1 USolomoni eseqedile ukukhuleka, kwehla umlilo ezulwini, wadla umnikelo wokushiswa nemihlatshelo; inkazimulo kaJehova yagcwalisa indlu.
2 Abapristi babengenakungena endlini kaJehova, ngokuba inkazimulo kaJehova yagcwalisa indlu kaJehova.
3 Lapho abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bebona ukwehla komlilo, nenkazimulo kaJehova iphezu kwendlu, bakhothama phansi ngobuso phezu kwendawo egandaywe ngamatshe, bakhuleka, babonga uJehova, ngokuba muhle nangokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade.
4 Inkosi nabo bonke abantu base benikela ngomhlatshelo phambi kukaJehova.
5 Inkosi uSolomoni yanikela ngomhlatshelo wezinkunzi eziyizinkulungwane ezingamashumi amabili nambili nezimvu eziyizinkulungwane eziyikhulu namashumi amabili. Inkosi nabo bonke abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahlambulula-ke indlu kaJehova.
6 Abapristi bema njengezikhundla zabo kanye namaLevi, benezinto zokubethwa ayezenzile uDavide inkosi ukuba babonge uJehova, ngokuba umusa wakhe umi phakade, lapho uDavide edumisa ngezandla zabo; abapristi bakhalisa amacilongo ngaphambi kwabo, esemi wonke u-Israyeli.
7 USolomoni wangcwelisa ingaphakathi legceke elalingaphambi kwendlu kaJehova, ngokuba wanikela lapho ngeminikelo yokushiswa namanoni eminikelo yokuthula, ngokuba i-altare lethusi ayelenzile uSolomoni lalingenakwanela umnikelo wokushiswa, nomnikelo wempuphu, namanoni.
8 USolomoni wagubha-ke umkhosi ngaleso sikhathi izinsuku eziyisikhombisa, wonke u-Israyeli enaye, ibandla elikhulu kakhulu, kusukela ekuyeni eHamati kuze kube semfuleni waseGibithe.
9 Ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili benza umhlangano ozothileyo ngokuba ukuhlanjululwa kwe-altare bakwenza izinsuku eziyisikhombisa nomkhosi izinsuku eziyisikhombisa.
10 Ngosuku lwamashumi amabili nantathu lwenyanga yesikhombisa wabamukisa abantu baya ematendeni abo, bethokoza benezinhliziyo ezenamileyo ngobuhle uJehova abenzele oDavide noSolomoni no-Israyeli abantu bakhe.
11 USolomoni waqeda-ke indlu kaJehova nendlu yenkosi; konke okwangena enhliziyweni kaSolomoni ukukwenza endlini kaJehova nasendlini yakhe, wakuphumelelisa.
12 UJehova wabonakala kuSolomoni, wathi kuye: “Ngiwuzwile umkhuleko wakho, ngizikhethele le ndawo ukuba ibe yindlu yomhlatshelo.
13 “Uma ngivala izulu ukuba kungabikho mvula, noma ngiyaleza isikhonyane ukuba sidle izwe, noma ngithuma isifo phakathi kwabantu bami,
14 bazithobe abantu bami ababizwa ngegama lami, bakhuleke, bafune ubuso bami, baphenduke ezindleleni zabo ezimbi, ngiyakuzwa ezulwini, ngithethelele isono sabo, ngiphilise izwe labo.
15 Manje amehlo ami ayakuvuleka, izindlebe zami zilalele umkhuleko owenziwa kule ndawo.
16 Manje sengiyikhethile ngayingcwelisa le ndlu ukuba igama lami libe khona lapho kuze kube phakade; amehlo ami nenhliziyo yami kuyakuba khona lapho isikhathi sonke.
17 “Wena-ke, uma uyakuhamba phambi kwami njengokuhamba kukaDavide uyihlo, wenze njengakho konke engikuyale ngakho, ugcine izimiso zami nezahlulelo zami,
18 ngiyakusimisa isihlalo sobukhosi sombuso wakho njengesivumelwano sami noDavide uyihlo ngokuthi: ‘Akuyikunqunywa muntu kuwe ukuba kungabikho mbusi kwa-Israyeli.’
19 “Kepha uma nibuya, nishiye izimiso zami nemiyalo yami engikubeke phambi kwakho, nihambe nikhonze abanye onkulunkulu, nikhuleke kubo,
20 ngiyakubasiphula ezweni lami engibanike lona, nale ndlu engiyingcwelisele igama lami ngiyakuyilahla ebusweni bami, ngiyenze isaga nesifenqo phakathi kwabantu bonke.
21 Le ndlu ephakeme kangaka, yilowo nalowo odlula kuyo uyakumangala athi: ‘UJehova wenzeleni kanje kuleli zwe nakule ndlu na?’
22 Bayakuphendula bathi: ‘Kungokuba bamshiya uJehova uNkulunkulu wawoyise owabakhipha ezweni laseGibithe, babambelela kwabanye onkulunkulu, bakhuleka kubo, babakhonza; ngalokho ubehlisele konke lokho okubi.’ ”