1 So Solomon finished building the Temple of the Lord and his royal palace. Solomon finished building everything he wanted to build.
2 Then the Lord appeared to him again. This was just as he had done before, in Gibeon.
3 The Lord said to him: “I have heard your prayer. I have heard what you asked me to do. You built this Temple. And I have made it a holy place. So I will be worshiped there forever. I will watch over it and protect it always.
4 “But you must serve me as your father David did. He was fair and sincere. You must obey my laws and do everything I command.
5 If you do these things, I will allow your family to rule Israel forever. I made this promise to your father David. I told him that someone from his family would always be king over Israel.
6 “But you and your children must follow me. You must obey the laws and commands I have given you. You must not go off to serve or worship other gods.
7 If you do, I will force Israel to leave the land I have given them. I made the Temple holy for people to worship me there. But if you don’t obey me, I will tear it down. Then Israel will become a bad example, a joke, to other people.