1 Kings 8 (NET)

Solomon Moves the Ark into the Temple1

1 Then Solomon convened in Jerusalem2 Israel’s elders, all the leaders of the Israelite tribes and families, so they could witness the transferal of the ark of the Lord’s covenant from the city of David (that is, Zion).3 2 All the men of Israel assembled before King Solomon during the festival4 in the month Ethanim5 (the seventh month). 3 When all Israel’s elders had arrived, the priests lifted the ark. 4 The priests and Levites carried the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting,6 and all the holy items in the tent.7 5 Now King Solomon and all the Israelites who had assembled with him went on ahead of the ark and sacrificed more sheep and cattle than could be counted or numbered.8

6 The priests brought the ark of the Lord’s covenant to its assigned9 place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, in the most holy place, under the wings of the cherubs. 7 The cherubs’ wings extended over the place where the ark sat; the cherubs overshadowed the ark and its poles.10 8 The poles were so long their ends were visible from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary, but they could not be seen from beyond that point.11 They have remained there to this very day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets Moses had placed there in Horeb.12 It was there that13 the Lord made an agreement with the Israelites after he brought them out of the land of Egypt. 10 Once the priests left the holy place, a cloud filled the Lord’s temple. 11 The priests could not carry out their duties14 because of the cloud; the Lord’s glory filled his temple.15

12 Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he lives in thick darkness. 13 O Lord,16 truly I have built a lofty temple for you, a place where you can live permanently.” 14 Then the king turned around17 and pronounced a blessing over the whole Israelite assembly as they stood there.18 15 He said, “The Lord God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled19 what he promised20 my father David. 16 He told David,21 ‘Since the day I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live.22 But I have chosen David to lead my people Israel.’ 17 Now my father David had a strong desire23 to build a temple to honor the Lord God of Israel.24 18 The Lord told my father David, ‘It is right for you to have a strong desire to build a temple to honor me.25 19 But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’26 20 The Lord has kept the promise he made.27 I have taken my father David’s place and have occupied the throne of Israel, as the Lord promised. I have built this temple for the honor28 of the Lord God of Israel 21 and set up in it a place for the ark containing the covenant the Lord made with our ancestors29 when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.”

Solomon Prays for Israel

22 Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward the sky.30 23 He prayed:31 “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below! You maintain covenantal loyalty32 to your servants who obey you with sincerity.33 24 You have kept your word to your servant, my father David;34 this very day you have fulfilled what you promised.35 25 Now, O Lord, God of Israel, keep the promise you made to your servant, my father David, when you said, ‘You will never fail to have a successor ruling before me on the throne of Israel,36 provided that your descendants watch their step and serve me as you have done.’37 26 Now, O God of Israel, may the promise you made38 to your servant, my father David, be realized.39

27 “God does not really live on the earth!40 Look, if the sky and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this temple I have built! 28 But respond favorably to41 your servant’s prayer and his request for help, O Lord my God. Answer42 the desperate prayer43 your servant is presenting to you44 today. 29 Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live.45 May you answer your servant’s prayer for this place.46 30 Respond to the request of your servant and your people Israel for this place.47 Hear from inside your heavenly dwelling place48 and respond favorably.49

31 “When someone is accused of sinning against his neighbor and the latter pronounces a curse on the alleged offender before your altar in this temple, be willing to forgive the accused if the accusation is false.50 32 Listen from heaven and make a just decision about your servants’ claims. Condemn the guilty party, declare the other innocent, and give both of them what they deserve.51

33 “The time will come when52 your people Israel are defeated by an enemy53 because they sinned against you. If they come back to you, renew their allegiance to you,54 and pray for your help55 in this temple, 34 then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

35 “The time will come when56 the skies are shut up tightly and no rain falls because your people57 sinned against you. When they direct their prayers toward this place, renew their allegiance to you,58 and turn away from their sin because you punish59 them, 36 then listen from heaven and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel. Certainly60 you will then teach them the right way to live61 and send rain on your land that you have given your people to possess.62

37 “The time will come when the land suffers from a famine, a plague, blight and disease, or a locust63 invasion, or when their enemy lays siege to the cities of the land,64 or when some other type of plague or epidemic occurs. 38 When all your people Israel pray and ask for help,65 as they acknowledge their pain66 and spread out their hands toward this temple, 39 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place, forgive their sin,67 and act favorably toward each one based on your evaluation of his motives.68 (Indeed you are the only one who can correctly evaluate the motives of all people.)69 40 Then they will obey70 you throughout their lifetimes as71 they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.

