Parallel Bible results for "1 kings 8"

1 Kings 8

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

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.

2 All the men of Isra'el assembled before King Shlomo at the festival in the month of Etanim, the seventh month.

3 All the leaders of Isra'el came. The cohanim took 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.

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.

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.

7 For the k'ruvim spread out their wings over the place for the ark, covering the ark and its poles from above.

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.

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.

10 When the cohanim came out of the Holy Place, the cloud filled the house of ADONAI,

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.

12 Shlomo said, "ADONAI said he would live in thick darkness.

13 But I have built you a magnificent house, a place where you can live forever."

14 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole community of Isra'el. The whole community of Isra'el stood

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,

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.'

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;

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,

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.'

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.

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."

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,

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.

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.

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.'

26 Now therefore, God of Isra'el, please let your word, which you spoke to your servant David, my father, be confirmed.

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?

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,

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.

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!

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;

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.

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;

34 hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Isra'el, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

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;

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.

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;

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;

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),

40 so that they will fear you throughout the time they live in the land you gave our ancestors.

41 "Also the foreigner who does not belong to your people Isra'el - when he comes from a distant country because of your reputation

42 (for they will hear of your great reputation, your mighty hand and your outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward 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.

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;

45 then, in heaven, hear their prayer and plea, and uphold their cause.

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;

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,'

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;

49 then, in heaven where you live, hear their prayer and plea, uphold their cause,

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;

51 for they are your people, your inheritance, whom you brought out of Egypt, out of the flames of the iron furnace.

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.

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."

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,

55 stood up, and raised his voice to bless the whole community of Isra'el. He said,

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.

57 May ADONAI our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us or abandon us.

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.

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.

60 Then all the peoples of the earth will know that ADONAI is God; 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."

62 Then the king, together with all Isra'el, offered sacrifices before ADONAI.

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.

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.

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.

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.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 Then Solomon assembled the respected leaders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes, and the leaders of the Israelite families. They came to King Solomon in Jerusalem to take the ark of the LORD's promise from the City of David (that is, Zion).

2 All the people of Israel gathered around King Solomon at the Festival [of Booths] in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month.

3 When all the leaders of Israel had arrived, the priests picked up the LORD's ark.

4 They brought the ark, the tent of meeting, and all the holy utensils in it [to the temple]. The priests and the Levites carried them

5 while King Solomon with the whole assembly from Israel were offering countless sheep and cattle sacrifices in front of the ark.

6 The priests brought the ark of the LORD's promise to its place in the inner room of the temple (the most holy place) under the wings of the angels.

7 When the angels' outstretched wings were over the place where the ark [rested], the angels became a covering above the ark and its poles.

8 The poles were so long that their ends could be seen in the holy place by anyone standing in front of the inner room, but they couldn't be seen outside. (They are still there today.)

9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a promise to the Israelites after they left Egypt.

10 When the priests left the holy place, a cloud filled the LORD's temple.

11 The priests couldn't serve because of the cloud. The LORD's glory filled his temple.

12 Then Solomon said, "The LORD said he would live in a dark cloud.

13 I certainly have built you a high temple, a home for you to live in permanently."

14 Then the king turned around and blessed the whole assembly of Israel while they were standing.

15 "Thanks be to the LORD God of Israel. With his mouth he made a promise to my father David; with his hand he carried it out. He said,

16 'Ever since I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I didn't choose any city in any of the tribes of Israel as a place to build a temple for my name. But now I've chosen David to rule my people Israel.'

17 "My father David had his heart set on building a temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

18 However, the LORD said to my father David, 'Since you had your heart set on building a temple for my name, your intentions were good.

19 But you must not build the temple. Instead, your own son will build the temple for my name.'

20 The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have taken my father David's place, and I sit on the throne of Israel as the LORD promised. I've built the temple for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

21 I've made a place there for the ark which contains the LORD's promise that he made to our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt."

22 In the presence of the entire assembly of Israel, Solomon stood in front of the LORD's altar. He stretched out his hands toward heaven

23 and said, "LORD God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven above or on earth below. You keep your promise of mercy to your servants, who obey you wholeheartedly.

24 You have kept your promise to my father David, your servant. With your mouth you promised it. With your hand you carried it out as it is today.

25 "Now, LORD God of Israel, keep your promise to my father David, your servant. You said, 'You will never fail to have an heir sitting in front of me on the throne of Israel if your descendants are faithful to me as you have been faithful to me.'

26 "So now, God of Israel, may the promise you made to my father David, your servant, come true.

