ThenSolomonassembledthe eldersof Israel, and allthe headsof the tribes, the chiefof the fathersof the childrenof Israel, untokingSolomonin Jerusalem, that they might bring upthe arkof the covenantof the LORDout of the cityof David, which is Zion. And allthe menof Israelassembled themselvesuntokingSolomonat the feastin the monthEthanim, which is the seventhmonth. And allthe eldersof Israelcame, and the prieststook upthe ark. And they brought upthe arkof the LORD, and the tabernacleof the congregation, and allthe holyvesselsthat were in the tabernacle, even those did the priestsand the Levitesbring up. And kingSolomon, and allthe congregationof Israel, that were assembleduntohim, were withhim beforethe ark, sacrificingsheepand oxen, thatcould notbe toldnornumberedfor multitude. And the priestsbrought inthe arkof the covenantof the LORDuntohis place, intothe oracleof the house, tothe mostholy place, even underthe wingsof the cherubims. Forthe cherubimsspread forth their two wingsoverthe placeof the ark, and the cherubimscoveredthe arkand the stavesthereof above. And they drew outthe staves, that the endsof the staveswere seenoutin the holy place beforethe oracle, and they were notseenwithout: and therethey areuntothisday. There was nothingin the arksavethe twotablesof stone, whichMosesputthereat Horeb, whenthe LORDmade a covenant withthe childrenof Israel, when they came outof the landof Egypt. And it came to pass, when the priestswere come outofthe holy place , that the cloudfilledthe houseof the LORD, So that the priestscouldnotstandto ministerbecauseof the cloud: forthe gloryof the LORDhad filledthe houseof the LORD. ThenspokeSolomon, The LORDsaidthat he would dwellin the thick darkness. I have surely builtthee a houseto dwell in, a settled placefor thee to abide inforever. And the kingturnedhis faceabout, and blessedallthe congregationof Israel: (and allthe congregationof Israelstood;) And he said, Blessed be the LORDGodof Israel, whichspokewith his mouthuntoDavidmy father, and hath with his handfulfilled it , saying, Sincethe daythatI brought forthmy peopleIsraelout of Egypt, I chosenocityout of allthe tribesof Israelto builda house, that my namemight betherein; but I choseDavidto beovermy peopleIsrael. And it wasinthe heartof Davidmy fatherto builda housefor the nameof the LORDGodof Israel. And the LORDsaiduntoDavidmy father, Whereasit wasinthine heartto builda houseunto my name, thou didst wellthatit wasinthine heart. Neverthelessthoushalt notbuildthe house; butthy sonthat shall come forthout of thy loins, heshall buildthe houseunto my name. And the LORDhath performedhis wordthathe spoke, and I am risen upin the roomof Davidmy father, and sitonthe throneof Israel, asthe LORDpromised, and have builta housefor the nameof the LORDGodof Israel. And I have settherea placefor the ark, wherein is the covenantof the LORD, whichhe madewithour fathers, when he brought them outof the landof Egypt. And Solomonstoodbeforethe altarof the LORDin the presenceof allthe congregationof Israel, and spread forthhis handstoward heaven: And he said, LORDGodof Israel, there is noGodlike thee, in heavenabove, or onearthbeneath, who keepestcovenantand mercywith thy servantsthat walkbeforethee with alltheir heart: Whohast keptwith thy servantDavidmy fatherthatthou promisedsthim: thou spakestalso with thy mouth, and hast fulfilled it with thine hand, as it is thisday. Therefore now, LORDGodof Israel, keepwith thy servantDavidmy fatherthatthou promisedsthim, saying, There shall notfailthee a manin my sightto sitonthe throneof Israel; sothatthy childrentake heed totheir way, that they walkbeforeme asthou hast walkedbeforeme. And now, O Godof Israel, let thy word, I pray thee, be verified, whichthou spakestunto thy servantDavidmy father. Butwill Godindeeddwellonthe earth? behold, the heavenand heavenof heavenscannotcontainthee; how much lessthishousethatI have built? Yet have thou respectuntothe prayerof thy servant, and tohis supplication, O LORDmy God, to hearkenuntothe cryand tothe prayer, whichthy servantprayethbeforethee today: That thine eyesmay beopentowardthishousenightand day, even towardthe placeof whichthou hast said, My nameshall bethere: that thou mayest hearkenuntothe prayerwhichthy servantshall maketowardthisplace. And hearkenthou tothe supplicationof thy servant, and of thy peopleIsrael, whenthey shall praytowardthisplace: and hearthouinheaventhy dwellingplace: and when thou hearest, forgive. Ifany mantrespassagainst his neighbor, and an oathbe laidupon him to cause him to swear, and the oathcomebeforethine altarin thishouse: Then hearthouin heaven, and do, and judgethy servants, condemningthe wicked, to bringhis wayupon his head; and justifyingthe righteous, to givehim according to his righteousness. When thy peopleIsraelbe smitten downbeforethe enemy, becausethey have sinnedagainst thee, and shall turn againtothee, and confessthy name, and pray, and make supplicationuntothee in thishouse: Then hearthouin heaven, and forgivethe sinof thy peopleIsrael, and bring them againuntothe landwhichthou gavestunto their fathers. When heavenis shut up, and there isnorain, becausethey have sinnedagainst thee; if they praytowardthisplace, and confessthy name, and turnfrom their sin, whenthou afflictestthem: Then hearthouin heaven, and