New Living Translation NLT
The Message Bible MSG
1 Then Solomon prayed, “O LORD, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness.
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Then Solomon said, God said he would dwell in a cloud,
2 Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!”
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But I've built a temple most splendid, A place for you to live in forever.
3 Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing:
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The king then turned to face the congregation that had come together and blessed them:
4 “Praise the LORD, the God of Israel, who has kept the promise he made to my father, David. For he told my father,
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"Blessed be God, the God of Israel, who spoke personally to my father David. Now he has done what he promised when he said,
5 ‘From the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have never chosen a city among any of the tribes of Israel as the place where a Temple should be built to honor my name. Nor have I chosen a king to lead my people Israel.
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'From the day I brought my people Israel up from Egypt, I haven't set apart one city among the tribes of Israel in which to build a temple to honor my Name, or chosen one person to be the leader.
6 But now I have chosen Jerusalem as the place for my name to be honored, and I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”
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But now I have chosen both a city and a person: Jerusalem for honoring my Name and David to lead my people Israel.'
7 Then Solomon said, “My father, David, wanted to build this Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
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"My father David very much wanted to build a temple honoring the Name of God, the God of Israel,
8 But the LORD told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good,
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but God told him, 'It was good that you wanted to build a temple in my honor - most commendable!
9 but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.’
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But you are not the one to do it. Your son, who will carry on your dynasty, will build it for my Name.'
10 “And now the LORD has fulfilled the promise he made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised. I have built this Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.
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"And now you see the promise completed. God has done what he said he would do; I have succeeded David my father and now rule Israel; and I have built a temple to honor God, the God of Israel,
11 There I have placed the Ark, which contains the covenant that the LORD made with the people of Israel.”
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and have secured a place for the Chest that holds the Covenant of God, the covenant he made with the people of Israel."
12 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the entire community of Israel, and he lifted his hands in prayer.
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Before the entire congregation of Israel, Solomon took his position at the Altar of God and stretched out his hands.
13 Now Solomon had made a bronze platform 7 feet long, 7 feet wide, and 4 feet high and had placed it at the center of the Temple’s outer courtyard. He stood on the platform, and then he knelt in front of the entire community of Israel and lifted his hands toward heaven.
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Solomon had made a bronze dais seven and a half feet square and four and a half feet high and placed it inside the court; that's where he now stood. Then he knelt in full view of the whole congregation, stretched his hands to heaven,
14 He prayed, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.
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and prayed:
15 You have kept your promise to your servant David, my father. You made that promise with your own mouth, and with your own hands you have fulfilled it today.
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You kept your word to David my father, your promise. You did exactly what you promised - every detail. The proof is before us today!
16 “And now, O LORD, God of Israel, carry out the additional promise you made to your servant David, my father. For you said to him, ‘If your descendants guard their behavior and faithfully follow my Law as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
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Keep it up, God, O God of Israel! Continue to keep the promises you made to David my father when you said, "You'll always have a descendant to represent my rule on Israel's throne, on the one condition that your sons are as careful to live obediently in my presence as you have."
17 Now, O LORD, God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David.
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O God, God of Israel, let this all happen - confirm and establish it!
18 “But will God really live on earth among people? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!
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Can it be that God will actually move into our neighborhood? Why, the cosmos itself isn't large enough to give you breathing room, let alone this Temple I've built.
19 Nevertheless, listen to my prayer and my plea, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is making to you.
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Even so, I'm bold to ask: Pay attention to these my prayers, both intercessory and personal, O God, my God. Listen to my prayers, energetic and devout, that I'm setting before you right now.
20 May you watch over this Temple day and night, this place where you have said you would put your name. May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place.
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Keep your eyes open to this Temple day and night, this place you promised to dignify with your Name. And listen to the prayers that I pray in this place.
21 May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.
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And listen to your people Israel when they pray at this place. Listen from your home in heaven and when you hear, forgive.
22 “If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of your altar at this Temple,
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When someone hurts a neighbor and promises to make things right, and then comes and repeats the promise before your Altar in this Temple,
23 then hear from heaven and judge between your servants—the accuser and the accused. Pay back the guilty as they deserve. Acquit the innocent because of their innocence.
