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Then the king turned around to the entire community of Israel standing before him and gave this blessing:
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“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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‘From the day I brought my people Israel out 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. But I have chosen David to be king over my people Israel.’”
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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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But the LORD told him, ‘You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good,
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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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“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 I have prepared a place there for the Ark, which contains the covenant that the LORD made with our ancestors when he brought them out of Egypt.”
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Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the entire community of Israel. He lifted his hands toward heaven,
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and he prayed, “O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven above or on the earth below. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion.
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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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“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 me as you have done, one of them will always sit on the throne of Israel.’
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Now, O God of Israel, fulfill this promise to your servant David, my father.
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“But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!
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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 today.
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May you watch over this Temple night and day, this place where you have said, ‘My name will be there.’ May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place.
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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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“If someone wrongs another person and is required to take an oath of innocence in front of your altar in this Temple,
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then hear from heaven and judge between your servants—the accuser and the accused. Punish the guilty as they deserve. Acquit the innocent because of their innocence.
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“If your people Israel are defeated by their enemies because they have sinned against you, and if they turn to you and acknowledge your name and pray to you here in this Temple,
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then hear from heaven and forgive the sin of your people Israel and return them to this land you gave their ancestors.