41 “Foreigners, who do not belong to your people Israel, will come from a distant land because of your reputation.72 42 When they hear about your great reputation73 and your ability to accomplish mighty deeds,74 they will come and direct their prayers toward this temple. 43 Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners.75 Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation,76 obey77 you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you.78

44 “When you direct your people to march out and fight their enemies,79 and they direct their prayers to the Lord80 toward his chosen city and this temple I built for your honor,81 45 then listen from heaven to their prayers for help82 and vindicate them.83

46 “The time will come when your people84 will sin against you (for there is no one who is sinless!) and you will be angry with them and deliver them over to their enemies, who will take them as prisoners to their own land,85 whether far away or close by. 47 When your people86 come to their senses87 in the land where they are held prisoner, they will repent and beg for your mercy in the land of their imprisonment, admitting, ‘We have sinned and gone astray;88 we have done evil.’ 48 When they return to you with all their heart and being89 in the land where they are held prisoner,90 and direct their prayers to you toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor,91 49 then listen from your heavenly dwelling place to their prayers for help92 and vindicate them.93 50 Forgive all the rebellious acts of your sinful people and cause their captors to have mercy on them.94 51 After all,95 they are your people and your special possession96 whom you brought out of Egypt, from the middle of the iron-smelting furnace.97

52 “May you be attentive98 to your servant’s and your people Israel’s requests for help and may you respond to all their prayers to you.99 53 After all,100 you picked them out of all the nations of the earth to be your special possession,101 just as you, O sovereign Lord, announced through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt.”

54 When Solomon finished presenting all these prayers and requests to the Lord, he got up from before the altar of the Lord where he had kneeled and spread out his hands toward the sky.102 55 When he stood up, he pronounced a blessing over the entire assembly of Israel, saying in a loud voice: 56 “The Lord is worthy of praise because he has made Israel his people secure103 just as he promised! Not one of all the faithful promises he made through his servant Moses is left unfulfilled!104 57 May the Lord our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave us. 58 May he make us submissive,105 so we can follow all his instructions106 and obey107 the commandments, rules, and regulations he commanded our ancestors. 59 May the Lord our God be constantly aware of these requests of mine I have presented to him,108 so that he might vindicate109 his servant and his people Israel as the need arises. 60 Then110 all the nations of the earth will recognize that the Lord is the only genuine God.111 61 May you demonstrate wholehearted devotion to the Lord our God112 by following113 his rules and obeying114 his commandments, as you are presently doing.”115

Solomon Dedicates the Temple

62 The king and all Israel with him were presenting sacrifices to the Lord. 63 Solomon offered as peace offerings116 to the Lord 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep. Then the king and all the Israelites dedicated the Lord’s temple. 64 That day the king consecrated the middle of the courtyard that is in front of the Lord’s temple. He offered there burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, and the fat from the peace offerings, because the bronze altar that stood before the Lord was too small to hold all these offerings.117 65 At that time Solomon and all Israel with him celebrated a festival before the Lord our God for two entire weeks. This great assembly included people from all over the land, from Lebo Hamath in the north to the Brook of Egypt118 in the south.119 66 On the fifteenth day after the festival started,120 he dismissed the people. They asked God to empower the king121 and then went to their homes, happy and content122 because of all the good the Lord had done for his servant David and his people Israel.

