The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Then Shlomo assembled all the leaders of Isra'el, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the paternal clans of the people of Isra'el, to King Shlomo in Yerushalayim, to bring the ark for the covenant of ADONAI out of the City of David, also known as Tziyon.
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Then Solomon sent for all the responsible men of Israel, and all the chiefs of the tribes, and the heads of families of the children of Israel, to come to him in Jerusalem to take the ark of the Lord's agreement up out of the town of David, which is Zion.
2 All the men of Isra'el assembled before King Shlomo at the festival in the month of Etanim, the seventh month.
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And all the men of Israel came together to King Solomon at the feast, in the month Ethanim, the seventh month.
3 All the leaders of Isra'el came. The cohanim took the ark
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And all the responsible men of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.
4 and brought up the ark of ADONAI, the tent of meeting and all the holy utensils that were in the tent; these are what the cohanim and L'vi'im brought up.
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They took up the ark of the Lord, and the Tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels which were in the Tent; all these the priests and the Levites took up.
5 King Shlomo and the whole community of Isra'el assembled in his presence were with him in front of the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen in numbers beyond counting or recording.
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And King Solomon and all the men of Israel who had come together there, were with him before the ark, making offerings of sheep and oxen more than might be numbered.
6 The cohanim brought the ark for the covenant of ADONAI in to its place inside the sanctuary of the house, to the Especially Holy Place, under the wings of the k'ruvim.
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And the priests took the ark of the agreement of the Lord and put it in its place in the inner room of the house, in the most holy place, under the wings of the winged ones.
7 For the k'ruvim spread out their wings over the place for the ark, covering the ark and its poles from above.
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For their wings were outstretched over the place where the ark was, covering the ark and its rods.
8 The poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the sanctuary, but they could not be seen from outside; they are there to this day.
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The rods were so long that their ends were seen from the holy place, in front of the inmost room; but they were not seen from outside: and there they are to this day.
9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone which Moshe put there at Horev, when ADONAI made the covenant with the people of Isra'el at the time of their leaving the land of Egypt.
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There was nothing in the ark but the two flat stones which Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made an agreement with the children of Israel when they came out of the land of Egypt.
10 When the cohanim came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of ADONAI,
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Now when the priests had come out of the holy place, the house of the Lord was full of the cloud,
11 so that, because of the cloud, the cohanim could not stand up to perform their service; for the glory of ADONAI filled the house of ADONAI.
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So that the priests were not able to keep their places to do their work because of the cloud, for the house of the Lord was full of the glory of the Lord.
12 Shlomo said, "ADONAI said he would live in thick darkness.
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Then Solomon said, O Lord, to the sun you have given the heaven for a living-place, but your living-place was not seen by men;
13 But I have built you a magnificent house, a place where you can live forever."
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So I have made for you a living-place, a house in which you may be for ever present.
14 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole community of Isra'el. The whole community of Isra'el stood
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Then, turning his face about, the king gave a blessing to all the men of Israel; and they were all on their feet together.
15 as he said: "Blessed be ADONAI, the God of Isra'el, who spoke to my father David with his mouth and fulfilled his promise with his hand. He said,
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And he said, Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who himself gave his word to David my father, and with his strong hand has made his word come true, saying,
16 'Since the day I brought my people Isra'el out of Egypt, I chose no city from any of the tribes of Isra'el in which to build a house, so that my name might be there; but I did choose David to be over my people Isra'el.'
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From the day when I took my people Israel out of Egypt, no town in all the tribes of Israel has been marked out by me for the building of a house for the resting-place of my name; but I made selection of David to be king over my people Israel.
17 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of ADONAI the God of Isra'el;
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Now it was in the heart of David my father to put up a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
18 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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But the Lord said to David my father, You did well to have in your heart the desire to make a house for my name;
19 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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But you yourself will not be the builder of my house; but your son, the offspring of your body, he it is who will put up a house for my name.
20 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 the Lord has made his word come true; for I have taken my father David's place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel, as the Lord gave his word; and I have made a house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
21 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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In it I have made a place for the ark, in which is the agreement which the Lord made with our fathers, when he took them out of the land of Egypt.
22 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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Then Solomon took his place before the altar of the Lord, all the men of Israel being present, and stretching out his hands to heaven,
23 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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Said, O Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven or on the earth; keeping faith and mercy unchanging for your servants, while they go in your ways with all their hearts.
24 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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And you have kept the word which you gave to your servant David, my father; with your mouth you said it and with your hand you have made it come true this day.
25 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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So now, O Lord, the God of Israel, let your word to your servant David, my father, come true, when you said, You will never be without a man to take his place on the seat of the kingdom of Israel before me, if only your children give attention to their ways, walking before me as you have done.
26 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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So now, O God of Israel, it is my prayer that you will make your word come true which you said to your servant David, my father.
27 "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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But is it truly possible that God may be housed on earth? see, heaven and the heaven of heavens are not wide enough to be your resting-place; how much less this house which I have made!
