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but ADONAI said to David my father, 'Although it was in your heart to build a house for my name, and you did well that it was in your heart,
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nevertheless you will not build the house. Rather, you will father a son, and it will be he who will build the house for my name.'
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Now ADONAI has fulfilled this spoken word of his; for I have succeeded my father and sit on the throne of Isra'el, as ADONAI promised; and I have built the house for the name of ADONAI the God of Isra'el.
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And there I have made a place for the ark containing the covenant of ADONAI, which he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of the land of Egypt."
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Then Shlomo stood before the altar of ADONAI in the presence of the whole community of Isra'el, spread out his hands toward heaven,
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and said, "ADONAI, God of Isra'el, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep covenant with your servants and show them grace, provided they live in your presence with all their heart.
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You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father; you spoke with your mouth and fulfilled it with your hand; so it is today.
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Now therefore, ADONAI, God of Isra'el, keep what you promised to your servant David, my father, when you said, 'You will never lack a man in my presence to sit on the throne of Isra'el, if only your children are careful about what they do, so that they live in my presence, just as you have lived in my presence.'
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Now therefore, God of Isra'el, please let your word, which you spoke to your servant David, my father, be confirmed.
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"But can God actually live on the earth? Why, heaven itself, even the heaven of heavens, cannot contain you; so how much less this house I have built?
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Even so, ADONAI my God, pay attention to your servant's prayer and plea, listen to the cry and prayer that your servant is praying before you today,