1??tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words at the beginning of ch. 8: “It so happened that when Solomon finished building the Lord’s temple and his own house, after twenty years.” 28:1map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. 38:1tn Heb “Then Solomon convened the elders of Israel, the heads of the tribes, the chiefs of the fathers belonging to the sons of Israel to King Solomon [in] Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord from the city of David (it is Zion).” 48:2sn The festival. This was the Feast of Tabernacles, see Lev 23:34. 58:2sn The month Ethanim. This would be September-October in modern reckoning. 68:4tn Heb “the tent of assembly.”sn The tent of meeting. See Exod 33:7-11. 78:4tn Heb “and they carried the ark of the Lord…. The priests and the Levites carried them.” 88:5tn Heb “And King Solomon and all the assembly of Israel, those who had been gathered to him, [were] before the ark, sacrificing sheep and cattle which could not be counted or numbered because of the abundance.” 98:6tn The word “assigned” is supplied in the translation for clarification. 108:7sn And its poles. These poles were used to carry the ark. See Exod 25:13-15. 118:8tn Heb “they could not be seen outside.” 128:9sn Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai. 138:9tn Heb “in Horeb where.” 148:11tn Heb “were not able to stand to serve.” 158:11tn Heb “the house of the Lord.” 168:13tn The words “O Lord” do not appear in the original text, but they are supplied for clarification; Solomon addresses the Lord in prayer at this point. 178:14tn Heb “turned his face.” 188:14tn Heb “and he blessed all the assembly of Israel, and all the assembly of Israel was standing.” 198:15tn The Hebrew text reads, “by his hand.” 208:15tn The Hebrew text reads, “by his mouth.” 218:16tn Heb “saying.” 228:16tn Heb “to build a house for my name to be there.”sn To build a temple in which to live (Heb “to build a house for my name to be there”). In the OT, the word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor. The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name. 238:17tn Heb “and it was with the heart of David my father.” 248:17tn Heb “to build a house for the name of the Lord God of Israel.” The word “name” in the OT sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor. The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name. 258:18tn Heb “Because it was with your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was with your heart.” 268:19tn Heb “your son, the one who came out of your body, he will build the temple for my name.” 278:20tn Heb “his word that he spoke.” 288:20tn Heb “name.” 298:21tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 34, 40, 48, 53, 57, 58). 308:22tn Or “heaven.” 318:23tn Heb “said.” 328:23tn Heb “one who keeps the covenant and the loyal love.” The expression is a hendiadys. 338:23tn Heb “who walk before you with all their heart.” 348:24tn Heb “[you] who kept to your servant David my father that which you spoke to him.” 358:24tn Heb “you spoke by your mouth and by your hand you fulfilled, as this day.” 368:25tn Heb “there will not be cut off from you a man from before me sitting on the throne of Israel.” 378:25tn Heb “guard their way by walking before me as you have walked before me.” 388:26tn Heb “the words that you spoke.” 398:26tn Or “prove to be reliable.” 408:27tn Heb “Indeed, can God really live on the earth?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course not,” the force of which the translation above seeks to reflect. 418:28tn Heb “turn to.” 428:28tn Heb “by listening to.” 438:28tn Heb “the loud cry and the prayer.” 448:28tn Heb “praying before you.” 458:29tn Heb “so your eyes might be open toward this house night and day, toward the place about which you said, ‘My name will be there.’” 468:29tn Heb “by listening to the prayer which your servant is praying concerning this place.” 478:30tn Heb “listen to the request of your servant and your people Israel which they are praying concerning this place.” 488:30tn Heb “and you, hear inside your dwelling place, inside heaven.” The precise nuance of the preposition אֶל (’el), used here with the verb “hear,” is unclear. One expects the preposition “from,” which appears in the parallel text in 2 Chr 6:21. The nuance “inside; among” is attested for אֶל (see Gen 23:19; 1 Sam 10:22; Jer 4:3), but in each case a verb of motion is employed with the preposition, unlike 1 Kgs 8:30. The translation above (“from inside”) is based on the demands of the immediate context rather than attested usage elsewhere. 498:30tn Heb “hear and forgive.” 508:31tn Heb “and forgive the man who sins against his neighbor when one takes up against him a curse to curse him and the curse comes before your altar in this house.” In the Hebrew text the words “and forgive” conclude v. 30, but the accusative sign at the beginning of v. 31 suggests the verb actually goes with what follows in v. 31. The parallel text in 2 Chr 6:22 begins with “and if,” rather than the accusative sign. In this case “forgive” must be taken with what precedes, and v. 31 must be taken as the protasis (“if” clause) of a conditional sentence, with v. 32 being the apodosis (“then” clause) that completes the sentence.sn Be willing to forgive the accused if the accusation is false. At first it appears that Solomon is asking God to forgive the guilty party. But in v. 32 Solomon asks the Lord to discern who is guilty and innocent, so v. 31 must refer to a situation where an accusation has been made, but not yet proven. The very periphrastic translation reflects this interpretation. 518:32tn Heb “and you, hear [from] heaven and act and judge your servants by declaring the guilty to be guilty, to give his way on his head, and to declare the innocent to be innocent, to give to him according to his innocence.” 528:33tn Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 33-34 actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons. 538:33tn Or “are struck down before an enemy.” 