27 "Does God really live on earth? If heaven itself, the highest heaven, cannot hold you, then how can this temple that I have built?

28 Nevertheless, my LORD God, please pay attention to my prayer for mercy. Listen to my cry for help as I pray to you today.

29 Night and day may your eyes be on this temple, the place about which you said, 'My name will be there.' Listen to me as I pray toward this place.

30 Hear the plea for mercy that your people Israel and I pray toward this place. Hear us [when we pray] to heaven, the place where you live. Hear and forgive.

31 "If anyone sins against another person and is required to take an oath and comes to take the oath in front of your altar in this temple,

32 then hear [that person] in heaven, take action, and make a decision. Condemn the guilty person with the proper punishment, but declare the innocent person innocent.

33 "An enemy may defeat your people Israel because they have sinned against you. But when your people turn to you, praise your name, pray, and plead with you in this temple,

34 then hear [them] in heaven, forgive the sins of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land that you gave to their ancestors.

35 "When the sky is shut and there's no rain because they are sinning against you, and they pray toward this place, praise your name, and turn away from their sin because you made them suffer,

36 then hear [them] in heaven. Forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them the proper way to live. Then send rain on the land, which you gave to your people as an inheritance.

37 "There may be famine in the land. Plant diseases, heat waves, funguses, locusts, or grasshoppers may destroy crops. Enemies may blockade Israel's city gates. During every plague or sickness

38 [hear] every prayer for mercy, made by one person or by all the people in Israel, whose consciences bother them, who stretch out their hands toward this temple.

39 Hear [them] in heaven, where you live. Forgive [them], and take action. Give each person the proper reply. (You know what is in their hearts, because you alone know what is in the hearts of all people.)

40 Then, as long as they live in the land that you gave to our ancestors, they will fear you.

41 "People will hear about your great name, mighty hand, and powerful arm. So when people who are not Israelites come from distant countries because of your name

42 to pray facing this temple,

43 hear [them] in heaven, the place where you live. Do everything they ask you so that all the people of the world may know your name and fear you like your people Israel and learn also that this temple which I built bears your name.

44 "When your people go to war against their enemies (wherever you may send them) and they pray to you, O LORD, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I built for your name,

45 then hear their prayer for mercy in heaven, and do what is right [for them].

46 "They may sin against you. (No one is sinless.) You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy who takes them to [another] country as captives, [whether it is] far or near.

47 If they come to their senses, are sorry for what they've done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying, 'We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked,'

48 if they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name,

49 then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them.

50 Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. [Forgive] all their wrongs when they rebelled against you, and cause those who captured them to have mercy on them

51 because they are your own people whom you brought out of Egypt from the middle of an iron smelter.

52 "May your eyes always see my plea and your people Israel's plea so that you will listen to them whenever they call on you.

53 After all, you, LORD God, set them apart from all the people of the world to be your own as you promised through your servant Moses when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt."

54 When Solomon finished praying this prayer for mercy to the LORD, he stood in front of the LORD's altar, where he had been kneeling with his hands stretched out toward heaven.

55 Then he stood and in a loud voice blessed the entire assembly of Israel,

56 "Thanks be to the LORD! He has given his people Israel rest, as he had promised. None of the good promises he made through his servant Moses has failed to come true.

57 May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our ancestors. May he never leave us or abandon us.

58 May he bend our hearts toward him. Then we will follow him and keep his commands, laws, and rules, which he commanded our ancestors [to keep].

59 May these words which I have prayed to the LORD be near the LORD our God day and night. Then he will give me and his people Israel justice every day as it is needed.

60 In this way all the people of the world will know that the LORD is God and there is no other [god].

61 May your hearts be committed to the LORD our God. Then you will live by his laws and keep his commands as you have today."

62 Then the king and all Israel offered sacrifices to the LORD.

63 Solomon sacrificed 22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep as fellowship offerings to the LORD. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the LORD's temple.

64 On that day the king designated the courtyard in front of the LORD's temple as a holy place. He sacrificed the burnt offerings, grain offerings, and the fat from the fellowship offerings because the bronze altar in front of the LORD was too small to hold all of them.

65 At that time Solomon and all Israel celebrated the Festival [of Booths]. A large crowd had come from [the territory between] the border of Hamath and the River of Egypt to be near the LORD our God for seven days.

66 On the eighth day he dismissed the people. They blessed the king and went to their tents. They rejoiced with cheerful hearts for all the blessings the LORD had given his servant David and his people Israel.