28 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,
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Still, let your heart be turned to the prayer of your servant, O Lord God, and to his prayer for grace; give ear to the cry and the prayer which your servant sends up to you this day;
29 that your eyes will be open toward this house night and day - toward the place concerning which you said, 'My name will be there'- to listen to the prayer your servant will pray toward this place.
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That your eyes may be open to this house night and day, to this place of which you have said, My name will be there; hearing the prayer which your servant may make, turning to this place.
30 Yes, listen to the plea of your servant, and also that of your people Isra'el when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven where you live; and when you hear, forgive!
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Give ear to the prayers of your servant, and the prayers of your people Israel, when they make their prayers, turning to this place; give ear in heaven your living-place, and hearing, have mercy.
31 "If a person sins against a fellow member of the community, and he is made to swear under oath, and he comes and swears before your altar in this house;
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If a man does wrong to his neighbour, and has to take an oath, and comes before your altar to take his oath in this house:
32 then hear in heaven, act, and judge your servants, condemning the wicked, so that his way of life devolves on his own head, and vindicating the one who is right, giving him what his righteousness deserves.
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Then let your ear be open in heaven, and be the judge of your servants, giving your decision against the wrongdoer, so that punishment for his sins may come on his head; and, by your decision, keeping from evil him who has done no wrong.
33 "When your people Isra'el sin against you and in consequence are defeated by an enemy; then if they turn back to you, acknowledge your name, and pray and make their plea to you in this house;
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When your people Israel are overcome in war, because of their sin against you; if they are turned to you again, honouring your name, making prayers to you and requesting your grace in this house:
34 hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Isra'el, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.
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Then give ear in heaven, and let the sin of your people Israel have forgiveness, and take them back again into the land which you gave to their fathers.
35 "When they sin against you, and in consequence the sky is shut, so that there is no rain; then, if they pray toward this place, acknowledge your name and turn from their sin when you have brought them low;
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When heaven is shut up and there is no rain, because of their sin against you; if they make prayers with their faces turned to this place, honouring your name and turning away from their sin when you send trouble on them:
36 hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants and of your people Isra'el - since you keep teaching them the good way by which they should live - and send down rain on your land, which you have given your people as their inheritance.
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Then give ear in heaven, so that the sin of your servants, and of your people Israel, may have forgiveness, when you make clear to them the good way in which they are to go; and send rain on your land which you have given to your people for their heritage.
37 "If there is famine in the land, or blight, windstorm, mildew, locusts or shearer-worms; or if their enemy comes to the land and besieges them in any of their cities- no matter what kind of plague or sickness it is;
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If there is no food in the land, or if there is disease, or if the fruits of the earth are damaged through heat or water, locust or worm; if their towns are shut in by their attackers; whatever trouble, whatever disease there may be:
38 then, regardless of what prayer or plea anyone among all your people Isra'el makes - for each individual will know what is plagueing his own conscience - and the person spreads out his hands toward this house;
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Whatever prayer or request for your grace is made by any man, or by all your people Israel, whatever his trouble may be, whose hands are stretched out to this house:
39 hear in heaven where you live, and forgive, and act, and, since you know what is in each one's heart, give each person what his conduct deserves (because you, and only you, know all human hearts),
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Give ear in heaven your living-place, acting in mercy; and give to every man whose secret heart is open to you, the reward of all his ways; for you, and you only, have knowledge of the hearts of all the children of men:
40 so that they will fear you throughout the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.
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So that they may give you worship all the days of their life in the land which you gave to our fathers.
41 "Also the foreigner who does not belong to your people Isra'el - when he comes from a distant country because of your reputation
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And as for the man from a strange land, who is not of your people Israel; when he comes from a far country because of the glory of your name:
42 (for they will hear of your great reputation, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house;
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(For they will have news of your great name and your strong hand and your out-stretched arm;) when he comes to make his prayer, turning to this house:
43 then hear in heaven where you live, and act in accordance with everything about which the foreigner is calling to you; so that all the peoples of the earth will know your name and fear you, as does your people Isra'el, and so that they will know that this house which I have built bears your name.
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Give ear in heaven your living-place, and give him his desire, whatever it may be; so that all the peoples of the earth may have knowledge of your name, worshipping you as do your people Israel, and that they may see that this house which I have put up is truly named by your name.
44 "If your people go out to fight against their enemy, no matter by which way you send them, and they pray to ADONAI toward the city you chose, toward the house I built for your name;
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If your people go out to war against their attackers, by whatever way you may send them, if they make their prayer to the Lord, turning their faces to this town of yours and to this house which I have made for your name:
45 then, in heaven, hear their prayer and plea, and uphold their cause.
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Give ear in heaven to their prayer and their cry for grace, and see right done to them.