forgivethe sinof thy servants, and of thy peopleIsrael, thatthou teachthem thegoodwaywherein they should walk, and giverainuponthy land, whichthou hast givento thy peoplefor an inheritance. Ifthere bein the landfamine, ifthere bepestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or ifthere becaterpillar; iftheir enemybesiegethem in the landof their cities; whatsoeverplague, whatsoeversickness there be ; Whatprayerand supplicationsoeverbe made by anyman, or by allthy peopleIsrael, whichshall knowevery manthe plagueof his own heart, and spread forthhis handstowardthishouse: Then hearthouin heaventhy dwellingplace, and forgive, and do, and giveto every manaccording tohis ways, whoseheartthou knowest; ( forthou, even thou only, knowestthe heartsof allthe childrenof men;) Thatthey may fearthee allthe daysthattheyliveinthe landwhichthou gavestunto our fathers. Moreoverconcerninga stranger, that is notof thy peopleIsrael, but comethout of a far countryfor thy name's sake; ( Forthey shall hear ofthy greatname, and of thy stronghand, and of thy stretched outarm;) when he shall comeand praytowardthishouse; Hearthouin heaventhy dwellingplace, and doaccording to allthatthe strangercallethtothee for: thatallpeopleof the earthmay knowthy name, to fearthee, as do thy peopleIsrael; and that they may knowthatthishouse, whichI have built, is calledbythy name. Ifthy peoplego outto battleagainsttheir enemy, whithersoeverthou shalt sendthem, and shall prayuntothe LORDtowardthe citywhichthou hast chosen, and toward the housethatI have builtfor thy name: Then hearthou in heaventheir prayerand their supplication, and maintaintheir cause. Ifthey sinagainst thee, ( for there is nomanthatsinnethnot,) and thou be angrywith them, and deliverthem tothe enemy, so that they carry them awaycaptivesuntothe landof the enemy, farornear; Yet if they shall bethink themselvesin the landwhitherthey were carried captives, and repent, and make supplicationuntothee in the landof them that carried them captives, saying, We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness; And so returnuntothee with alltheir heart, and with alltheir soul, in the landof their enemies, whichled them away captive, and prayuntothee towardtheir land, whichthou gavestunto their fathers, the citywhichthou hast chosen, and the housewhichI have builtfor thy name: Then hearthou their prayerand their supplicationin heaventhy dwellingplace, and maintaintheir cause, And forgivethy peoplethathave sinnedagainst thee, and alltheir transgressionswhereinthey have transgressedagainst thee, and givethem compassionbeforethem who carried them captive, that they may have compassion onthem: Forthey be thy people, and thine inheritance, whichthou broughtest forthout of Egypt, from the midstof the furnaceof iron: That thine eyesmay beopenuntothe supplicationof thy servant, and untothe supplicationof thy peopleIsrael, to hearkenuntothem in allthat they callfor untothee. Forthoudidst separatethem from among allthe peopleof the earth, to be thine inheritance, asthou spakestby the handof Mosesthy servant, when thou broughtestour fathersout of Egypt, O LordGOD. And it was so , that when Solomonhad made an endof prayingallthisprayerand supplicationuntothe LORD, he arosefrom beforethe altarof the LORD, from kneelingonhis kneeswith his handsspread upto heaven. And he stood, and blessedallthe congregationof Israelwith a loudvoice, saying, Blessed be the LORD, thathath givenrestunto his peopleIsrael, according to allthathe promised: there hath notfailedonewordof allhis goodpromise, whichhe promisedby the handof Moseshis servant. The LORDour Godbewithus, ashe waswithour fathers: let him notleaveus, norforsakeus: That he may inclineour heartsuntohim, to walkin allhis ways, and to keephis commandments, and his statutes, and his judgments, whichhe commandedour fathers. And let thesemy words, wherewithI have made supplicationbeforethe LORD, benighuntothe LORDour Goddayand night, that he maintainthe causeof his servant, and the causeof his peopleIsraelat all times, as the mattershall require: Thatallthe peopleof the earthmay knowthatthe LORD is God, and that there is noneelse. Let your hearttherefore beperfectwiththe LORDour God, to walkin his statutes, and to keephis commandments, as at thisday. And the king, and allIsraelwithhim, offeredsacrificebeforethe LORD. And Solomonoffereda sacrificeof peace offerings, whichhe offeredunto the LORD, twoand twentythousandoxen, and a hundredand twentythousandsheep. So the kingand allthe childrenof Israeldedicatedthe houseof the LORD. The samedaydid the kinghallowthe middleof the courtthat was beforethe houseof the LORD: fortherehe offeredburnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fatof the peace offerings: becausethe brazenaltarthat was beforethe LORD was too littleto receivethe burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fatof the peace offerings. And at thattimeSolomonhelda feast, and allIsraelwithhim, a greatcongregation, from the entering inof Hamathuntothe riverof Egypt, beforethe LORDour God, sevendaysand sevendays, even fourteendays. On the eighthdayhe sentthe peopleaway: and they blessedthe king, and wentunto their tentsjoyfuland gladof heartforallthe goodnessthatthe LORDhad donefor Davidhis servant, and for Israelhis people.