1 Then Shelomoh said, “יהוה has said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
2 “But I have built You an exalted house, and a place for You to dwell in forever.”
3 And the sovereign turned around and blessed all the assembly of Yisra’ĕl, while all the assembly of Yisra’ĕl stood.
4 And he said, “Blessed be יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, who has filled with His hands what He spoke with His mouth to my father Dawiḏ, saying,
5 ‘From the day that I brought My people out of the land of Mitsrayim, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Yisra’ĕl in which to build a house for My Name to be there, nor did I choose any man to be a leader over My people Yisra’ĕl.
6 ‘But I have chosen Yerushalayim, for My Name to be there. And I have chosen Dawiḏ to be over My people Yisra’ĕl.’
7 “And it was in the heart of my father Dawiḏ to build a House for the Name of יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl.
8 “But יהוה said to my father Dawiḏ, ‘Because it was in your heart to build a House for My Name, you did well in that it was in your heart.
9 ‘But you do not build the house, for your son who comes forth from your loins, he does build the House for My Name.’
10 “Now יהוה has established His word which He spoke, and I have been raised up instead of my father Dawiḏ, and sit on the throne of Yisra’ĕl, as יהוה promised. And I have built the House for the Name of יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl.
11 “And there I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of יהוה which He made with the children of Yisra’ĕl.”
12 And he stood before the altar of יהוה in front of all the assembly of Yisra’ĕl, and spread out his hands –
13 for Shelomoh had made a bronze platform five cubits long, and five cubits broad, and three cubits high, and had put it in the midst of the court. And he stood on it, and knelt down on his knees before all the assembly of Yisra’ĕl, and spread out his hands toward the heavens –
14 and said, “יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, there is no Elohim in the heavens or on earth like You, guarding the covenant and kindness with Your servants who walk before You with all their heart,
15 who has guarded what You promised Your servant Dawiḏ my father. Indeed, You have both spoken with Your mouth and have filled it with Your hand, as it is this day.
16 “And now, יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, guard what You promised Your servant Dawiḏ my father, saying, ‘There is not to cease a man of yours before Me, sitting on the throne of Yisra’ĕl – only, if your sons guard their way, to walk in My Torah as you have walked before Me.’
17 “And now, O יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, let Your word come true which You have spoken to Your servant Dawiḏ.
18 “For is it true: Elohim dwells with men on the earth! See, the heavens and the heavens of the heavens are unable to contain You, how much less this House which I have built!
19 “Yet, shall You turn to the prayer of Your servant and his supplication, O יהוה my Elohim, to listen to the cry and to the prayer which Your servant is praying before You?
20 “For Your eyes to be open toward this House day and night, toward the place You have said to put Your Name there, to listen to the prayer which Your servant prays toward this place.
21 “And shall You give heed to the supplications of Your servant and of Your people Yisra’ĕl, when they pray toward this place, and hear from Your dwelling place, in the heavens, and shall hear and forgive?
22 “If anyone sins against his neighbour, and he has lifted up an oath on him, to cause him to swear, and comes and swears before Your altar in this House,
23 then hear in the heavens, and act, and rightly rule Your servants, repaying the wrong by bringing his way on his own head, and declare right the righteous by giving him according to his righteousness.
24 “And if Your people Yisra’ĕl are smitten before an enemy because they have sinned against You, and they shall turn back and confess Your Name, and pray and make supplication before You in this House,
25 then hear in the heavens and forgive the sin of Your people Yisra’ĕl, and bring them back to the land which You gave to them and their fathers.
26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against You, and they shall pray toward this place and confess Your Name, and turn from their sin because You afflict them,
27 then hear in the heavens, and forgive the sin of Your servants, Your people Yisra’ĕl – for You teach them the good way in which they should walk – and shall send rain on Your land which You have given to Your people as an inheritance.
28 “When there is scarcity of food in the land; when there is pestilence or blight or mildew, locusts or grasshoppers; when their enemies distress them in the land of their cities; any plague or any sickness;
29 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Yisra’ĕl, when each one knows his own plague and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this house,
30 then hear from the heavens Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know – for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men –
31 so that they fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.
32 “Also, concerning a foreigner, who is not of Your people Yisra’ĕl, but who comes from a far land for the sake of Your great Name and Your strong hand and Your outstretched arm, when they come and pray in this House,
33 then hear from the heavens Your dwelling place, and do according to all which the foreigner calls to You for, so that all the people of the earth know Your Name and fear You, as do Your people Yisra’ĕl, and to know that this House which I have built is called by Your Name.
34 “When Your people go out to battle against their enemies, in the way that You send them, and they shall pray to You toward this city which You have chosen and toward the House which I have built for Your Name,
35 then shall You hear from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause?
36 “When they sin against You – for there is no one who does not sin – and You become enraged with them and give them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near,
37 and they shall turn back unto their heart, in the land where they have been taken captive, and shall turn, and make supplication to You in the land of their captivity, saying, ‘We have sinned, we have acted crookedly, and have done wrong,’
38 and when they return to You with all their heart and with all their being in the land of their captivity, where they have taken them captive, and they shall pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, and the city which You have chosen, and toward the House which I have built for Your Name,
39 then shall You hear from the heavens, Your dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You?
40 “Now, my Elohim, I pray, let Your eyes be open and let Your ears be attentive to the prayer of this place.
41 “And now, arise, O יהוה Elohim, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength. Let Your priests, O יהוה Elohim, be robed with deliverance, and let Your kind ones rejoice in goodness.
42 “O יהוה Elohim, do not turn away the face of Your anointed; remember the kind acts of Your servant Dawiḏ.”