46 "If they sin against you - for there is no one who doesn't sin - and you are angry with them and hand them over to the enemy, so that they carry them off captive to the land of their enemy, whether far away or nearby;
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If they do wrong against you, (for no man is without sin,) and you are angry with them and give them up into the power of those who are fighting against them, so that they take them away as prisoners into a strange land, far off or near;
47 then, if they come to their senses in the land where they have been carried away captive, turn back and make their plea to you in the land of those who carried them off captive, saying, 'We sinned, we acted wrongly, we behaved wickedly,'
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And if they take thought, in the land where they are prisoners, and are turned again to you, crying out in prayer to you in that land, and saying, We are sinners, we have done wrong, we have done evil;
48 if, in the land of their enemies who carried them off captive, they return to you with all their heart and being and pray to you toward their own land, which you gave to their ancestors, toward the city you chose and toward the house I have built for your name;
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And with all their heart and soul are turned again to you, in the land of those who took them prisoners, and make their prayer to you, turning their eyes to this land which you gave to their fathers, and to the town which you took for yourself, and the house which I made for your name:
49 then, in heaven where you live, hear their prayer and plea, uphold their cause,
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Then give ear to their prayer and to their cry in heaven your living-place, and see right done to them;
50 and forgive your people who have sinned against you - forgive their transgressions which they have committed against you, and give them compassion in the sight of their captors, so that they will show compassion toward them;
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Answering with forgiveness the people who have done wrong against you, and overlooking the evil which they have done against you; let those who made them prisoners be moved with pity for them, and have pity on them;
51 for they are your people, your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of the flames of the iron furnace.
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For they are your people and your heritage, which you took out of Egypt, out of the iron fireplace;
52 "May your eyes be open to the plea of your servant and to the plea of your people Isra'el, so that you will hear them whenever they cry out to you.
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Let your eyes be open to your servant's prayer for grace and to the prayer of your people Israel, hearing them when their cry comes to you.
53 For you made a distinction between them and all the peoples of the earth by making them your inheritance, as you said through Moshe your servant when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, Adonai ELOHIM."
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For you made them separate from all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, as you said by Moses your servant, when you took our fathers out of Egypt, O Lord God.
54 When Shlomo had finished praying all this prayer and plea to ADONAI, he got up from in front of the altar of ADONAI, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven,
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Then Solomon, after making all these prayers and requests for grace to the Lord, got up from his knees before the altar of the Lord, where his hands had been stretched out in prayer to heaven;
55 stood up, and raised his voice to bless the whole community of Isra'el. He said,
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And, getting on his feet, he gave a blessing to all the men of Israel, saying with a loud voice,
56 "Blessed be ADONAI, who has given rest to his people Isra'el, in accordance with everything he promised. Not one word has failed of his good promise, which he made through Moshe his servant.
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Praise be to the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, as he gave them his word to do; every word of all his oath, which he gave by the hand of Moses his servant, has come true.
57 May ADONAI our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us or abandon us.
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Now may the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; let him never go away from us or give us up;
58 In this way he will incline our hearts toward him, so that we will live according to his ways and observe his mitzvot, laws and rulings which he ordered our fathers to obey.
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Turning our hearts to himself, guiding us to go in all his ways, to keep his orders and his laws and his decisions, which he gave to our fathers.
59 May these words of mine, which I have used in my plea before ADONAI, be present with ADONAI our God day and night, so that he will uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Isra'el day by day.
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And may these my words, the words of my prayer to the Lord, be before the Lord our God day and night, so that he may see right done to his servant and to his people Israel, day by day as we have need.
60 Then all the peoples of the earth will know that ADONAI is God; there is no other.
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So that all the peoples of the earth may see that the Lord is God, and there is no other.
61 So be wholehearted with ADONAI our God, living by his laws and observing his mitzvot, as you are doing today."
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Then let your hearts be without sin before the Lord our God, walking in his laws and keeping his orders as at this day.
62 Then the king, together with all Isra'el, offered sacrifices before ADONAI.
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Now the king, and all Israel with him, were making offerings before the Lord.
63 For the sacrifice of peace offerings which Shlomo offered to ADONAI, he offered 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the people of Isra'el dedicated the house of ADONAI.
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And Solomon gave to the Lord for peace-offerings, twenty-two thousand oxen and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel kept the feast of the opening of the Lord's house.
64 The same day, the king consecrated the center of the courtyard in front of the house of ADONAI, because he had to offer the burnt offering, the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings there. For the bronze altar before ADONAI was too small to receive the burnt offering, the grain offering and the fat of the peace offerings.
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The same day the king made holy the middle of the open square in front of the house of the Lord, offering there the burned offering and the meal offering and the fat of the peace-offerings; for there was not room on the brass altar of the Lord for the burned offerings and the meal offerings and the fat of the peace-offerings.
65 So Shlomo celebrated the festival at that time. All Isra'el, a huge gathering [that had come all the way] from the entrance of Hamat to the Vadi [of Egypt], celebrated with him before ADONAI our God for seven days and then for seven more days - fourteen days in all.
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So Solomon and all Israel with him, a very great meeting, (for the people had come together from the way into Hamath to the river of Egypt,) kept the feast at that time before the Lord our God, for two weeks, even fourteen days.
66 On the eighth day he sent the people away. They blessed the king and returned to their tents full of joy and glad of heart for all the goodness ADONAI had shown to David his servant and to Isra'el his people.
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And on the eighth day he sent the people away, and, blessing the king, they went to their tents full of joy and glad in their hearts, because of all the good which the Lord had done to David his servant and to Israel his people.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.