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Listen from heaven and act; judge your servants, making the offender pay for the offense And set the offended free, dismissing all charges.
24 “If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn back and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple,
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When your people Israel are beaten by an enemy because they've sinned against you, but then turn to you and acknowledge your rule in prayers desperate and devout in this Temple,
25 then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave to them and to their ancestors.
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Listen from your home in heaven; forgive the sin of your people Israel, return them to the land you gave to them and their ancestors.
26 “If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,
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When the skies shrivel up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, but then they pray at this place, acknowledging your rule and quit their sins because you have scourged them,
27 then hear from heaven and forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Teach them to follow the right path, and send rain on your land that you have given to your people as their special possession.
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Listen from your home in heaven, forgive the sins of your servants, your people Israel. Then start over with them; train them to live right and well; Send rain on the land you gave as inheritance to your people.
28 “If there is a famine in the land or a plague or crop disease or attacks of locusts or caterpillars, or if your people’s enemies are in the land besieging their towns—whatever disaster or disease there is—
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When disasters strike, famine or catastrophe, crop failure or disease, locust or beetle, or when an enemy attacks their defenses - calamity of any sort -
29 and if your people Israel pray about their troubles or sorrow, raising their hands toward this Temple,
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any prayer that's prayed from anyone at all among your people Israel, their hearts penetrated by disaster, hands and arms thrown out for help to this Temple,
30 then hear from heaven where you live, and forgive. Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart.
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Listen from your home in heaven, forgive and reward us: reward each life and circumstance, For you know each life from the inside, (you're the only one with such inside knowledge!),
31 Then they will fear you and walk in your ways as long as they live in the land you gave to our ancestors.
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So they'll live before you in lifelong reverence and believing obedience on this land you gave our ancestors.
32 “In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands when they hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm. And when they pray toward this Temple,
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And don't forget the foreigner who is not a member of your people Israel but has come from a far country because of your reputation - people are going to be attracted here by your great reputation, your wonderworking power - and who come to pray to this Temple.
33 then hear from heaven where you live, and grant what they ask of you. In this way, all the people of the earth will come to know and fear you, just as your own people Israel do. They, too, will know that this Temple I have built honors your name.
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Listen from your home in heaven and honor the prayers of the foreigner, So that people all over the world will know who you are and what you're like, And live in reverent obedience before you, just as your own people Israel do, So they'll know that you personally make this Temple that I've built what it is.
34 “If your people go out where you send them to fight their enemies, and if they pray to you by turning toward this city you have chosen and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name,
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When your people go to war against their enemies at the time and place you send them and they pray to God toward the city you chose and The Temple I've built to honor your Name,
35 then hear their prayers from heaven and uphold their cause.
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Listen from heaven to what they pray and ask for and do what is right for them.
36 “If they sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to a foreign land far away or near.
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When they sin against you - and they certainly will; there's no one without sin! - and in anger you turn them over to the enemy and they are taken off captive to the enemy's land, whether far or near,
37 But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’
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but then repent in the country of their captivity and pray with changed hearts in their exile, "We've sinned; we've done wrong; we've been most wicked,"
38 If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their captivity and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—
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and they turn back to you heart and soul in the land of the enemy who conquered them, and pray to you toward their homeland, the land you gave their ancestors, toward the city you chose, and this Temple I have built to the honor of your Name,
39 then hear their prayers and their petitions from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.
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Listen from your home in heaven to their prayers desperate and devout; Do what is best for them. Forgive your people who have sinned against you.
40 “O my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to all the prayers made to you in this place.
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And now, dear God, be alert and attentive to prayer, all prayer, offered in this place.
41 “And now arise, O LORD God, and enter your resting place, along with the Ark, the symbol of your power. May your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation; may your loyal servants rejoice in your goodness.
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Up, God, enjoy your new place of quiet repose, you and your mighty covenant Chest; Dress your priests up in salvation clothes, let your holy people celebrate goodness.
42 O LORD God, do not reject the king you have anointed. Remember your unfailing love for your servant David.”
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And don't, God, back out on your anointed ones, keep in mind the love promised to David your servant.