sins and I will make their land successful again. 15 Now I will watch over this place. I will answer the prayers that people offer to me here. 16 I have chosen this temple to be my special home. People will worship me there for ever. I will always be there to watch over it.
17 But you must all continue to serve me well, as your father David did. Do everything that I have commanded you to do. Obey my rules and my laws. 18 If you do that, I will always cause one of your descendants to rule as king. That is what I promised to your father David when I said, “There will always be someone from your family to rule over Israel.”
19 But if any of you turn away from me, I will punish your people. I will do that if you do not obey the laws and rules that I have given to you. I will do it if you choose to serve and to worship other gods. 20 I will remove the people from the land that I have given to them. I will turn away from this temple that I have made a special place for my people to worship me. People from all the other nations will insult them and they will laugh at them. 21 This beautiful temple will became a heap of stones. Everyone who sees it will be very surprised. They will laugh about it! They will ask, “Why has the Lord destroyed this land and this temple?” 22 People will answer, “He has done it because they have turned away from the Lord , the God of their ancestors. He brought their ancestors out of Egypt. But now they have chosen to worship other gods and to serve them. That is why the Lord has caused this trouble to happen to them.” ’
7 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from the sky and burned up the burnt offering and the sacrifices. The Glory of the Lord filled the Temple. 2 The priests could not enter the Lord ’s Temple because the Glory of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire come down from heaven and the Glory of the Lord on the Temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces low to the ground. They worshiped and thanked the Lord , singing,
“The Lord is good.
His faithful love will last forever.”
4 Then King Solomon and all the Israelites offered sacrifices to the Lord . 5 King Solomon offered 22,000 bulls and 120,000 sheep. So the king and the people showed that they had dedicated the Temple to God. 6 The priests stood ready to do their work. The Levites stood with the instruments they would use to play music to the Lord . King David had made these instruments to use when they gave thanks to the Lord and sang, “His faithful love will last forever.” The priests blew their trumpets as they stood across from the Levites. And all the Israelites were standing.
7 King Solomon also dedicated the middle of the courtyard, the part that is in front of the Temple of the Lord . There he offered burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat from the animals that were used as fellowship offerings. He did this because the bronze altar he had built was too small to hold all these offerings.
8 So there at the Temple, King Solomon and all the people of Israel celebrated the festival. [ a ] People came from as far away as Hamath Pass in the north and the border of Egypt in the south. This huge crowd of people enjoyed themselves for seven days. 9 On the eighth day, they had a holy meeting because they had celebrated for seven days. They made the altar holy and it was to be used only for worshiping the Lord. And they celebrated the festival for seven days. 10 On the 23rd day of the seventh month, Solomon told the people to go home. All the people thanked the king, said goodbye, and went home. They were happy because of all the good things that the Lord had done for David his servant and for his people Israel.
11 So Solomon finished building the Lord ’s Temple and the king’s palace. Solomon did everything that he had planned to do in building a house for the Lord and for himself. 12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him,
“Solomon, I have heard your prayer, and I have chosen this place for myself to be a house for sacrifices. 13 When I close the sky so that there is no rain, or command the locusts to destroy the land, or send sicknesses to my people 14 and if my people who are called by my name become humble and pray, and look for me, and turn away from their evil ways, then I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now, my eyes are open, and my ears will pay attention to the prayers prayed in this place. 16 I have chosen this Temple, and I have made it a holy place. So I will be honored there forever. I will watch over it and think of it always. 17 You must serve me with a pure and honest heart, just as your father David did. You must obey my laws and do everything that I commanded you. If you obey all I have commanded, and if you obey my laws and rules, 18 then I will make you a strong king and your kingdom will be great. That is the agreement I made with David your father when I told him that Israel would always be ruled by one of his descendants.
19 “But if you don’t obey my laws and commands that I gave you, and if you worship other gods and serve them, 20 then I will take the Israelites out from my land that I gave them. And I will leave this Temple that I have made holy for my name. I will make this Temple something that all the nations will speak evil about. 21 Everyone who sees it will be amazed. They will ask, ‘Why did the Lord do this terrible thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will say, ‘This happened because they left the Lord , the God of their ancestors. He brought them out of Egypt, but they decided to follow other gods. They began to worship and to serve those gods. That is why he caused all these bad things to happen to them.’”
7 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord , because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord 's house.
3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord , saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord .
5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.
6 And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the Lord , which David the king had made to praise the Lord , because his mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
7 Moreover Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord : for there he offered burnt offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings, because the brasen altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, and the meat offerings, and the fat.
8 Also at the same time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from the entering in of Hamath unto the river of Egypt.
9 And in the eighth day they made a solemn assembly: for they kept the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days.
10 And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the Lord had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people.
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord , and the king's house: and all that came into Solomon's heart to make in the house of the Lord , and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.
16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
17 And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments;
18 Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man to be ruler in Israel.