548:33tn Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.” 558:33tn Heb “and they pray and ask for help.” 568:35tn Heb “when.” In the Hebrew text vv. 35-36a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided into two sentences for stylistic reasons. 578:35tn Heb “they”; the referent (your people) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 588:35tn Heb “confess [or perhaps, “praise”] your name.” 598:35tn The Hebrew text has “because you answer them,” as if the verb is from עָנָה (’anah, “to answer”). However, this reference to a divine answer is premature, since the next verse asks for God to intervene in mercy. It is better to revocalize the consonantal text as תְעַנֵּם (tÿ’annem, “you afflict them”), a Piel verb form from the homonym עָנָה (“to afflict”). 608:36tn The translation understands כִּי (ki) in an emphatic or asseverative sense. 618:36tn Heb “the good way in which they should walk.” 628:36tn Or “for an inheritance.” 638:37tn Actually two Hebrew terms appear here, both of which are usually taken as referring to locusts. Perhaps different stages of growth or different varieties are in view. 648:37tn Heb “in the land, his gates.” 658:38tn Heb “every prayer, every request for help which will be to all the people, to all your people Israel.” 668:38tn Heb “which they know, each the pain of his heart.” 678:39tn The words “their sin” are added for clarification. 688:39tn Heb “and act and give to each one according to all his ways because you know his heart.” In the Hebrew text vv. 37-39a actually contain one lengthy conditional sentence, which the translation has divided up for stylistic reasons. 698:39tn Heb “Indeed you know, you alone, the heart of all the sons of mankind.” 708:40tn Heb “fear.” 718:40tn Heb “all the days [in] which.” 728:41tn Heb “your name.” In the OT the word “name” sometimes refers to one’s reputation or honor. The “name” of the Lord sometimes designates the Lord himself, being indistinguishable from the proper name. 738:42tn Heb “your great name.” See the note on the word “reputation” in the previous verse. 748:42tn Heb “and your strong hand and your outstretched arm.” 758:43tn Heb “and do all which the foreigner calls to [i.e., “requests of”] you.” 768:43tn Heb “your name.” See the note on the word “reputation” in v. 41. 778:43tn Heb “fear.” 788:43tn Heb “that your name is called over this house which I built.” The Hebrew idiom “to call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28. 798:44tn Heb “When your people go out for battle against their enemies in the way which you send them.” 808:44tn Or perhaps “to you, O Lord.” See 2 Chr 6:34. 818:44tn Heb “your name.” See the note on the word “reputation” in v. 41. 828:45tn Heb “their prayer and their request for help.” 838:45tn Heb “and accomplish their justice.” 848:46tn Heb “they”; the referent (your people) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 858:46tn Heb “the land of the enemy.” 868:47tn Heb “they”; the referent (your people) has been specified in the translation for clarity. 878:47tn Or “stop and reflect”; Heb “bring back to their heart.” 888:47tn Or “done wrong.” 898:48tn Or “soul.” 908:48tn Heb “in the land of their enemies.” 918:48tn Heb “your name.” See the note on the word “reputation” in v. 41. 928:49tn Heb “their prayer and their request for help.” 938:49tn Heb “and accomplish their justice.” 948:50tn Heb “and forgive your people who have sinned against you, [forgive] all their rebellious acts by which they rebelled against you, and grant them mercy before their captors so they will show them mercy.” 958:51tn Or “for.” 968:51tn Heb “inheritance.” 978:51tn The Hebrew term כּוּר (kur, “furnace,” cf. Akkadian ku„ru) is a metaphor for the intense heat of purification. A כּוּר was not a source of heat but a crucible (“iron-smelting furnace”) in which precious metals were melted down and their impurities burned away (see I. Cornelius, NIDOTTE 2:618-19). Thus Egypt served not as a place of punishment for the Israelites, but as a place of refinement to bring Israel to a place of submission to divine sovereignty.sn From the middle of the iron-smelting furnace. The metaphor of a furnace suggests fire and heat and is an apt image to remind the people of the suffering they endured while slaves in Egypt. 988:52tn Heb “May your eyes be open.” 998:52tn Heb “to listen to them in all their calling out to you.” 1008:53tn Or “For.” 1018:53tn Heb “your inheritance.” 1028:54tn Or “toward heaven.” 1038:56tn Heb “he has given a resting place to his people Israel.” 1048:56tn Heb “not one word from his entire good word he spoke by Moses his servant has fallen.” 1058:58tn Heb “to bend our hearts toward him.” The infinitive is subordinate to the initial prayer, “may the Lord our God be with us.” The Hebrew term לֵבָב (levav, “heart”) here refers to the people’s volition and will. 1068:58tn Heb “to walk in all his ways.” 1078:58tn Heb “keep.” 1088:59tn Heb “May these words of mine, which I have requested before the Lord, be near the Lord our God day and night.” 1098:59tn Heb “accomplish the justice of.” 1108:60tn Heb “so that.” 1118:60tn Heb “the Lord, he is the God, there is no other.” 1128:61tn Heb “may your hearts be complete with the Lord our God.” 1138:61tn Heb “walking in.” 1148:61tn Heb “keeping.” 1158:61tn Heb “as this day.” 1168:63tn Or “tokens of peace”; NIV, TEV “fellowship offerings.” 1178:64tn Heb “to hold the burnt sacrifices, grain offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.” 1188:65tn Or “the Wadi of Egypt” (NAB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “the Egyptian Gorge.” 1198:65tn Heb “Solomon held at that time the festival, and all Israel was with him, a great assembly from Lebo Hamath to the Brook of Egypt, before the Lord our God for seven days and seven days, fourteen days.” 1208:66tn Heb “on the eighth day” (that is, the day after the second seven-day sequence). 1218:66tn Heb “they blessed the king.” 1228:66tn Heb “good of heart.”