19 But if ye turn away, and forsake my statutes and my commandments, which I have set before you, and shall go and serve other gods, and worship them;
20 Then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have sanctified for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and will make it to be a proverb and a byword among all nations.
21 And this house, which is high, shall be an astonishment to every one that passeth by it; so that he shall say, Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land, and unto this house?
22 And it shall be answered, Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods, and worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath he brought all this evil upon them.
7 ( A ) Now when Solomon had finished praying, ( B ) fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the house. 2 ( C ) And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord ’ s house. 3 All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the Lord upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the Lord , saying , “ ( D ) Certainly He is good, certainly His faithfulness is everlasting.”
4 ( E ) Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord . 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 The priests stood at their posts, and ( F ) the Levites also, with the musical instruments for the Lord , which King David had made for giving praise to the Lord —“for His faithfulness is everlasting”—whenever David gave praise through their [ a ] ministry; ( G ) the priests on the other side blew trumpets and all Israel was standing.
7 ( H ) Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the courtyard that was before the house of the Lord , for he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings there, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to contain the burnt offering, the grain offering, and the fat.
8 So ( I ) Solomon held the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly that came from the entrance of Hamath to the ( J ) brook of Egypt. 9 And on the eighth day they held ( K ) a solemn assembly, because they held the dedication of the altar for seven days, and the feast for seven days. 10 Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents, rejoicing and happy in heart because of the goodness that the Lord had shown to David, to Solomon, and to His people Israel.
11 ( L ) So Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s palace, and successfully completed everything that [ b ] he had planned on doing in the house of the Lord and in his palace.
12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, “I have heard your prayer and ( M ) have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 ( N ) If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send a plague among My people, 14 ( O ) and My people [ c ] who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 ( P ) Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the [ d ] prayer offered in this place. 16 For ( Q ) now I have chosen and consecrated this house so that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there [ e ] always. 17 As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, to do according to everything that I have commanded you, and keep My statutes and My ordinances, 18 then I will establish your royal throne as I covenanted with your father David, saying, ‘ [ f ] ( R ) You shall not lack a man to be ruler in Israel.’
19 “ ( S ) But if you turn away and abandon My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 ( T ) then I will uproot [ g ] you from My land which I have given [ h ] you, and this house which I have consecrated for My name I will cast out of My sight; and I will make it ( U ) a proverb and an object of scorn among all peoples. 21 As for this house, which was exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘ ( V ) Why has the Lord done these things to this land and to this house?’ 22 And they will say, ‘Because ( W ) they abandoned the Lord , the God of their fathers, who brought them from the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods, and worshiped and served them; therefore He has brought all this adversity on them.’”
7 When Solomon finished praying, fire ( B ) came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled ( C ) the temple. ( D ) 2 The priests could not enter ( E ) the temple of the Lord because the glory ( F ) of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord , saying,
“He is good;
his love endures forever.” ( G )
4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the Lord . 5 And King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand head of cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats. So the king and all the people dedicated the temple of God. 6 The priests took their positions, as did the Levites ( H ) with the Lord ’s musical instruments, ( I ) which King David had made for praising the Lord and which were used when he gave thanks, saying, “His love endures forever.” Opposite the Levites, the priests blew their trumpets, and all the Israelites were standing.
7 Solomon consecrated the middle part of the courtyard in front of the temple of the Lord , and there he offered burnt offerings and the fat ( J ) of the fellowship offerings, because the bronze altar he had made could not hold the burnt offerings, the grain offerings and the fat portions.
8 So Solomon observed the festival ( K ) at that time for seven days, and all Israel ( L ) with him—a vast assembly, people from Lebo Hamath ( M ) to the Wadi of Egypt. ( N ) 9 On the eighth day they held an assembly, for they had celebrated ( O ) the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival ( P ) for seven days more. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their homes, joyful and glad in heart for the good things the Lord had done for David and Solomon and for his people Israel.
11 When Solomon had finished ( R ) the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, 12 the Lord appeared ( S ) to him at night and said:
“I have heard your prayer and have chosen ( T ) this place for myself ( U ) as a temple for sacrifices.
13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, ( V ) or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, ( W ) will humble ( X ) themselves and pray and seek my face ( Y ) and turn ( Z ) from their wicked ways, then I will hear ( AA ) from heaven, and I will forgive ( AB ) their sin and will heal ( AC ) their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ( AD ) 16 I have chosen ( AE ) and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
17 “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully ( AF ) as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees ( AG ) and laws, 18 I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted ( AH ) with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor ( AI ) to rule over Israel.’ ( AJ )
19 “But if you [ a ] turn away ( AK ) and forsake ( AL ) the decrees and commands I have given you [ b ] and go off to serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will uproot ( AM ) Israel from my land, ( AN ) which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule ( AO ) among all peoples. 21 This temple will become a heap of rubble. All [ c ] who pass by will be appalled ( AP ) and say, ( AQ ) ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ 22 People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord , the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them ( AR ) —that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’”
